Just last night, Nick Diaz became one of the most polarizing figures not only in the UFC but in the entire mixed martial arts world.
To the hardcore fans, everybody knew the level of skill that the Cesar Gracie product possessed, holding a true black belt in jiu-jitsu while honing his extensive boxing skills with the likes of pound-for-pound great Andre Ward—a world champion in the WBA.
Diaz finally broke into the mainstream when he demonstrated his skills when he took on friend and former training partner B.J. Penn in last night’s main event.
The two went toe-to-toe for fifteen minutes of raucous action. Diaz clearly dominated the former two-time world champion with his high volume of strikes, eventually riding the bout to a clear-cut decision victory.
While Diaz made his inaugural return to the organization following a five-year absence, it was almost as if he never left. Audible chants of “Diaz” filled the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.
The enigmatic fighter captured the interest of the crowd while simultaneously taking home “Fight of the Night” honors, dominating the would-be UFC Hall-of-Famer unlike any fighter has done before—including Georges St-Pierre, who is a very close second.
Brock Lesnar, the former UFC heavyweight champion, is perhaps the only man who rivals the stardom of Diaz. They are eerily similar in a lot of ways: both possess a raw and sometimes primordial vat of skills which, when coupled with their filter-less personas, make them two of the most talked-about fighters in the sport.
Lesnar’s star power drew on the strength of his stint as a professional wrestler, becoming one of the most popular to ever step foot in the WWE ring. His strong pay-per-view stature there translated well into the Octagon, where he has proven to be an equally strong draw in the mixed martial arts realm, regularly $1 million-plus buys each time out.
Though this is Diaz’ first formal foray as a pay-per-view headliner, he has proven to have star power of his own. He garnered staggering numbers whilst he served as the Strikeforce champion, having pulled some of the largest numbers in the company’s history while under the Showtime banner.
Only time will tell if Diaz can reach the same stature that Lesnar has cultivated, but he’s coming pretty darn close.
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