There may not be two fighters that are riding as high as Nate Diaz and Jorge Masvidal right now. The pair of tough guys, from California and Florida respectively, are coming off big wins, and their natural styles are a perfect fit for each other in the Octagon.

Nate Diaz (20-11-0) had the more recent fight, which saw him light up an always-game Anthony Pettis in a unanimous decision victory. Diaz easily manhandled Pettis throughout most of the fight, which was already huge considering Pettis’ pedigree. What’s more impressive, though, is that Diaz did it after a three-year layoff from the UFC.

Jorge Masvidal (34-13-0), on the other hand, is coming off two knockout victories in 2019. The first came against Darren Till in March, and his most recent one came against Ben Askren. The victory against Till also came after an extended layoff – Masvidal’s last fight before that was in November of 2017.

The Askren fight, though, is really what made Masvidal’s star rise. After enduring a lot of trash talk from the former Bellator and ONE FC champion, Masvidal put on a performance for the ages. His five second knockout of Askren became the fastest in UFC history, and he put a stamp on the victory by clowning the unconscious Askren.

Personalities sell fights

Honestly, you probably couldn’t have chosen a better pair of opponents if you were writing a script for a Hollywood movie. Diaz and Masvidal are serious fan favorites after their recent successes, and their personalities have gained them the respect of both casual and hardcore MMA fans.

These are guys that have weathered a ton of shit talk from their biggest rivals, but then went on to shut them up in the cage.

Diaz, of course, rose to superstardom by submitting Conor McGregor in their first fight. His high-pressure style and unrelenting forward movement caught McGregor off guard and forced him to attempt an uncharacteristic takedown, which ended in a submission loss for “The Notorious”. His post-fight interview went on to become the stuff of legend.

https://youtu.be/Psx5ysLjqdg?t=33

When you watch Masvidal’s post-fight press conference comments after his win against Askren, you start to see why fans are seriously looking forward to the fight with Diaz.

https://youtu.be/HyOxHRz-iK8

The fight sells itself. What’s even more telling is the fact that the two fighters are showing each other a great deal of respect in the lead-up to the fight. While more brash fighters like McGregor have made their pre-fight antics the focal point of how they sell fights, Diaz and Masvidal sell tickets and PPVs because you know you will always see them go to war.

They may be respectful of each other’s skills and achievements, but that doesn’t mean that either man is afraid or worried.

It’s definitely going to be a war

If you’ve ever seen either of them fight, then you know that there’s only one option for their matchup this weekend: an all-out war.

Masvidal has always been one to stand and bang, having become an underground sensation years ago in Kimbo Slice’s backyard fight series. He wasn’t afraid to take on any challenge then, and that hasn’t changed.

Diaz isn’t exactly one to cower, either. Even though he’s a high-level black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, he’s become just as famous for his love for standing and boxing against his foes. His endless motor is always a problem for opponents, and he’ll eat shots from Masvidal if it means he can get off his combos as well.

Who wins?

It’s hard to pick a victor. There’s a solid case for either of the two warriors winning, depending on how the battle plays out.

Nate Diaz and his endless cardio may have the edge on a longer, protracted fight. He’s no stranger to long wars, having fought 9 rounds against Conor McGregor in 2016. He never stops training his cardio and is known for taking part in other activities like triathlons.

Masvidal, on the other hand, hasn’t gone past the third round of a fight since a loss to Benson Henderson in 2015. It’s going to be interesting to see if he can weather the storm should the fight enter the later rounds – as this is also the time Diaz starts to step it up. Masvidal has good composure, but only time will tell if he’s not susceptible to losing his cool from all of the taunting and the Stockton Slaps that will come his way. Should that happen, and the fight go to the ground, then Diaz has a massive advantage in submission skills.

On the feet, though, Masvidal’s patience and poise likely hold the edge. He’s got great leg kicks that might be able to take the sting out of Diaz’ offensive attacks, and he’s also a good wrestler. Masvidal has learned to pick his spots better, as well. He’s no longer overly cautious like his younger days. He and his team are also excellent at spotting patterns and weaknesses in their opponents – which is exactly how he knew that throwing a knee at Askren in their fight would work.

Masvidal is also 6-2 against southpaws that are UFC-caliber. He’s a moderate favorite over Diaz, but this is one of those fights that is almost impossible to call.

Only one thing is certain: whether its 1 round or 5, MMA fans are in for a treat.