Former Strikeforce welterweight champ Nick Diaz was a “no show” for a second straight day, as the Stockton, California native failed to show up for Wednesday’s UFC 137 pre-fight press conference in Las Vegas. Diaz failed to show up in Toronto for another conference earlier in the week.
At today’s press conference, UFC President Dana White told the gathered media that Diaz was out and that Carlos ‘The Natural Born Killer’ Condit (27-5) was in.
Condit, who had been scheduled to face B.J. Penn on the same card, will now meet UFC champ Georges St-Pierre (22-2) for his title on October 29.
“I’ve had my reservations about Nick Diaz for some time,” said White. “All I asked the kid to do was play the game this much (holding fingers slightly apart). I need you to do certain things. You have to show up to the press conference, you have to promote this fight. He looked at me and said he would, and he lied to me. I’ve promoted over 1600 fights and this has never happened once. I’d rather pull the fight now than risk him not showing up on the night of the fight. This blows my mind.”
“Nick Diaz has lost his chance at the welterweight championship, and Carlos Condit gets it. This kid absolutely deserves it.”
St-Pierre attended both press conferences and was a bit perplexed by his former opponents actions, feeling that at their level a certain level of professionalism is warranted in big fights like this one.
“When I went to Toronto and he didn’t make it, I didn’t judge it right away,” said St-Pierre. “I thought something bad happened. Then I talked to some people and it’s a lack of professionalism. There are three partners to promote a fight – the UFC, me, and Nick Diaz. I showed up to do my job and Nick Diaz didn’t, and there are consequences. I would have never done something like that.”
UFC 129: St-Pierre vs. Condit will take place on October 29 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.
No word was given on whether former champ B.J. Penn would be given a new opponent or not.