(“U mad, bro?” Photo via MMATKO)
Look, you can’t trust Nick Diaz — but you can always trust Nick Diaz to be Nick Diaz. The Winnipeg Free Press has the story:
Challenger Nick Diaz was a no-show Tuesday so welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre was left to plug their UFC 137 showdown on his own.
The UFC offered no reason for Diaz’s absence in Toronto but the former Strikeforce champion is no fan of such media events…
“I don’t know why he did not show up. Maybe he has personal issues, I have no idea,” St-Pierre said in an interview with The Canadian Press. “I know they bought two flights (tickets) for him and he didn’t show up. I have no idea. I can’t talk about it because I don’t know what’s going on in his life. Hopefully he’ll be OK and I’ll see him in the cage.”
“I’m a little bit mad, because it’s a little bit unfair,” the 30-year-old champion from Montreal added. “I missed days of training to come here. Plus jet lag and everything. I think it’s not fair — he should do the same thing that I do.”
Good job, Nick, you’re already in GSP’s head. And yes, of course Nick should play the game a bit, and act professionally, and show up for his media obligations. But you can’t really be surprised when he doesn’t.
St. Pierre soldiered on through the media event by himself, and gave the following analysis of his opponent on October 29th:
“He’s dangerous everywhere. He’s got a very good set of skills. He’s a good boxer, good on the floor as well. He’s also a champion. Nick Diaz is a champion so he’s got the spirit that comes with it. So he’s not going to give up mentally. You see a lot of guys give up mentally and that’s why they get knocked out or submitted. They give up mentally before they lose. It happens to loads of people. I can give you many examples but Nick Diaz is a champion so he has the spirit. it’s going to be very hard to break his spirit. So it’s going to be a tough tough fight.”