If Nate Diaz doesn’t finish Benson Henderson, he probably won’t win the lightweight title.
The top UFC lightweight contender is confident in his chances in the UFC on Fox 5 headliner, but he is also a realist. He doesn’t believe MMA judges are very fond of him or his brother Nick.
In an episode of Inside MMA, the younger Diaz broke down his upcoming bout with Henderson:
“I don’t think I got a chance of winning any type of decision. I got to go out there and do what I can do and try to finish my opponent, try to be the better fighter and win the fight. Either way, if it goes to a decision, I’m going to try to be the one outscoring and outpointing.”
Nate’s lack of faith in MMA judging stems from his brother Nick’s interim title bout against Carlos Condit in February.
Despite being the aggressor in every round, Nick still came out with the short end of the stick against Condit, who backpedaled and picked his shots throughout the fight.
Some felt Condit simply implemented a flawless game plan that helped him earn the upset. Others saw it as one of the most controversial decisions in recent memory.
Cesar Gracie, who serves as the head coach of the Diaz brothers, believes MMA judging is skewed. For whatever reason, he doesn’t think it is possible for Nick or Nate to get a fair shake from the judges in bouts that go the distance.
“In Nick’s case, it’s almost like he’s fighting his opponents, and he’s fighting the judges,” Gracie said on Inside MMA.
“He’s got to finish people. These guys fight like that anyway, and they’re going to fight their hearts out for the team, for themselves and for the fans…So yeah, unfortunately, we’ve got to get those finishes, or maybe win something so lopsided that we get a decision.”
Henderson is already coming off back-to-back close decision wins over former champ Frankie Edgar.
Perhaps the Diaz camp is worried that Nate could fall victim to Henderson’s strong top control and ground-and-pound. Like Nate, Henderson is also an incredibly gifted grappler and a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
If the past is any indication, the odds of winning a decision aren’t in Nate’s favor. A submission or a knockout could be his only legitimate shot at winning a UFC title, according to Gracie.
“I have never really seen a close decision, where the nod was given to the Diaz’s. I always see them, if it’s close, they’re going to lose, and I don’t know why. I think maybe the judges really don’t care for them that much. They’re brash, and I really don’t know. At the end of the day, the fans know who win fights, and the fans are the ones that love to see these guys fight,” said Gracie.
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