Written by Rhea Alison, Sports reporter, covering international sports since 2020
Former UFC star Nate Diaz was left covered in blood before doctors stopped his fight against Mike Perry during the undercard of the Rousey vs. Carano event on Saturday night. The bout ended after two rounds when cageside medical staff ruled Diaz’s forehead cut was too severe to continue, handing Perry a TKO victory in a violent clash that had fans roaring throughout the arena.
Mike Perry overwhelms Nate Diaz early
Perry started aggressively and quickly found success with heavy combinations in the opening round. Diaz stayed active and continued throwing punches, but Perry’s pressure kept forcing him backward. By the middle of Round 2, Diaz’s face was badly swollen and blood began pouring from a deep cut on his forehead.
The crowd reacted loudly every time Diaz attempted to fight back, especially as blood covered both fighters during exchanges near the cage. Despite the damage, Diaz kept moving forward and refused to quit, showing the toughness that has defined his MMA career for years.
Doctor waves off fight after Round 2
When Round 2 ended, Diaz returned to his corner while his team attempted to stop the bleeding. Medical officials examined the cut before deciding the fight could not safely continue.
A cut stoppage occurs when a ringside doctor determines a fighter’s injury is too dangerous to continue competing. Saturday’s result officially goes down as a TKO victory for Perry.
This was not the first time Diaz lost because of a doctor’s stoppage. In 2019, his fight against Jorge Masvidal at UFC 244 was also stopped due to a severe cut above his eye.
Diaz later saw his professional record fall to 22-13 following the defeat.
For more combat sports coverage, check out SmartPlay MMA News. Fans can also read the official fight recap at The Sporting News.