Calling out Georges St-Pierre might of been the smartest move Nick Diaz has made in his mixed martial arts career.
Fans watched Diaz pull off an impressive victory over BJ Penn at UFC 137, and shortly after, he accused the UFC welterweight champion of faking his injury to pull of their original bout. Diaz’s comments instantly brought the crowd into a frenzy as they chanted for the Canadian star.
The UFC immediately found their new villain to market in Diaz, and set up a potential title bout between the former Strikeforce welterweight champion and St-Pierre.
Ultimately, it turns out the title shot promised to Carlos Condit was never meant to be, at least for now. UFC President Dana White announced that Diaz would be favoured over Condit to face the champion, and from a business perspective, he rightfully should be.
Although Condit is more of a legitimate threat to St-Pierre’s title reign than Diaz, the Stockton native possesses the skills and personality to make it a more lucrative bout.
Diaz might not be as versatile Condit, but he certainly has the boxing skills and aggression to force the champion into a back-and forth battle that fans haven’t seen out of St-Pierre in quite some time.
Not to mention, St-Pierre was so infuriated with Diaz’s remarks that he personally asked White to schedule a title bout between them. Therefore, it’s fair to assume that he will be holding a personal grudge against his opponent.
The magnitude of this title bout has excited fans and it has become one of the most anticipated fights in recent memory.
Alas, Condit was sidetracked on his route to a title shot and Diaz just happened to sell himself better to make the audience invest more attention and interest in him. Part of what sells fights is a fighter’s personality, and unfortunately, Condit does not have the personality that fans want to see.
Diaz represents a different kind of a fighter, one who carries certain traits that an average fan can either loathe or relate to. And while some fans may not agree with White’s choosing of Diaz over Condit, it is the right decision.
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