UFC 158 will pit welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre against challenger Nick Diaz in a match that features two fighters who are complete opposites. St-Pierre is much easier to figure out of the two. He is always the ultimate professional who does e…
UFC 158 will pit welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre against challenger Nick Diaz in a match that features two fighters who are complete opposites.
St-Pierre is much easier to figure out of the two.
He is always the ultimate professional who does exactly what is necessary of him in regard to his responsibilities to himself and the sport as a whole.
St-Pierre is always well-prepared and in great shape after countless hours of training, and he is a lock to do all the promotional work that must be done before any event he headlines. Not to mention, GSP isn’t an obnoxious, loudmouthed person who is full of himself to a nauseating extent.
These qualities make it extremely easy to root for the champ.
Diaz on the other hand, does things very differently.
While you can’t really question Diaz’s dedication to training and his work leading up to a fight, you can question his effort in the promotional work and overall responsibilities to the UFC.
In fact, this fight between Diaz and GSP was supposed to happen at UFC 137, but Diaz failed to handle his pre-fight responsibilities and UFC President Dana White ended up pulling the plug.
Even for UFC 158, Diaz has already skipped the open workouts before the event, per MMAJunkie.com staff.
And as far as being a loudmouth is concerned, Diaz completely dominated St-Pierre with numerous long tirades during a media conference call, which also left other fighters on the same call unable to get a word in at all, according to the report.
As if Diaz needed to give people another reason to dislike him.
It appears Diaz is once again attempting to sabotage his own career by tempting White to throw him off this card as well. That could potentially happen if Diaz doesn’t show up to the press conference on Thursday, which again wouldn’t be his first time doing something so bizarre.
It would be another big blow to Diaz who is finally returning to the Octagon after serving a year-long suspension thanks to a second positive drug test for marijuana, per the same MMAJunkie.com article.
At this point, Diaz’s problems are very much self-inflicted. He is no doubt a talented fighter, but it’s frustrating to see him throw away his chances at taking a step to the next level and that’s what makes him impossible to cheer for—especially against a guy like St-Pierre.
There are plenty of fighters who would love the opportunity to fight the champion and would sleep in the airport terminal in order to make sure they didn’t miss their flight. Diaz doesn’t seem to have that same kind of desire inside of him and that’s disappointing to say the least.
The fight is still a few days away as it takes place on March 16, but that’s more than enough time for Diaz to have himself erased from another UFC card. But if he does make it, don’t expect to hear much cheering for Diaz as he continues to be one of the bigger villains in the UFC today.
UFC 158 is a stacked card that is definitely a can’t-miss. It will contain loads of talent and interesting storylines to follow that will have fans on their toes at all times. Since the event is taking place in Montreal, there is a good chunk of C…
UFC 158 is a stacked card that is definitely a can’t-miss.
It will contain loads of talent and interesting storylines to follow that will have fans on their toes at all times.
Since the event is taking place in Montreal, there is a good chunk of Canadian fighters who are willing to put on a show on home soil.
Not to be outdone, the war of welterweights will also be taking place. Featuring names like Jake Ellenberger, Nate Marquardt, Carlos Condit, Johny Hendricks, Nick Diaz and Georges St-Pierre, how could you not be entertained?
Diaz will also look to become the newest champion as he faces off against his rival St-Pierre.
There has been a war of words between the two and they will have the opportunity to back them all up when the cage door is closed and locked.
Action and intrigue are abound as this affair nears.
When Carlos Condit steps into the Octagon Saturday night in Montreal, it will be one day shy of four months since the last time he did so. While there will be no title on the line and no pound-for-pound great standing across from him, many of the outsi…
When Carlos Condit steps into the Octagon Saturday night in Montreal, it will be one day shy of four months since the last time he did so. While there will be no title on the line and no pound-for-pound great standing across from him, many of the outside factors surrounding his bout at UFC 158 will be strikingly familiar.
The Canadian crowd will be losing their minds in anticipation of his scrap with Johny Hendricks, and despite the bout preceding the card’s headlining showdown between Georges St-Pierre and Nick Diaz, there is plenty of “big fight” feel surrounding the co-main event.
The former interim champion will square off with a man considered by many to be the true No. 1 contender to the welterweight crown in Hendricks. “Bigg Rigg” is riding a five-fight win streak coming into the bout with Condit, and should the former two-time NCAA Division I wrestling champion emerge victorious, his long-awaited title shot should be etched in stone
The same case can be made if Condit derails the Oklahoma native in the tilt, though this may not have been the case had things played out to their original schedule.
The Road to Gold Can Be Fruitful or Unforgiving
The 28-year-old Albuquerque-based fighter was slated to rematch surging contender Rory MacDonald on the welterweight showcase, but an injury suffered by the talented young Canadian forced him to the sidelines.
With the spot opposite Condit available, the Team Takedown fighter jumped at the opportunity to mix it up with “The Natural Born Killer” in Montreal. This turn of events created an interesting situation for Condit, because a win over Hendricks would be a strong argument for Condit to step directly back into a title shot.
Had the original scheduled bout with MacDonald taken place, the case for Condit receiving a title shot may not have been as strong, since the 23-year-old’s place in the divisional hierarchy is not clearly defined.
In Hendricks, the Jackson-Winkeljohn trained fighter has an opponent who has generated buzz and campaigned for the past year to get a title shot. The heavy-handed welterweight has been a wrecking machine in the 170-pound division, and if Condit can find a way to grab a victory, another crack at the welterweight crown could very likely be in short order.
On the other hand, should Condit come up short against Hendricks, the loss would potentially move him to the back of the line in the contender’s class of the 170-pound division. With the weight class growing more competitive by the month, the former WEC welterweight champion would have a difficult road to travel back to a title shot.
With a batch of future contenders like Demian Maia, Rory MacDonald, TyronWoodley and TarecSaffiedine ready to make their move up the ladder, Condit would most likely have to win at least three bouts before earning another opportunity to compete for UFC gold.
When you include the high-profile bout between Jake Ellenberger and Nate Marquardt taking place on the card at UFC 158, the road for Condit to get back to the top could be a very difficult path to travel.
This makes the bout between Condit and Hendricks a high-risk/high-reward affair, and Condit has made a career out of his ability to step up in big moments.
Condit Possesses a Unique Set of Skills
There is little doubt Condit is one of the most versatile fighters in the welterweight division, but skill alone is hardly his greatest asset. The scrappy New Mexico native has a tremendous ability to remain dangerous at every point of the fight—a talent Condit has displayed on numerous occasions.
During his most recent bout with Georges St-Pierre at UFC 154 in November, Condit rebounded from an opening two rounds where he was battered on the canvas by the champion to nearly steal the victory with a brilliantly timed head kick in the third frame.
The well-placed strike dropped GSP to the canvas. But despite his best efforts to finish the welterweight king on the mat, St-Pierre was able to get back to his feet and recover.
Unfortunately, the damage done in the third round wasn’t enough to turn the tide. Condit came out on the losing end of a unanimous decision at UFC 154.
Nevertheless, he had the champion in more trouble than any other opponent had been able to manage in recent memory, and this has kept Condit near a title shot despite coming up short.
Coming back from a rough start is an ability Condit has shown time and time again. In his bout with Jake Ellenberger and his first throwdown with Rory MacDonald, Condit bounced back from early batterings to ultimately score the victory.
Hendricks is historically a very fast starter who likes to come out and establish his power from the get-go. For two of the last three opponents the 29-year-old has faced, that hammer left hand he carries was too much to overcome.
In a career that has carried over a decade, Condit has never been knocked out. His only losses in bouts that were stopped came by way of submission, but those are few and far between as Condit has only been tapped three times in 34 fights.
If Condit is able to weather the early storm Hendricks is sure to bring, the tide of the fight could turn in his favor. His ability to move in and out, all the while remaining accurate with his striking, has proven to be a difficult puzzle to solve. While Hendricks is heralded for his one-punch knockout power, Condit is no slouch in the one-shot kill department either.
With that in mind, a victory over Hendricks on Saturday night would catapult Condit directly back onto the championship doorstep. Should that win come in impressive fashion, it would be difficult to imagine Condit not being a lock for another shot at the title.
The recent axing of welterweight staple Jon Fitch has raised awareness regarding the lack of job security that exists within the realm of the UFC. Like several fighters did at the promotion’s last event at UFC on Fuel TV 8, a cluster of desperate fight…
The recent axing of welterweight staple Jon Fitch has raised awareness regarding the lack of job security that exists within the realm of the UFC.
Like several fighters did at the promotion’s last event at UFC on Fuel TV 8, a cluster of desperate fighters will put their roster spots on the line at UFC 158 on Saturday at the Bell Centre in Montreal.
Fighters on the cusp of dismissal almost always generate captivating and action-packed affairs. So fans at the Bell Centre will surely get to witness the beauty of desperation in battle at least a handful of times.
Here’s a peek at the fighters who will be on the hot seat at UFC 158.
Ricardo Lamas certainly knows how to make a statement. The 30-year-old featherweight composed a tweet on ye ole Twittersphere tonight that hinted at his next opponent, and fight fans are going to be pleased with the announcement.A favorite returns…
Ricardo Lamas certainly knows how to make a statement.
The 30-year-old featherweight composed a tweet on ye ole Twittersphere tonight that hinted at his next opponent, and fight fans are going to be pleased with the announcement.
A favorite returns to take on a rapidly rising star.
Take it in, folks.
“The Korean Zombie,” Chan-Sung Jung, returns to the UFC Octagon for the first time in over a year at UFC 162 July 6, live from Las Vegas.
Lamas gets points for the The Walking Dead reference and points for the creative announcement in my book, but the UFC brass gets the most glory here.
UFC 162 is already stacked with a main event featuring the pound-for-pound greatest fighter in the world, Anderson Silva, and with the addition of Lamas vs. Zombie, this card looks absolutely bonkers on paper.
Fresh off a dominant victory over former almost title challenger Erik Koch, Lamas currently rides a four-fight winning streak over tough competition, and a win over The Korean Zombie will almost assuredly secure him a championship fight.
To his credit, The Korean Zombie has also looked phenomenal lately. He is the winner of three straight, and he took him fight-night bonuses in all three victories.
Against Leonard Garcia at UFC Fight Night: Nogueira vs. Davis, Zombie pulled off the rare twister—a submission popularized by 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu founder Eddie Bravo. For his efforts, Jung took home submission of the night and submission of the year honors.
He then followed this performance up with a knockout of the night performance over Mark Hominick at UFC 140, and the stage was set for his greatest Octagon appearance to date.
Jung took on Dustin Poirier at UFC on Fuel TV 3, and the resulting fight became an instant classic.
The two went toe-to-toe on the feet, on the ground, in midair and in the stands (OK, that last one didn’t actually happen) for four rounds before Jung rocked Poirier against the cage and finished the job with a tight brabo choke just one minute into Round 4.
Because of these past performances, The Korean Zombie stands as one of the most fan-friendly fighters on the UFC roster, and a matchup with Lamas promises the same fireworks we have come to expect from him.
Get excited.
The Korean Zombie is back, and Mr. Ricardo Lamas is ready for battle.
For fans of MMA, heavy metal or genreal absurdity,
Montreal – It took a few hours, but we have finally heard from Nick Diaz regarding his no-show at Wednesday’s UFC 158 open workouts. If you think an apology was offered for his absence or some other type of mea culpa, you’d be wrong. …
Montreal – It took a few hours, but we have finally heard from Nick Diaz regarding his no-show at Wednesday’s UFC 158 open workouts. If you think an apology was offered for his absence or some other type of meaculpa, you’d be wrong.
Instead the finger of blame was pointed squarely in the direction of the UFC, as Diaz tweeted:
For those that have not heard, Diaz was scheduled to take part in the UFC 158 open workouts on Wednesday along with six other fighters that will be competing on Saturday’s fight card, Georges St-Pierre, Carlos Condit, Johny Hendricks, Jake Ellenberger, Nate Marquardt and Patrick Cote. The event took place at the ComplexeDesjardins in Montreal. When Diaz’s allotted time to work out came, he was nowhere to be found.
The six other fighters all completed their workouts as scheduled, after which they met with the assembled media, a ritual that the UFC has had in place for quite some time. When the final fighter, UFC welterweight champion and Diaz’s opponent, Georges St-Pierre, left the building, the count of the fighters that completed their fan and media obligations for the day remained one short.
Despite the fact that all other fighters made it to the event, Diaz felt no need to apologize, but instead blamed the UFC.
It’s true that St-Pierre does live in Montreal where the open workouts took place, but four of the other fighters that worked out do not, yet they all made it to the ComplexeDesjardins and made it on time.
Earlier today, my colleague at Bleacher Report, Jeremy Botter, opined that Diaz’s no-show for the open workouts was unprofessional. It’s hard to see this latest move, trying to shift the blame to anyone but himself or his handlers as another example of that unprofessional behavior.
There will be a tipping point for the UFC when it comes to Diaz and we may be very close to reaching that point days before UFC 158 takes place here in Montreal.
UFC 158 will pit welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre against challenger Nick Diaz in a match that features two fighters who are complete opposites.