SAN DIEGO — When asked whether he expected Nick Diaz to put his dangerous, but rarely seen ground game to work on Saturday night, Paul Daley had a simple response: “I expect Nick Diaz to fight. … It ain’t going to be no lay-and-pray b–ching out. We’re going to be in a fight, and that’s what I do best.”
It was the kind of statement that made for a good sound byte, but it was hard not to wonder whether it was meant for the media’s benefit or for Diaz’s.
It’s no secret that, if the fight goes to the ground, the edge will almost certainly belong to Diaz. The thing is, lately he’s showed very little interest in getting fights to the mat even when he holds a clear advantage there. His willingness to stand and trade has helped make him a fan favorite, but against a slugger with one-punch power like Daley’s those same tendencies could make him an ex-champion, and Daley knows it.