In a high-stakes showdown at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, former UFC star Nate Diaz and YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul engaged in a heated final faceoff before their much-anticipated boxing bout.
Paul and Diaz teased one another throughout the faceoff, which was moderated by UFC icon Chael Sonnen. Â The YouTuber was lucky that his opponent was simply pretending to strike him with an elbow to the head. But the intensity reached new heights as Diaz attempted a daring kick towards Paul.
Paul also performed some feints, but there were no kicks involved. Some fans are speculating as to whether Diaz would kick during the bout after seeing him throw one.
Social media erupted with speculation after the faceoff, with fans imagining the possibility of Diaz delivering a head-kick knockout in a boxing match.
One enthusiastic user even tweeted, “Wouldn’t be surprised if Nate Diaz is the first fighter to throw a head kick knockout in a boxing match.”
Another chimed in, “Imagine Nate Diaz says f**k this and throws a roundhouse kick to Jake Paul’s head.”
Before the press conference on Wednesday, the Paul versus Diaz matchup wasn’t generating as much buzz as expected. However, all that changed dramatically when members from each camp engaged in a chaotic brawl during the presser before the bout.
After months of intense trash-talk and build-up, Saturday’s boxing match promises to be an epic showdown. The clash between Diaz and Paul will be the culmination of their rivalry, and both combatants are determined to prove their worth inside the ring.
Both Jake and Nate made weight during the weigh-in on Friday.
Additionally, rapper Drake has returned to high-stakes sports betting. He recently placed a $250,000 wager on Nate Diaz to defeat Jake Paul in a forthcoming boxing battle.
Drake switched sides this time even though he lost $400,000 on a wager on Jake Paul’s prior matchup with Tommy Paul in February. The artist defended his decision by citing his strong admiration for the Diaz brothers and claiming that his upbringing was the reason he supported them.