In a UFC 137 press conference today, there was Georges St. Pierre sitting in a chair, Dana White standing next to him and an empty chair on Dana’s left hand side where Nick Diaz should have been sitting. But Dana caught news early this morning that Nick Diaz wasn’t going to make his flight. He did not show up to the Toronto presser yesterday but White was assured it was due to Diaz accidentally missing his flight and he would definitely make it to the Las Vegas press conference in Mandalay Bay today. But, as it turns out, though Diaz was on lock down last night in trainer, Cesar Gracie‘s home so he could be driven first thing in the morning to the airport to fly to Vegas, he apparently snuck out the back door and has been MIA.
Dana White felt forced to make the call and offer the title-shot to a seemingly much more deserving opponent and one who he is sure will show up to the fight on October 29th, Carlos Condit. The most shocking part of this news was that Diaz was unaware until the time of the conference that he’d been pulled from the fight with Georges St. Pierre. Also, BJ Penn who was scheduled to fight Carlos Condit in the co-main event that evening is now currently without an opponent. Penn had not been informed of the match-up change either, prior to the press conference.
The conference was filled with highlights, including Cesar Gracie’s cell phone call to Dana, who answered the call mid-presser and let us know that Gracie apologized, agreed with White’s decision and expressed their team’s embarrassment with the situation.
No one can offer any reasons for Nick Diaz to disappear. Yet, Dana asked a poignant question in the presser, “are any of you surprised?” There were moments of comedy in the conference in regard to Diaz’s behavior, twice even GSP bent his head to the table, laughing, especially upon hearing Diaz’s last stint in the UFC had ended with him in a fist fight at the hospital. But this really is no laughing matter for UFC who have already spent a pretty penny promoting the fight, and even in just flight costs alone for Diaz. It’s also no laughing matter for Nick Diaz who seems to have choked on the most important opportunity he could ever have in his career. Dana was quite clear Diaz would have received a huge monetary payoff for this fight. Though Dana has not commit to cutting Diaz from the UFC promotion, one wonders where Diaz goes from here. And for now, that’s all we can do, wait and wonder.
Of course, the show must go on. Congratulations, Carlos Condit.