It was hard to find too many highlights from Tuesday’s Jake Paul vs. Nate Diaz press conference, hosted at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.
This is the same venue that will host the pair’s Aug. 5 boxing scene, which features Amanda Serrano vs. Heather Hardy for the co-title. But this date will, more than likely, feature plump fans to the rafters, while Tuesday’s press release featured Paul, Diaz, host Ariel Helwani, assorted security guards, and members of the media.
Really, it could have taken place in a hotel conference room. Or your local Denny’s. Even Diaz seemed surprised, at one point asking where everyone was.
“I don’t know where all these people are. Aren’t there normal people in this press conference?” Diaz questioned. “Who was this idea?”
“We should have had 100 regular people here. This is a sketch press conference. F*cking bullish-ass press conference. Next time, let the whole place in.”
“Do you know that you are the one setting the event?” Paul intervened. Real Fight Inc. is participating. Diaz’s newly launched promotions began promoting the show. “Yeah I know. But I thought maybe you’ll get it together now. I’ve fought big shows,” Diaz replies, promising things will be different “next time, *gentlemen*.”
Per the confectioner’s host, the fight week of the event will be open to the fans. Who, if you believe the hype, has scored thousands — 20 thousand, reportedly — for pre-sale tickets for Jake Paul vs. Nate Diaz.
If the interest of the fans is so high, then the interest of the media on the other hand seems to be limiting. There were a number of the usual suspects on the MMA side, given that Nate Diaz was involved, after all. On the boxing front, well, it looks like Paul is still struggling to get respect, especially after losing to Tommy Fury earlier this year.
Then there was Derek Who re-media“,” who decided to turn his circus into a clown show.
Better Media’s Derek was named Media Member of the Year pic.twitter.com/ofo1hAVx2A
– Ben Davis (@BenTheBaneDavis) May 9, 2023
“Nate, I’m actually a boxer, and I’ve been trying to get into this undercard,” the reporter began (and that’s a term we use disparagingly), in what appeared to be a shot in an audio clip or stunt blurb. Things went south quickly from there. “I’m just wondering if you think I can fight your brother Nick. If he’s like you, I bet I can beat his fucking ass.”
“Not very respectful,” noted Ariel Helwani. Diaz was a little more than that.
“Brother, what do you think you will go far in the streets or not? His housemates see you now,” that was stupid.
“I’m definitely nervous right now,” a less confident Derek suddenly admits, before Jake bails Paul out.
“He works for my company,” said Paul, “and I’ll take over that later.” “I’ll kick him out later, I’m sorry about that Nate.”
Whether Derek is a vegetarian or not, Jake Paul at least tried to save him. Keep in mind that Diaz was recently accused of assaulting a Logan Paul lookalike in a street fight.
Paul, mind you, could get away with such sarcasm, eventually featuring Jolly Chimp clapping icons together. “I think that’s what’s going on in Nate’s brain,” Paul exclaimed, getting no reaction from Diaz.
In fact, Diaz was on his best behavior on Tuesday, aside from his trademark profanity, which generated an apology to viewers at home from the one-time confectioner. And then, there was a point, near the end of the iron, where Diaz simply got up and went out for a bathroom break.
“Is this man gone?” asked a skeptical Paul. “Jesus Christ. I have never seen anything like this.”
Paul might want to get used to it. He’s signed up to fight Nate Diaz, who brings mayhem with him wherever he roams. As for what we learned about the fight itself: Paul and Diaz have not yet settled on the number of rounds to be played, though anything from 8 to 15 seems possible (15 is a bit unlikely, so between 8 and 12 really), while the rest will be contested. It weighs in at 185 lbs., as expected.