Following his UFC 137 victory over MMA legend BJ Penn, Nick Diaz may be public enemy No. 1, but at least he got a UFC title shot.
The former Strikeforce welterweight champion recently appeared on “Inside MMA”, where he talked about being labeled the bad guy and his upcoming showdown with UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre.
“You don’t always come off the way that you want to or look the way you want to. I go out there and just act up and become the evil villain, and I’m calling guys out and stuff. It seems to have worked. I’m getting the fights I want. I can’t complain right now at this point,” laughed Diaz.
Diaz, who has always been known for his controversial antics, was originally slated to face St-Pierre in the main event of UFC 137, but after missing two scheduled pre-fight press conferences, UFC president Dana White yanked him from the main event.
Instead of St-Pierre, Diaz was forced to face Penn, his friend and former training partner.
After a tough first round, Diaz began to load up on his strikes and pour it on the future Hall of Famer. It was an impressive performance that earned the Stockton native the unanimous decision, but a decision victory wouldn’t be all Diaz earned that night.
After being pulled from his bout with St-Pierre, Diaz’s top contender spot was taken by former WEC champion Carlos Condit.
With his bout against Penn in the books, Diaz ceased a great opportunity to grab the microphone and call out St-Pierre.
“Where you at Georges? Where you at mother (expletive)?,” yelled Diaz in his post-fight interview with UFC commentator Joe Rogan. “I don’t think Georges is hurt, I think he’s scared. I think he’s scared to fight everybody right now.”
It was an incredibly clever move that helped Diaz leap frog Condit back into the No. 1 contender’s spot in the welterweight division.
“I was here first really. I’ve been a UFC fighter for longer than Georges St-Pierre has, not a lot of people realize that. I’ve been fighting in the UFC before all of them. I’ve been here first. I have more fights, and I’ve fought the bigger names,” said Diaz.
“I don’t have nothing against Georges personally, but for him not to want the harder fight and to think Carlos Condit is the harder fight, it may be the case, but it’s just not on paper. You’ve got to recognize that.”
St-Pierre has long been considered by some as the top pound-for-pound fighter in the world.
This is a huge opportunity for Diaz to step up and prove that he is the best in the world, but it will undoubtedly be the biggest challenge of his professional career.
“I’m the one in this division mouthing off and talking the most, so if anybody’s in for a good whooping, I’m that guy, and who better to do that than the UFC champion?,” asked Diaz. “I’m ready to get the show on the road. I’m not getting any younger. I’m ready to fight.”
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