Just about every fight fan is aware by now that UFC welterweight contender Nick Diaz no-showed a scheduled Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu super fight with Braulio Estima Saturday night at the World Jiu-Jitsu Expo.
Some fans are shocked, while others basically consider this standard procedure for the Cesar Gracie black belt at this point.
Speculation has run rampant about why Diaz did not show up, and thus far, his only comment has been a vague statement posted on the Facebook page him and his brother, Nate, share:
“Promoter fails to donate the money to charity as agreed. (shady) Promoter changes rules for weigh ins to accommodate fellow Brazilian Match ain’t happening”
Cesar Gracie didn’t have much more insight to provide on the situation in an interview with MMA Fighting:
“I don’t know,” Diaz’s head coach/trainer said. “I know he was mad when he was told Braulio would not make weight last night. No one has seen him today. Braulio ended up making weight this morning.”
As it turns out, Estima weighed 189 pounds Friday night despite the contracted weight being 180 pounds. The BJJ ace said both parties agreed to have the fight as planned as long as Estima weighed 185 pounds Saturday morning.
“I’m a professional athlete. I never thought he wouldn’t show up,” Estima told MMA Fighting. “I came from the U.K., I made the weight, I made 185 pounds, I didn’t expect him to not show up. I don’t understand why he’d run away.”
Needless to say, the BJJ ace was anything but pleased with the situation:
“I know he’s supposed to be the big MMA bad guy and he’s all tough, he’s supposed to be showbiz, but what is this?” said Estima, who won two gold medals at the 2009 ADCC tourney and is a three-time World Championship gold medalist. “When you make an announcement that you’re going to fight for charity and you don’t show up, what the hell is going on? It’s not about showbiz. It’s about being a good person. I don’t know what is going on.”
Fellow jiu-jitsu stud Robert Drysdale offered to fill in for Diaz at the last minute, but Estima was adamant that he traveled to Long Beach, California to fight Nick Diaz.
This instance is not the first time Diaz has had problems fulfilling a scheduled commitment.
He no-showed two press conferences for UFC 137 in September, causing UFC President Dana White to remove him from his scheduled welterweight title fight with Georges St-Pierre.
Cesar Gracie said Diaz planned to donate his fight purse to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, but no one has elaborated on what the snag, if any, was in this aspect of the bout.
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