NEW YORK – In a day and age where money speaks as loud as the trash talk is willing to sound, Nate Diazand Jorge Masvidal decided to run a different course at the UFC 244 press conference Thursday.

With a natural backdrop of the New York skyline framing the scene, Diaz (20-11 MMA, 15-9 UFC) and Masvidal (34-13 MMA, 11-6 UFC) marshaled hundreds of UFC fans to The Rooftop at Pier 17 by their sheer reputation of two of the “realest” competitors in MMA.

The “BMF” belt was frequently referenced throughout the event and the official promotional poster display even displayed a custom parental advisory sticker parody.

While the duo gave off distinct gangster vibes, there was an equally strong respect vibe between the two.

Neither fighter used trash talk, insults, or personal attacks to radiate their coolness. At the mere sight of Diaz’s entranc, the crowd began filling the air with marijuana smoke. The Stockton, Calif. native walked onto the stage with his hat turned a sideways, a plain black t-shirt, and jeans.

Conversely in his own gangster right, Masvidal decided to emulate Tony Montana to the best of his ability. “Gambred” sported a white suit with a red dress shirt and his hair tied back in a bun.

Throughout the news conference, both men had frequent opportunities to toss verbal jabs. However, the two UFC welterweights stayed away from even riding the line. When given an easy opportunity to put down the other in questions that occasional veered toward the inane, Masvidal and Diaz decided to voice confidence in their own abilities.

“He’s a different caliber than the guys that you mention,” Masvidal said, when asked if he would repeat recent knockout performances when he fights Diaz. “I’ve seen him pull up and up in some tough situations and win those decisions. I’ve got whatever it takes, man.”

Diaz, who has been known for intense past rivalries, voiced similar sentiments and complimented both his opponent and the venue they’ll fight in.

“There’s really not a lot of trash (talk) going on in the fights I’m in anyways, so it’s just like normal,” Diaz said. “I’m just happy to have a worthy opponent and a worthy venue to be in.”

When asked, Masvidal and Diaz even agreed to smoke a joint with each other after they face off in New York. The idea of smoking wasn’t enough for Diaz, who offered up potential celebratory drinking as well.

The booking between Diaz and Masvidal stemmed from a post-fight interview with the fomer at UFC 241. After Diaz defeated Anthony Pettis by unanimous decision, he didn’t call out rival Conor McGregor or champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, but instead, to the surprise of many, name-dropped Masvidal.

One month prior to the callout, Masvidal earned the quickest knockout in UFC history with his five-second finish of Ben Askren at UFC 239 in Las Vegas.

With a ton of momentum behind them, the two welterweight fan favorites will meet Saturday, Nov. 2 at Madison Square Garden in New York. The main card streams on pay-per-view after prelims on ESPN 2 and ESPN+.