Welterweight contender Nick Diaz may have gotten himself into another title shot, but he could just as easily lose his second chance at Georges St-Pierre’s belt.
In a rare feat of matchmaking for the promotion, UFC 158 has been booked as a triple-headliner with six MMA elite 170-pound fighters.
That’s why UFC president Dana White told the media during a post-TUF 16 Finale scrum that no matter what, St-Pierre will be defending his belt on March 16, 2013 at the Bell Centre in Montreal—whether Nick Diaz wants to show up or not (via MMA Fight Corner):
“There’s no guarantees with Nick Diaz,” said White. “I got nine welterweights on the show that are all in the top five, so if he falls out, we’ll still have a GSP fight.”
White also dismissed a question about the frustration of technical No.1 contender Johny Hendricks, who was originally promised a title shot before the aftermath of UFC 154.
Hendricks has been vocal in interviews and on Twitter about being passed over for a money fight with Diaz, who lost his own title eliminator against Condit prior to a suspension after testing positive for marijuana.
However, White says Hendricks’ wounded pride doesn’t matter:
Georges St-Pierre is the champion. The champ wants to fight Diaz. [Hendricks] can be as frustrated as he wants to be. When he’s got the belt and defends it and breaks records as long as Georges St-Pierre, then I might listen to him.
Dissent in the ranks regardless, it looks like GSP, Nick Diaz and Hendricks will share the top of UFC 158’s main card alongside fellow top welterweights Jake Ellenberger, Carlos Condit and Rory MacDonald. Condit vs. MacDonald will be a rematch of their “Fight of the Night” UFC 115 bout, where Condit narrowly defeated GSP‘s younger teammate by TKO.
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