Earlier this week, the mixed martial arts world was surprised to hear the UFC was reportedly close to finalizing Nick Diaz vs. Jorge Masvidal.
The polarizing folk hero of the fight game, Stockton’s Diaz had been out of action for more than four years if he does return. He’s rumored to face Masvidal at March’s UFC 235. ‘Gamebred’ himself hasn’t fought since losing to Stephen Thompson at UFC 217 back in November 2017.
But you can’t deny the outright electricity of a potential throwdown between these two action-focused veterans. Both have solid ground games to be certain, but it would be a surprise if many takedowns were to be attempted. The fight isn’t official yet, and many Diaz fans still understandably have major reservations.
Early Odds Released
If and when it does happen, you may or may not be surprised who is the favorite. According to online sports betting site BetOnline (via Bloody Elbow), Diaz is a +135 underdog to Masvidal’s -155. The many Diaz defenders online will be wont to blast the odds, yet that may not be all that inaccurate. For one, Diaz isn’t that big of an underdog at all. The numbers are far from gaudy for a fighter who has not fought since a unanimous decision loss to Anderson Silva in January 2015.
Masvidal hasn’t exactly been the most active fighter as of late. He has, however, been fighting the best welterweights in MMA when he does compete. Before he lost to ‘Wonderboy,’ he had won three out of his previous four. Diaz has been on the shelf for a long time.
He may or may not resemble the iron-chinned stalking boxer from his Strikeforce days. At 35 years of age, it’s safe to say he’s lost a step since then. There’s no questioning his skills, but where is his commitment? He hasn’t appeared to enthused about fighting recently. ‘Gamebred’ isn’t the best welterweight in the UFC. He is one of the best, and he’ll be no easy return fight by any stretch of imagination.
What do you think? Is Diaz too much of a dog, or not enough?
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