BKFC Boss Says Mike Perry vs. Nate Diaz Would've Been 'A Different Level' In Bare-Knuckle

BKFC president David Feldman believes the MMA matchup would have been even more intense under bare-knuckle rules.

Apr. 3, 2026 at 5:52pm

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A fractured, geometric painting depicting the explosive movements and physical intensity of a bare-knuckle boxing match, with the fighters' forms broken down into sharp, overlapping planes of color.A cubist interpretation of the intense, raw energy of a potential bare-knuckle fight between MMA stars Mike Perry and Nate Diaz.Los Angeles Today

BKFC president David Feldman said a bare-knuckle fight between MMA stars Mike Perry and Nate Diaz would have been 'a different level' compared to their upcoming MMA matchup. Feldman believes the fight would have generated '10 times the hype' and been an all-out 'bloodbath' under BKFC rules, which suit the fighters' dirty boxing styles. Meanwhile, UFC commentator Daniel Cormier has fired back at Diaz's recent trash talk, criticizing the fighter's 13 career losses.

Why it matters

This story highlights the growing popularity of bare-knuckle fighting and the potential crossover appeal between MMA and BKFC. It also showcases the ongoing rivalry and trash talk between veteran fighters like Nate Diaz and Daniel Cormier, which helps drive interest and anticipation for their potential future matchups.

The details

BKFC president David Feldman said a fight between Mike Perry and Nate Diaz would have been 'way bigger' and a 'different level' in the bare-knuckle format compared to their upcoming MMA bout. Feldman believes the fight would have generated '10 times the hype' under BKFC rules, which suit the fighters' dirty boxing styles. Meanwhile, UFC commentator Daniel Cormier has fired back at Diaz's recent trash talk, criticizing the fighter's 13 career losses and saying elite fighters don't rack up that many defeats in their prime.

  • Nate Diaz is making his MMA comeback on Most Valuable Promotions' MMA card on an unspecified date.
  • Diaz is facing Mike Perry in a five-round MMA battle on the MVP card.

The players

David Feldman

The president of Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC).

Nate Diaz

A veteran MMA fighter who is making his comeback on the Most Valuable Promotions MMA card, where he will face Mike Perry.

Mike Perry

An MMA fighter who is scheduled to face Nate Diaz in a five-round battle on the Most Valuable Promotions MMA card.

Daniel Cormier

A UFC commentator who has fired back at Nate Diaz's recent trash talk, criticizing the fighter's 13 career losses.

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What they’re saying

“100 percent better [in bare-knuckle]. Just announcing it as a bare-knuckle fight, it would have got 10 times the hype that it got, and it got a lot of hype, don't get me wrong. It's different and people want to see it in bare-knuckle. That would have been it. You talk about a bloodbath, that was a bloodbath.”

— David Feldman, BKFC President

“You lost to 13 people? You were in your absolute athletic prime in the sport that you chose, and you got beat multiple times by all these people. This is who I lost to—two. Two people. For me, it's hard for me to fathom losing to 13 people in the sport that you chose.”

— Daniel Cormier, UFC Commentator

The takeaway

This story highlights the growing popularity of bare-knuckle fighting and the potential crossover appeal between MMA and BKFC. It also showcases the ongoing rivalry and trash talk between veteran fighters like Nate Diaz and Daniel Cormier, which helps drive interest and anticipation for their potential future matchups.