Author: Mike Hodges

Cesar Gracie on Nick Diaz: His Actions Were Inexcusable

The latest incident involving Nick Diaz has certainly been making its way around the media this week.After preparing to face renowned Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu champion Braulio Estima at the World Jiu-Jitsu Expo, Diaz suddenly no-showed on the morning of the…

The latest incident involving Nick Diaz has certainly been making its way around the media this week.

After preparing to face renowned Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu champion Braulio Estima at the World Jiu-Jitsu Expo, Diaz suddenly no-showed on the morning of the match.

The move had left critics surprised more than angry, considering Diaz was competing for a charity.

Diaz’s manager, Cesar Gracie, had finally broke silence on the incident and released a statement on Graciefighter.com.

In the statement, Gracie recalls the event and explains how communication broke down and eventually caused things to fall apart.

In the month of February I was contacted by a Brazilian named Junior asking me if I wanted to participate in an Expo\Jiu-jitsu tournament. The goal was to put one of our team’s stars in the event to attract sponsors and ensure it was successful. The event was not that far away and they desperately needed exposure. Junior stated that he was working with my uncle Rilion and my cousin Renzo on this project and they were in fact partners. Rilion and Renzo are 2 people that I greatly admire and respect and I was more than happy to partner up with them. 

I discussed the idea with Nick Diaz and he readily agreed to enter in the black belt gi division. He did not seek any reimbursement. Junior thought it better for Nick to do a super fight as he thought this would be more of a spectacle and bring in more attention. Nick was not as enthusiastic but agreed on the condition that whoever was picked to go against him was not an mma fighter. He knew even a mediocre mma fighter would try to use a match and/or victory over him to further their career in mma. Nick believes a reputation as a fighter should only be earned in a ring or cage. I relayed this to Junior and he agreed to arrange for a strict jiu-jitsu competitor, Gracie wrote.

Gracie went on to explain how he felt betrayed and that he feels the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation is organized by “cronies” and that American Jiu-Jitsu practitioners are not treated fairly compared to their Brazilian counterparts.

Gracie would then address Diaz’s actions and he did not think the former Strikeforce welterweight champion handled the situation in a professional manner.

“Nick is not without fault by any means. His lack of communication with his team and coach was inexcusable. This will be addressed privately.”

There has been no statement from Diaz regarding his reasoning for not attending the event, as Gracie looks to handle the situation internally.

Diaz is not likely to serve any harsh punishment, however, this is certainly not going to help his reputation as to how he conducts himself in a professional manner. He had already pulled a similar stunt while promoting UFC 137, which forced him out of the main event with Georges St-Pierre.

This incident won’t have any affect on his mixed martial arts career, but it will likely impact Diaz’s image among fans and his peers.

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Georges St-Pierre Says He Is Open to Headlining UFC Event in January 2013

While he already has a target date set for his return, Georges St-Pierre isn’t ready to fully commit to training just yet. When he finally does return to defend the UFC welterweight title, he is expected to meet current UFC interim champion Carlos…

While he already has a target date set for his return, Georges St-Pierre isn’t ready to fully commit to training just yet. 

When he finally does return to defend the UFC welterweight title, he is expected to meet current UFC interim champion Carlos Condit. Condit recently won the title after getting past Nick Diaz at UFC 143.

And although St-Pierre intends on making a successful comeback, his main priority is rehabbing his knee injury.

“I’m at the last stage (of recovery). I’ll be back pretty soon,” St-Pierre said during an exclusive interview with Showdown Joe Ferraro on UFC Central. 

St-Pierre said he hopes to make a full recovery by November, which could see the champion headline UFC 150 in Montreal.

However, another event that is surely to generate a lot of attention is an unannounced event expected for January 2013. The card has yet to be finalized, but UFC president Dana White indicated at a super-fight possibly headlining the event.

When asked on if he would consider being one of those participants to compete in the main event, St-Pierre didn’t rule out the idea.

“Yeah, it could happen. Depends on how everything plays out,” he said. “I don’t even think about fighting right now, I think about finalizing my knee rehabilitation. Once it will be back, I will know who I’m fighting, because I don’t know one hundred percent right now.”

A rumored fight between Jon Jones and Anderson Silva has surfaced as a potential candidate, but it is likely the UFC could finally setup a super-fight involving St-Pierre and Diaz. Diaz is currently battling with the Nevada State Athletic Commission regarding his suspension. 

Should Diaz’s suspension be upheld following his NSAC hearing later this month, there is still a possibility that he can compete this year, leading him closer to a bout with St-Pierre.

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Dana White ‘Not Shocked’ at Nick Diaz No-Showing at Jiu-Jitsu World Expo Event

UFC president Dana White has dealt with Nick Diaz on a few occasions and it’s safe to say the Stockton, Calif. native didn’t leave a good impression on the UFC boss.Diaz’s failure to attend the Jiu-Jitsu Expo and compete in a grappling match with Braul…

UFC president Dana White has dealt with Nick Diaz on a few occasions and it’s safe to say the Stockton, Calif. native didn’t leave a good impression on the UFC boss.

Diaz’s failure to attend the Jiu-Jitsu Expo and compete in a grappling match with Braulio Estima this past weekend has left some fans and his opponent shocked and a bit disappointed. 

However, when learning about Diaz’s no-show, White was asked his opinion regarding the incident and he said he wasn’t surprised to hear the news.

“No, not shocked and I’m surprised u people are! He no showed a Las Vegas press conf to a fight he was gonna make HUGE $ and title,” White wrote on Twitter. “People are f***in nuts and braindead to be OUTRAGED and SHOCKED that Nick no showed something.”

White pulled Diaz from his title bout with Georges St-Pierre at UFC 137 last year, however, he remained on the main card after being lined up against BJ Penn in the main event. 

Considering White’s reaction, it isn’t hard to understand why Diaz remains one of the sport’s most polarizing fighters. However, Diaz’s latest incident makes it difficult to determine whether he will likely refrain from competition altogether. 

Diaz announced his retirement from mixed martial arts following a controversial split decision loss to Carlos Condit at UFC 143. The former Strikeforce welterweight champion appeared frustrated with the result and has not competed in the Octagon since.

This latest antic might add to his reputation and legacy, but it is becoming much clearer that a fighter who has all the skill and talent to wear a UFC championship may be losing his passion for the sport he loved.

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Chael Sonnen Working with "Stone Cold" Steve Austin Ahead of UFC 148

Chael Sonnen revealed some interesting news when it was learned he had enlisted the services of former professional wrestler “Stone Cold” Steve Austin to help him train and prepare for his upcoming bout at UFC 148.Serving as a strength and conditioning…

Chael Sonnen revealed some interesting news when it was learned he had enlisted the services of former professional wrestler “Stone Cold” Steve Austin to help him train and prepare for his upcoming bout at UFC 148.

Serving as a strength and conditioning coach, Austin has been working with the middleweight contender extensively prior to his training camp.

Sonnen recently made an appearance on “Off The Record” with Michael Landsberg and discussed his involvement with the former WWE superstar.

“I’ve worked with him for the last three fights,” Sonnen said. “He’s a strength and conditioning coach, he has me out to the ranch, puts me through hell for 30 days and that’s what we use to jumpstart our camp. But, he doesn’t want to be involved, so I’m not going to involve him.”

Interestingly, Sonnen has delivered some of his interviews in wrestling-like fashion, often portraying a bad guy role as he continuously has mocked and insulted UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva.

It should be noted that Austin, whose real name is Steve Williams, is a big fan of mixed martial arts and he can often be seen at UFC events along with other wrestlers including Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and The Undertaker. 

Some fans may find the notion of Sonnen working with Austin quite comical, but it seems as if Sonnen has developed a trusting relationship with the WWE legend and has been successful in his past few bouts as a result.

Whoever else Sonnen decides to bring into his camp ahead of his rematch, it is certain that he will be prepared to face Silva at UFC 148 on July 7.

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Nate Diaz Says There Is No One Better Than Gilbert Melendez at 155 Pounds

Nate Diaz might have cemented his status as the No. 1 lightweight contender with his recent victory over Jim Miller, but he doesn’t consider himself to be the best fighter currently competing at 155 pounds.Gilbert Melendez, who holds the Strikeforce li…

Nate Diaz might have cemented his status as the No. 1 lightweight contender with his recent victory over Jim Miller, but he doesn’t consider himself to be the best fighter currently competing at 155 pounds.

Gilbert Melendez, who holds the Strikeforce lightweight title, is a frequent training partner of Diaz’s, and the Stockton, Calif., native believes Melendez is the best 155-pound fighter.

“These are guys I look up to. Me and Gil been battling it out in here for years. There’s no one better than him,” Diaz told Sherdog.com. “There’s no doubt in my mind he’s the best 155’er on the planet and I think he deserves to be right there in the UFC holding the UFC belt. He’s the man.”

Melendez has long been rumored to test his skills in the UFC, but contract disputes have prevented him from making the transition.

“El Nino” is expected to defend the lightweight title in a trilogy bout against Josh Thomson on May 19. Should he successfully defend his title, it is unknown if and when Melendez will come to the UFC.

Alongside Bellator’s Eddie Alvarez,  most critics would agree Melendez is arguably considered the best 155-pound fighter outside of the UFC momentarily. There is barely any competition for Melendez to face and the 30-year-old is one of the few fighters who hasn’t been acquired by the UFC.

As for Diaz, his win over Jim Miller has earned him the next title shot at the UFC lightweight title. Should he decide to sit out and wait, he will challenge either Benson Henderson or Frankie Edgar, who are set to headline UFC 150 in August.

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Junior Dos Santos: When Frank Mir Is in Trouble, He Can’t Get out of Rough Spots

Junior dos Santos has Frank Mir in his sights and he is aware of all the trash-talking coming from his opponent, but he does not seem phased.When the two heavyweights square off at UFC 146, it will be the Brazilian’s first title defense. He won the UFC…

Junior dos Santos has Frank Mir in his sights and he is aware of all the trash-talking coming from his opponent, but he does not seem phased.

When the two heavyweights square off at UFC 146, it will be the Brazilian’s first title defense. He won the UFC heavyweight title after knocking out Cain Velasquez at UFC on FOX last November. 

As Dos Santos prepares for the former heavyweight champion, one thing he won’t be focused on is avenging the loss of fellow teammate and mentor, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, who was submitted by Mir at UFC 140.

“For us who know Minotauro, it was really sad to see that. But that has absolutely no bearing on my fight against Frank Mir,” Dos Santos told USAToday.com. “I fight because of my own determination, my desire to win.”

Dos Santos, who was originally scheduled to meet Alistair Overeem, also doesn’t buy into Mir’s trash talk, as he believes it is only to promote the upcoming bout. 

Mir has tended to get under his opponents’ skin in the past, leaving a bad impression on his image that portrays him as arrogant.

While he might not care about Mir’s opinion, that doesn’t mean the champion agree with some his choice words when comparing his skills to the Brazilian’s, especially stylistically.

Said Dos Santos:

I think when Mir’s in a good spot in the fight — when he’s in a good moment and in a good position — he’s very dangerous. But Mir doesn’t really know how to get through rough spots in a bout. What happened against Nogueira in his last fight was really an anomaly, because Mir got caught standing up. … Usually when Mir gets into a little bit of trouble during a fight, he can’t come back from it.

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