It’s odd to think that a man who was so feared and revered outside the UFC could be ousted from the division he was brought in to revitalize.
If Nick Diaz loses to GSP in the next fight for the UFC welterweight title, what does he do afterward? It’s doubtful he will continue to toil among the other welterweights in order to get another shot when in all probability he would end up facing scores of great wrestlers time and again.
One option he has is to move up to middleweight, where the champion—while the most formidable in the UFC—won’t force him to engage in the kind of fight he hates: one heavy in wrestling.
Diaz has already talked openly about facing Anderson Silva, but before he gets a shot at the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world, he would need to prove he’s got what it takes to stand in the top 10.
So, if Diaz did move up to 185 pounds, it seems likely that one of the first people to call him out would be Michael Bisping.
Regardless of the outcome of Bisping‘s fight with with Vitor Belfort, he may be in a kind of holding pattern, based on the fact that Silva seems to by eying megafights more than nominal title defenses. Silva is a big name, and Dana White seems very keen on the notion of setting him up with either GSP or Jon Jones, especially now that boxing has in all probability lost Mayweather vs. Pacquiao—striking while the iron is hot, so to speak.
And a bout with Nick Diaz would probably suit Bisping just fine.
Granted, the trash talk leading up to the fight would be inspired, and the matchup could probably net a prime-time installment, should the fight headline a card, but hype aside, should the bout happen?
Bisping is not one of those fighters who lets his opponents goad him into fighting in any way that is contrary to what he believes will see him win the fight. Against Wanderlei Silva, Bisping went for many a takedown, because at the end of the day, he wants to win.
But Bisping’s takedowns are not so great that Diaz wouldn’t get more than a fair amount of time to trade leather on the feet.
Many would argue that Bisping is too high up on the ladder, and they would have a valid point.
But still, it seems to be less of a question of why Diaz should face Bisping and more of a question of why not.
It’s terribly hard to postulate the need for such a fight, save that it would entertain while it clarifies: Would Diaz be able to score enough to win, or would Bisping’s in-and-out punching style show that the brawler from the 209 just isn’t ready for 185?
Either way, it’s hard to imagine this fight not being exciting, especially if it is five full rounds.
Why not? Indeed.
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