We spent all morning combing our Facebook photo gallery and hand-picked 39 of the most memorable images that we posted in 2013, which we’ve laid out below along with their original descriptions. Enjoy, and if you’re not following us yet, get with the damn program.
We spent all morning combing our Facebook photo gallery and hand-picked 39 of the most memorable images that we posted in 2013, which we’ve laid out below along with their original descriptions. Enjoy, and if you’re not following us yet, get with the damn program.
As wise men, referees and jazz drummers are fond of reminding us, life is all about timing.
Admittedly, we’ve known for years that Nick Diaz doesn’t synchronize his life to anyone else’s watch and that where he’s from, wise guys…
As wise men, referees and jazz drummers are fond of reminding us, life is all about timing.
Admittedly, we’ve known for years that Nick Diazdoesn’t synchronize his life to anyone else’s watch and that where he’s from, wise guys are more likely to get slapped than get quoted.
We can only guess how he feels about jazz.
(Wild guess: He’s not that into it.)
Still, if the King of the 209 had any sense of timing, you’d think this would be the ideal moment for him to launch his comeback to the UFC.
With longstanding nemesis Georges St-Pierre vacating the welterweight title and the division’s remaining contenders now in a battle royal for the top spot, the door is about as open as it’s ever going to get for Diaz’s return.
In typically contrary fashion however, UFC president Dana White says the fighter isn’t feeling it. And frankly, if Diaz turned his nose up at White’s latest—and best—offer, it’s starting to seem more and more like we’ve seen the last of him in the Octagon.
“I was trying to make Carlos Condit vs. Nick Diaz, and Nick Diaz turned the fight down tonight, he doesn‘t want it …,” White said on Saturday at the UFC on Fox 9 post-fight news conference. “I thought that he wanted the rematch, but he said, ‘No, I’m not interested.’”
If this account is accurate, think what Diaz—coming off back-to-back losses and out of action since March—is turning down. He’d be inserted into a title eliminator, get the chance to avenge his galling loss to Condit from UFC 143 and perhaps the opportunity to once more fight for the UFC title by the summer of 2014.
To say no to all that, he must simply have no interest in this sport right now.
That’s fine. Diaz told us months ago he was done with MMA, and if we’re only now starting to believe him, that’s more our problem than his. If he doesn’t want to be a fighter these days, we should treat his decision with the same understanding and respect as we’ve afforded St-Pierre’s choice.
Easier said than accomplished, though, right? Nobody likes to think about a UFC landscape without Diaz. Each time we hear about him turning down another bout it feels as if we inch closer to a dystopian future full of well-mannered fighters who say please and thank you and do everything their publicists tell them.
Nobody, and I mean nobody, wants that.
If and when Diaz decides he’s ready, there will be a spot for him on the UFC roster. He’s just that popular and weirdly marketable. At the same time, the offers likely won’t get any sweeter than the ones he’s already declined.
White says he’s brought at least two fights to Diaz since the former Strikeforce welterweight champion announced his retirement earlier this year and won’t do it again. The UFC president will no longer be the pursuer, telling Diaz to contact him when he’s ready to return.
In other words, the ball is in Diaz’s court. If you’re waiting for him to hit it back, well, remember what we said in that second paragraph? This is a guy who takes instruction about as well as a grizzly bear.
He’s talked idly about “maybe” returning next May, but he’s also notoriously bad with dates, times and scheduling. Any statement by Diaz that looks as far into the future as next spring should come with a permanent disclaimer: Plans subject to change.
Just to be on the safe side, should fans be mentally preparing themselves for life without him? The popular answer is still no, but the more realistic answer is beginning to seem like yes.
Especially since the moment we all stop wanting him to do it is probably when he’ll decide to return.
But earlier today, the UFC found an opponent for Condit, and it’s…Tyron Woodley? Huh. We’re not saying that the guy doesn’t deserve the opportunity, considering that he just beat the brakes off of Josh Koscheck and everybody else in the division is either booked or injured. Maybe now we can stop pretending that the UFC’s official rankings mean jack-shit, since they always seem to fly out the window as soon as it’s time to find a warm body. (Though I’ll bet you a nickel Woodley magically appears in the top ten the next time the rankings are updated. Seriously. Just watch.)
According to Dana White, Woodley texted him “15 times a day” when Matt Brown pulled out of his scheduled UFC on FOX 9 match against Condit, but of course, DW digs fighters who step up. “There are guys like (Woodley) that are out there,” White said. “Those are the guys I want to deal with. Those are the guys I want to hear from. I love Tyron Woodley. I love it.”
As MMAJunkie reports, the winner of Condit vs. Woodley is likely to get the winner of Hendricks vs. Lawler, which means that theoretically, MMA dinosaur Robbie Lawler could be defending his UFC welterweight title against currently-“unranked” Tyron Woodley sometime next summer. What a country.
(Woodley might not be in the top ten, but he was definitely the people’s champion that night. / Photo via Getty)
But earlier today, the UFC found an opponent for Condit, and it’s…Tyron Woodley? Huh. We’re not saying that the guy doesn’t deserve the opportunity, considering that he just beat the brakes off of Josh Koscheck and everybody else in the division is either booked or injured. Maybe now we can stop pretending that the UFC’s official rankings mean jack-shit, since they always seem to fly out the window as soon as it’s time to find a warm body. (Though I’ll bet you a nickel Woodley magically appears in the top ten the next time the rankings are updated. Seriously. Just watch.)
According to Dana White, Woodley texted him “15 times a day” when Matt Brown pulled out of his scheduled UFC on FOX 9 match against Condit, but of course, DW digs fighters who step up. “There are guys like (Woodley) that are out there,” White said. “Those are the guys I want to deal with. Those are the guys I want to hear from. I love Tyron Woodley. I love it.”
As MMAJunkie reports, the winner of Condit vs. Woodley is likely to get the winner of Hendricks vs. Lawler, which means that theoretically, MMA dinosaur Robbie Lawler could be defending his UFC welterweight title against currently-”unranked” Tyron Woodley sometime next summer. What a country.
The UFC didn’t get its first wish on a next opponent for Carlos Condit. Now, Tyron Woodley will get his.
After UFC president Dana White initially balked at the idea of Condit vs. Woodley—joking that Woodley was bombarding him with text mess…
The UFC didn’t get its first wish on a next opponent for Carlos Condit. Now, TyronWoodley will get his.
After UFC president Dana White initially balked at the idea of Condit vs. Woodley—joking that Woodley was bombarding him with text messages on the subject—the fight company confirmed on Tuesday that the two welterweight contenders will indeed meet at UFC 171 in March.
“If Tyrone Woodley texts me one more time…” White joked on Saturday during the post-fight media scrum for UFC on FOX 9. “The guy can’t text me enough. I mean, I’m not kidding you, I’m not being a promoter here. He must’vetexted me 15 times a day, and then when this thing with Georges St-Pierre went down—boom—he wants every fight.”
After St-Pierre vacated his title and announced an indefinite leave from the UFC last Friday, White had designs on matching Condit in a second fight against Nick Diaz. Unfortunately, Diaz—who has also been retired since a loss to St-Pierre in March—turned down the fight.
The organization rolled Diaz’s reluctance into Woodley’s gain, as the former Strikeforce contender will now meet previous interim UFC champ Condit in Dallas on March 15. That card will also feature the bout between Johny Hendricks and Robbie Lawler to crown a new welterweight champion.
It’s likely that the winner of Condit-Woodley will be on a very short list of contenders up for the first crack at the new champion.
Condit (29-7) defeated Diaz to capture the interim title at UFC 143 last year. Most recently, he was booked to meet Matt Brown last weekend at UFC on Fox 9, until Brown dropped out with a back injury the week of the event.
After a three-year run in Strikeforce, Woodley (12-2) made his Octagon debut with a first-round knockout of Jay Hieron at UFC 156 in February. He lost his next fight to Jake Shields via controversial split decision, but rekindled his momentum with a KO of Josh Koscheck at UFC 167.
Now that he’s lined up in a high-stakes fight against Condit, score one for Woodley’s persistence.
During the GSP-retirishment™ conference call on Friday, UFC president Dana White mentioned that he was working on getting welterweight contender Carlos Condit a big fight for the UFC 171: Hendricks vs. Lawler supporting card. As it turns out, White intended to book a rematch between Condit and currently-inactive star Nick Diaz — but Diaz turned it down.
According to an MMAJunkie report, White offered Diaz the fight in person at UFC on FOX 9, Saturday night in Sacramento. Diaz declined, saying he might return to competition in the spring, but only for a title fight.
“He doesn’t want the fight,” White told reporters following UFC on FOX 9. “I thought he wanted the rematch…but he’s not interested. He said maybe he’d be interested in coming back in May…He said, ‘I’ll fight the winner of Hendricks and Lawler.’ I said, ‘You’re ranked No. 10. It kind of doesn’t work that way.’”
“I’ve got to go back to the drawing board,” White continued. “Condit accepted the fight immediately, but I didn’t get it done (with Diaz)…Obviously the Diaz brothers are very unique individuals. You don’t pressure a guy who’s not interested in fighting. In this business, you’ve got to have the fire or you shouldn’t do it.”
(Photo via Getty)
During the GSP-retirishment™ conference call on Friday, UFC president Dana White mentioned that he was working on getting welterweight contender Carlos Condit a big fight for the UFC 171: Hendricks vs. Lawler supporting card. As it turns out, White intended to book a rematch between Condit and currently-inactive star Nick Diaz — but Diaz turned it down.
According to an MMAJunkie report, White offered Diaz the fight in person at UFC on FOX 9, Saturday night in Sacramento. Diaz declined, saying he might return to competition in the spring, but only for a title fight.
“He doesn’t want the fight,” White told reporters following UFC on FOX 9. “I thought he wanted the rematch…but he’s not interested. He said maybe he’d be interested in coming back in May…He said, ‘I’ll fight the winner of Hendricks and Lawler.’ I said, ‘You’re ranked No. 10. It kind of doesn’t work that way.’”
“I’ve got to go back to the drawing board,” White continued. “Condit accepted the fight immediately, but I didn’t get it done (with Diaz)…Obviously the Diaz brothers are very unique individuals. You don’t pressure a guy who’s not interested in fighting. In this business, you’ve got to have the fire or you shouldn’t do it.”
As for Condit, he still doesn’t have his next opponent booked. All we know is that Condit won’t be fighting Tyron Woodley, because Woodley isn’t currently ranked in the UFC’s top 10, as if that means a goddamned thing.
(“Physically I am 100%, but mentally I cannot go through another training camp right now, and I don’t know when I’ll be able to.” / Photo via Getty)
Georges St-Pierre‘s impromptu conference call turned out to be incredibly significant after all. The UFC welterweight champion announced today that he is taking an indefinite break from MMA competition, and has vacated his welterweight title. As he explained during his opening statement on the call:
“I’ve been fighting for a long time at a very high level. It’s a lot of pressure, a lot of criticism, and I decided to take time off. The UFC is a business, they can’t wait for my little self. I vacate my title for the respect of the other competitors, and one day when I feel like it, I might come back.
“It’s a lot of pressure. Every fight, I’m carrying weight on my shoulder, and every fight you add weight on your shoulder, you add weight, and add weight, and add weight — it becomes so heavy that I can’t carry it myself. Physically I am 100%, but mentally I cannot go through another training camp right now, and I don’t know when I’ll be able to.”
When Yahoo! reporter Kevin Iole asked St-Pierre if concern about physical damage or head trauma factored into his decision, GSP repeated that his decision had nothing to do with that. “I need to have a normal life for a bit, and that’s it.”
“I believe that one day I will come back,” St-Pierre said later, “but I don’t know [when].”
St-Pierre’s competitive future has been a question mark ever since his controversial UFC 167 victory over Johny Hendricks. Following the win, an emotionally distracted St-Pierre made a vague statement about needing to go away for a while — which drew the immediate wrath of Dana White in the post-fight press-conference. But now that St-Pierre has given more closure to the situation, White is completely supportive.
“This is fighting, and you have to be 100% mentally, physically, and emotionally,” the UFC president explained. “If you’re not, you should wait on the sidelines until you get your stuff cleared up…He was classy enough to say, ‘I’m not going to jam up the 170-pound division while I deal with these things.’ He’s going to deal with his stuff and come back…He’s the greatest welterweight of all time, and he’s the gold standard in everything…I think this is the right move for Georges St-Pierre.”
(“Physically I am 100%, but mentally I cannot go through another training camp right now, and I don’t know when I’ll be able to.” / Photo via Getty)
Georges St-Pierre‘s impromptu conference call turned out to be incredibly significant after all. The UFC welterweight champion announced today that he is taking an indefinite break from MMA competition, and has vacated his welterweight title. As he explained during his opening statement on the call:
“I’ve been fighting for a long time at a very high level. It’s a lot of pressure, a lot of criticism, and I decided to take time off. The UFC is a business, they can’t wait for my little self. I vacate my title for the respect of the other competitors, and one day when I feel like it, I might come back.
“It’s a lot of pressure. Every fight, I’m carrying weight on my shoulder, and every fight you add weight on your shoulder, you add weight, and add weight, and add weight — it becomes so heavy that I can’t carry it myself. Physically I am 100%, but mentally I cannot go through another training camp right now, and I don’t know when I’ll be able to.”
When Yahoo! reporter Kevin Iole asked St-Pierre if concern about physical damage or head trauma factored into his decision, GSP repeated that his decision had nothing to do with that. “I need to have a normal life for a bit, and that’s it.”
“I believe that one day I will come back,” St-Pierre said later, “but I don’t know [when].”
St-Pierre’s competitive future has been a question mark ever since his controversial UFC 167 victory over Johny Hendricks. Following the win, an emotionally distracted St-Pierre made a vague statement about needing to go away for a while — which drew the immediate wrath of Dana White in the post-fight press-conference. But now that St-Pierre has given more closure to the situation, White is completely supportive.
“This is fighting, and you have to be 100% mentally, physically, and emotionally,” the UFC president explained. “If you’re not, you should wait on the sidelines until you get your stuff cleared up…He was classy enough to say, ‘I’m not going to jam up the 170-pound division while I deal with these things.’ He’s going to deal with his stuff and come back…He’s the greatest welterweight of all time, and he’s the gold standard in everything…I think this is the right move for Georges St-Pierre.”
St-Pierre also gave more insight into the daily pressures he felt as a UFC star:
“I’ve never been a victim. I choose to do this. But as much as I choose to do it, [now] I choose to not do it. [Fight] promotion, Primetime, the cameras, trash-talk, everywhere I go in restaurants [fans] talk to me about [fighting] all time, it’s completely insane. Right now I need to take a pause…My life, it’s a freakin’ zoo right now.”
Beyond that, GSP was tight-lipped about his future plans, or possible time-frame of return: “You’re not gonna get anything personal out of me, and that’s all.”
That might be all for him right now, but his absence from the UFC means that the welterweight division just got a boost of necessary excitement. After St-Pierre had exited the call, Dana White announced that UFC 171: Jones vs. Teixeira (March 15th, Dallas) would also feature Johny Hendricks vs. Robbie Lawler fighting for the UFC’s vacant welterweight title. [Update:Jones vs. Teixeira has been shifted to UFC 172 in April. Hendricks vs. Lawler will headline UFC 171.] White added that he’s trying to get Carlos Condit on the card as well, though not against the recently-injured Matt Brown. (“We’re going in a different direction,” White said when asked about Brown’s immediate future. Ugh. Tough break, Matt)
In frantic fight-promoter mode, White described Hendricks vs. Lawler as a “gunfight” and a “dogfight,” on the level of “Haglar vs. Hearns.”
So that’s pretty much where we’re at right now. Please pick your jaws up off the floor and tell us how you’re feeling in the comments section.
As wise men, referees and jazz drummers are fond of reminding us, life is all about timing.
