Former two-division champion B.J. Penn is set to face Nick Diaz at UFC 137, but as UFC middleweight Chael Sonnen would say, he isn’t looking to manufacture conflict.According to Penn, he was pressured into saying he was going to “beat Nick Diaz” in his…
Former two-division champion B.J. Penn is set to face Nick Diaz at UFC 137, but as UFC middleweight Chael Sonnen would say, he isn’t looking to manufacture conflict.
According to Penn, he was pressured into saying he was going to “beat Nick Diaz” in his countdown interview for UFC 137.
“They forced me to say, at the end of the whole thing, ‘you gotta say Nick Diaz’s name now, you gotta say his name,'” said Penn.
“I was like, ‘what?’ They were like, ‘Say you’re gonna beat Nick Diaz. Say you’re gonna beat Nick Diaz.’ And I said, ‘I’m gonna beat Nick Diaz.'”
Having trained with Diaz in the past, Penn has a lot of respect for the Cesar Gracie student, and he doesn’t want to falsify any grandiose hype leading up to the fight.
As the saying goes, it’s just business for “The Prodigy.”
Penn goes on to empathize with Diaz, who recently had his UFC title shot revoked for missing two scheduled press conferences.
He talks about the power of editing and being made into the villain when he was heading into his UFC 94 bout against Georges St-Pierre, which he feels would’ve happened to Diaz if he remained in the championship bout at UFC 137.
In response, UFC President Dana White released the uncut footage of Penn’s interview with the UFC promotional team to MixedMartialArts.com.
You be the judge.
Was Penn pressured into saying he would defeat Diaz?
Anderson Silva has smashed records and defeated all comers in his five-year reign as UFC middleweight champion, but his work at 185-pounds is far from over, at least according to Michael Bisping.”The Count” recently sat down with MMAWeekly.com to talk …
Anderson Silva has smashed records and defeated all comers in his five-year reign as UFC middleweight champion, but his work at 185-pounds is far from over, at least according to Michael Bisping.
“The Count” recently sat down with MMAWeekly.com to talk about Silva, the UFC middleweight title and coaching opposite of Jason “Mayhem” Miller on season 14 of the “Ultimate Fighter.”
“I do get frustrated when I hear people say that Anderson Silva’s wiped out the middleweight division. He hasn’t wiped out the middleweight division. He hasn’t fought me yet. I feel I match up very well with him,” said Bisping.
Since dropping to middleweight in April 2008, Bisping has amassed a 7-2 record with notable wins over Yoshihiro Akiyama, Denis Kang, Dan Miller and Chris Leben.
He has always been a well-rounded fighter, but lately, he has shown great improvements in his boxing, footwork and head movement. The knockout loss to Dan Henderson seems to have taught the Brit a lot about octagon awareness and staying away from your opponent’s power hand.
“I’m not disrespecting Anderson. Anderson rightly so is regarded as the pound-for-pound best in the world, and I’m a big fan of him. But I feel like I’d give him a good fight, and I feel I match up a lot better with him than a lot of the other fighters he’s faced,” Bisping said.
Bisping certainly couldn’t do any worse than Yushin Okami, who completely abandoned his game plan and opted to stand and trade with Silva at UFC 134.
While a championship match with Silva is Bisping’s ultimate goal, he remains focused on the task ahead. Since finishing his coaching duties on the “Ultimate Fighter”, Bisping has been hard at work preparing for his upcoming showdown with Miller at the finale on December 3.
“Maybe beating Miller is the guy. I mean I’ve got a decent streak. I’ve only been beaten once at middleweight. I’ve been around the UFC for a long time. I’ve beaten tough guys consistently for a long time. I feel like I’m going to get a title shot real, real soon,” said Bisping.
Would beating a guy like Miller be enough to earn Bisping a UFC title shot?
It’s really tough to say. There are other fighters waiting in the wings for a shot at Silva including Dan Henderson, Chael Sonnen, Brian Stann, Alan Belcher, Mark Munoz and Vitor Belfort.
The one thing Bisping has on his side is the fact that he hasn’t faced Silva yet. A fresh contender taking on the seemingly unstoppable Brazilian is always an intriguing factor, but it would take a really impressive showing from Bisping to leapfrog guys like Henderson, Sonnen and Belfort.
Even though he hopes for a title shot, Bisping hasn’t lost sight of his overall objective, which is to keep winning fights. If he keeps winning, he will eventually get the title shot that has always eluded him.
“Hopefully, I beat Miller, I do a good job, I do it in style. Who knows? Maybe that will get me the title shot,” said Bisping. “If not, definitely I think one more fight and I should get that shot pretty soon.”
When looking ahead of an already exciting year of MMA, it can easily be said that the best is yet to come.The UFC is expected to close out 2011 with a plethora of dream matches slated for upcoming blockbuster cards.One of those bouts was set be UFC cha…
When looking ahead of an already exciting year of MMA, it can easily be said that the best is yet to come.
The UFC is expected to close out 2011 with a plethora of dream matches slated for upcoming blockbuster cards.
One of those bouts was set be UFC champion Georges St-Pierre against Strikeforce champion Nick Diaz at UFC 137, but the bout was scrapped after Diaz missed two scheduled press conferences.
Fortunately for fans, both superstars are still set to compete at UFC 137, and the new pair of bouts are much more interesting than the original lineup.
Along with Diaz, the UFC welcomes another Strikeforce champion and top-3 heavyweight Alistair Overeem. After a tumultuous career at light heavyweight, Overeem has reinvented himself into one of the best heavyweights in the world.
Before signing with the UFC, he was the reigning Strikeforce heavyweight champion, Dream heavyweight champion and K-1 World Grand Prix champion. If he secures UFC gold, fans could be looking at one of the greatest heavyweights of all time.
What upcoming goodies does the UFC have in store for the rest of 2011?
Kick back in your favorite stained armchair and click the little next icon to find out what must-see bouts you’ll be coughing up your hard-earned cash for.
Apparently, Former UFC light heavyweight champion Mauricio “Shogun” Rua’s first-round drubbing of Forrest Griffin at UFC 134 was met with screams. But the cries in question weren’t coming from the sold-out crowd in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.”When [Griffin…
Apparently, Former UFC light heavyweight champion Mauricio “Shogun” Rua’s first-round drubbing of Forrest Griffin at UFC 134 was met with screams. But the cries in question weren’t coming from the sold-out crowd in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
“When [Griffin] was laid out on his back, I heard him scream ‘stop! stop!,’ but I couldn’t stop hitting him,” Rua told RedeTV Esporte on Wednesday.
The win over Griffin helped Rua avenge a September 2007 loss and rebound from a recent TKO loss to current light heavyweight champion Jon Jones.
Rua admits he didn’t want to take any chances with Griffin, who is known for his late-fight heroics. When he saw the opportunity to pounce, the Brazilian wasted no time putting an end to Griffin’s night.
“I managed to impose my strategy and my pace. Griffin is a top guy, always comes well-prepared to the fight with good conditioning,” said Rua. “I wanted to win badly. I trained so much and promised to myself that I would never come to perform in a fight 90 percent or 80 percent like previously. This is my focus today.”
A healthy and focused Rua is without a doubt one of the scariest 205-pound fighters on the planet.
Fans could see him back in action as early as December. There was interest from Rua’s camp in a potential bout against MMA legend Tito Ortiz, but it looks like “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy” will instead face Antonio Rogerio Nogueira at UFC 140.
A rubber match with Lyoto Machida at UFC 141 seems like the most likely scenario.
Whether it’s an apology, larger paycheck or respect, Nick Diaz feels like the world owes him.Unfortunately for the troubled Cesar Gracie student, the world doesn’t owe him. If anything, he owes fans, teammates and UFC President Dana White.For months, D…
Whether it’s an apology, larger paycheck or respect, Nick Diaz feels like the world owes him.
Unfortunately for the troubled Cesar Gracie student, the world doesn’t owe him. If anything, he owes fans, teammates and UFC President Dana White.
For months, Diaz has done nothing but talk down on the UFC welterweight division. He constantly complained about guys like Georges St-Pierre and Josh Koscheck being ranked higher and making more money.
Despite his ludicrous statements, Diaz had a multitude of hype behind him. There were plenty of people that felt he was the world-beater he often claimed to be.
When it was announced that Diaz would be facing St-Pierre at UFC 137 for the welterweight title, the level of excitement within the MMA community soared through the roof. Despite a serious stylistic mismatch, Diaz was instantly anointed by many as St-Pierre’s “toughest” test to date.
There are no certainties in an MMA bout, but a quick look at history could debunk some of the premature Diaz hype.
Throughout his career, Diaz has continuously struggled against strong wrestlers with good submission defense. He hasn’t faced anyone close to that description since Gleison Tibau in November 2006.
In his grandiose 10-fight win streak, Paul Daley is the only top 10 name on that list.
Against the wishes of many UFC welterweights, White stuck his neck out for Diaz and offered him a big money fight against welterweight champion St-Pierre, who was coming off a lopsided unanimous decision win over Diaz’s teammate Jake Shields.
This was supposedly the fight Diaz had dreamed about. He was finally going to the main event: a major UFC pay-per-view card against arguably the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world.
White even pulled him aside and spoke candidly about his expectations. He wanted Diaz to act professional, show up at press conferences and avoid getting into fights at events. White even paid for his plane tickets.
All Diaz had to do was show up and act like a professional, and he would’ve faced St-Pierre in the biggest payday of his professional career.
What did Diaz do?
He missed two scheduled press conferences and refused to return phone calls with a good reason for his absence.
Shields could teach Diaz a lesson in humility.
Despite the tragic death of his father, Shields continues to live up to his responsibilities as a professional MMA fighter. He could’ve opted out of his upcoming fight with Jake Ellenberger, and no fan or fighter would’ve dared to question him for it.
Yet Diaz just does what he wants.
This isn’t street fighting or a bar room brawl. If MMA is to be considered a sport, the athletes must act their parts. While Diaz drops F-bombs and flips off random people, there are fans out there that look up to him.
Without the fans, there would be no title shot for Diaz. Despite his padded streak, his résumé isn’t any more impressive than most upper-echelon UFC contenders.
The rarity of second chances in life makes seizing the moment on a first opportunity even more important.
Diaz missed out on a big opportunity to cash in against St-Pierre. He’ll now face another nightmare in former two-division champion B.J. Penn.
If Diaz loses to Penn, the slippery slope for the former Strikeforce champion could be steep, as the division is full of tough style matches.
Hopefully, Diaz remembers to catch a plane to Shields’ bout with Ellenberger on Saturday night. He could certainly learn a thing or two from a true professional.
“Don’t be scared homey.” How many times have we heard this line from Nick Diaz and fans? It only seems fitting that the line has been redirected towards the Cesar Gracie student after he no-showed two scheduled UFC 137 press conferences for his UFC cha…
“Don’t be scared homey.”
How many times have we heard this line from Nick Diaz and fans?
It only seems fitting that the line has been redirected towards the Cesar Gracie student after he no-showed two scheduled UFC 137 press conferences for his UFC championship bout with Georges St-Pierre.
“I’ve had my reservations with Nick Diaz for some time now. We haven’t heard from him. He hasn’t returned our calls,” UFC President Dana White said on Tuesday at a press conference in Las Vegas.
“When we brought him in to sign to fight Georges, I told him that all purses he’s ever made won’t add up to as much as he would make in this fight. But I told him that I needed him to do certain things. You have to promote the fight. You have to show up for pressers. You can’t start fights at fights.”
White wasn’t asking much of Diaz, who constantly complained about money issues and lackluster competition when he fought under the Strikeforce banner.
Who could ever forget Diaz’s interview leading up to his Strikeforce title bout with Evangelista “Cyborg” Santos?
“I’d like to get paid. [Manny] Pacquiao’s making $40 (expletive) million, GSP’s making a couple million dollars, and I’m over here driving a Honda because my (expletive) breaking down,” Diaz stated in a conference call.
“I got here and started fighting before most of them, including GSP. I was at it first, and I’m mad that they are getting [all the] recognition when I was here first. People think this guy is better than me and it’s bullshit.”
It’s no secret that Diaz despises mandatory press appearances. White has even gone on record to state that he likes Diaz as a fighter, but the former Strikeforce champion’s inability to cope with the demands of being a professional athlete is tough to deal with.
Still, why would Diaz no-show for a pair of press conferences of this magnitude?
Currently on a 10-fight win streak, Diaz has ascended to the top of the welterweight ranks after facing a minimal of top-10 opposition. To top that off, every one of Diaz’s opponents have been favorable style matches.
In his career, Diaz has continuously struggled against elite wrestlers with strong submission defense. You would be hard pressed to find anyone who meets that criteria on Diaz’s résumé since Gleison Tibau in November 2006.
Grapplers like Diego Sanchez, Sean Sherk and Joe Riggs have all had their way with Diaz, and St-Pierre, who is the best wrestler in all of MMA, clearly would’ve presented the Stockton native with his toughest style match to date.
Did Diaz simply fold under the pressure of such a blockbuster event, or were there unknown circumstances involved that kept him from fulfilling his responsibilities?
“I despise doing this. I don’t like the staredown, the face-to-face, the pictures, the click-click. I don’t like doing this, but I have to,” St-Pierre said. “It’s the contract. To promote the fight, you need three entities: the organization and the two fighters. And one fighter didn’t do his job. If you don’t want to do it for yourself, do it for your family. It’s a little bit selfish.”
Now, fans are left with one question––was all of the talk for nothing?
For well over a year, Diaz has constantly complained about not getting a crack at world class opposition and driving a “Honda,” but when he finally gets the opportunity he has so desperately been asking for, he turns his nose up at it.
This isn’t Strikeforce any more, and the opponent isn’t K.J. Noons or Scott Smith. Diaz has returned to the big stage, and if he can’t handle the pressure, he may want to consider returning to the San Jose-based promotion.
If a chance at the UFC title was that important to Diaz, he would’ve showed up at both press conferences or presented a valid excuse as to why he couldn’t attend. He didn’t do either and simply chose to not show up.
When you don’t show up to work in the real world, you lose your job, and Diaz will be lucky to keep his after these two costly stunts.
“Cesar Gracie had him in his house. Nick snuck out the back door. Nobody has been able to find him,” said White. “If I had known this would happen, I never would have made this fight. We’ve spent $15,000 in just flights for Nick Diaz in the last couple of days. It’s a pretty big financial blow.”
Apparently, Former UFC light heavyweight champion Mauricio “Shogun” Rua’s first-round drubbing of 
“Don’t be scared homey.”