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If This Is Goodbye: Remembering UFC 183 Great Nick Diaz

Say this for UFC star Nick Diaz—the man knows how to put on a show.
Spitting, taunting and at one point even laying down on the mat, Diaz made a mockery of Anderson Silva, the greatest middleweight to ever live. Perhaps he lost every stanza…

Say this for UFC star Nick Diaz—the man knows how to put on a show.

Spitting, taunting and at one point even laying down on the mat, Diaz made a mockery of Anderson Silva, the greatest middleweight to ever live. Perhaps he lost every stanza, though fight stats show several of the rounds were frighteningly close. But he lost his way, ending the fight with his head held high.

In Diaz world, that’s just as good as a win. He was the one coming forward, even as the final bell approached. Silva, as is his wont, was unsure and unwilling to engage on anything but his own terms. A counterpuncher, he refuses to come forward as anything but a last resort.

In the past, that’s led to some excruciatingly boring contests. His fight with Demian Maia was so awful, in fact, that UFC President Dana White stormed out of the arena before the conclusion, later apologizing to fans for the travesty.

But Nick Diaz doesn’t do boring.

“I kind of lose my s–t in there when people do that,” Diaz said at the post-fight press conference. “You probably noticed that…the more he punched the more he was going to end up with the s–t end of the stick.”

Silva may have had his hand raised at the end of UFC 183. And he deserved to. But there was no doubt we were watching a Diaz fight.

Most incredibly? He was doing it at half-speed.

Many longtime observers noted Diaz wasn’t nearly as aggressive as he usually is, fighting only in spurts instead of coming forward in a wave of punches, his sneer presaging a savage attack unlike any other in MMA history. After the fight, he revealed why.

“I had a little injury before the fight with my left arm,” Diaz said at the post-fight press conference. “I had to get a cortisone shot. And I stopped throwing punches about two weeks before the fight…I wasn’t in gear to throw punches, and I knew I was in big trouble.”

What’s next for Diaz, as always, remains unclear. He took almost two years off, in the prime of his career, after his last fight, a loss to then-welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre.

“Who knows what Nick’s going to do,” White said after the fight on the live press conference. “Nick made a lot of money tonight. You might not see him for three years this time.”

It’s also unclear exactly what to do with a fighter like Diaz. He’s an attraction, clearly. But he’s also lost three fights in a row.

“I’m kind of tired of being a loser,” Diaz admitted after the fight. “I’m doing well, though, as far as this being a job versus the other guys that are out here. I put on a show for these fans. I don’t know what to make of it right now.”

It would be hard to justify putting Diaz in with any of the promotion’s champions. It’s equally hard, however, to imagine him in the cage with one of the sport’s many competent, but anonymous, card-fillers. That leaves both fighter and promoter in a bind that may be impossible to unravel.

If this was Diaz‘s last fight, MMA is losing a truly unique athlete. In a career spanning more than 12 years, he’s fought the best historical fighter in three different weight classes. When you include his bout with Frank Shamrock, at one point the greatest light heavyweight ever, you have a resume that will never be matched.

Diaz has his fair share of great wins. Paul Daley. Takanori Gomi. Robbie Lawler. But winning was never the central point in a Nick Diaz fight. Arguably, he was at his best in defeat. It was when things weren’t going his way that a hero emerged, a man incapable of anything but combat in its purest form, his self-confidence bordering on the absurd even as the chips were down.

Diaz fought the best and fought them his way. His warrior ethos and unwavering desire to fight for the finish, and not for the scorecards, wasn’t always smart. But it was true to who Diaz is.

In a world of phonies, it’s that authenticity that has helped Diaz capture the hearts of so many. In sport filled with fighters mouthing phony platitudes and of blood feuds culminating in a hug, he was a breath of the freshest air.

Diaz may have never been the greatest fighter in the world—but he may have been the greatest warrior. That’s a legacy worth remembering.

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UFC 183 Results: 3 Fights for Tyron Woodley to Take Next

The co-main event of UFC 183 on Saturday night saw two top fighters square off, as Tyron Woodley looked to stop streaking prospect Kelvin Gastelum. It was considered a contender’s bout in the welterweight division, but it was changed to a catchweight b…

The fight was closely contested, as Gastelum continued to show improvement despite his poor weight cut and probably not being 100 percent.

However, that would not be enough, as Woodley eked out a split decision, earning another big win on his resume.

So, where does Woodley go from here? Let’s look at three guys he could fight next.

Rick Story

Woodley has proved that his wrestling is great and his striking is powerful. However, how would he fare against a wrestler who is more technical on the feet and can wrestle with him?

Enter Rick Story.

Right now, Story is streaking like a drunk fan at a soccer game. This is most evident in his derailment of Gunnar Nelson, a fighter who was on the fast track to the top.

Story also had a recent fight against Woodley‘s most recent adversary, Gastelum. Though Story lost, it was a close bout that could have gone either way.

His move to the MMA Lab has brought him back to attention at 170 pounds. A bout with Woodley would show if he is continuing to improve or cannot shake the gatekeeper status.

Carlos Condit

Woodley already owns a win over Carlos Condit. However, that fight was marred by a knee injury that Condit suffered, and he hasn’t fought since.

The best part of this matchup is that it would give closure to their first encounter, where Woodley dominated early before it looked as if his pace was slowing. Condit‘s injury left a lot of question marks, and a rematch could serve as a serviceable main event on Fox Sports or Fight Pass.

Condit is extremely difficult to fight on the ground because of his aggressive style off his back. He is also a superior technician on the feet, which would continue to test Woodley upright.

This is a fight I want to see.

Tarec Saffiedine

Former Strikeforce title challenger versus the final Strikeforce champion. I like the sound of that.

When we look back in history, Woodley fought for the vacant Strikeforce title in a losing effort to Nate Marquardt. Then, Marquardt lost the title to Tarec Saffiedine.

Both men have improved greatly since those fights.

Saffiedine is tough to take down and has stinging leg kicks in his arsenal. Those kicks could soften up Woodley‘s legs and affect his takedowns.

Oh yeah, and it’s a rematch from a time when Saffiedine had yet to reach the peak in his career. It’s a chance for both fighters to show improvement and for Woodley to knock off another Top 10 fighter.

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Anderson Silva vs. Nick Diaz: What UFC 183 Results Mean for Card’s Biggest Stars

After more than a year away from the Octagon for both Anderson Silva and Nick Diaz, two of the UFC’s most recognizable stars finally put on a show for fans at UFC 183.
It wasn’t the nonstop fire fight that many expected it to be. Diaz’s usual agg…

After more than a year away from the Octagon for both Anderson Silva and Nick Diaz, two of the UFC’s most recognizable stars finally put on a show for fans at UFC 183.

It wasn’t the nonstop fire fight that many expected it to be. Diaz‘s usual aggression was hampered by The Spider’s signature movement and defense. The pride of Stockton threw 223 significant strikes over the course of five rounds.

But it did have its fair share of intriguing moments, not the least of which was Diaz laying down in front of Silva in the first round and doing the things that Diaz has become known for inside the Octagon. Silva, for his part, looked sharp and accurate. The power and explosiveness that ended so many of his fights over his career simply wasn’t there, though.

So with both fighters looking like lesser versions of their past selves, the question now begs to be asked: Where do they go from here?

Silva’s Indecision: Retire or Chase the Belt

For all the excitement and buzz that Silva’s comeback generated, fans may have seen The Spider spin his last web. The Brazilian was non-committal about his future after the bout, citing concern from his family as the reason he might hang up his gloves, per Lance Pugmire of the Los Angeles Times:

If Silva does decide to walk away, it would be understandable. He’s already made his case for being considered the greatest of all time. He has little to gain from continuing his career if his heart isn’t in it. We’ve seen stars like Chuck Liddell and B.J. Penn blemish their legacies by hanging on too long.

In some ways, Silva looked as good as ever. According to Mike Bohn of MMAjunkie, he landed more significant strikes than he’s ever landed in a fight:

But that stat actually serves to highlight the issue for The Spider. He may have proven that he’s healthy enough to continue fighting in the Octagon, but the explosiveness that once made him special appears to be waning.

It isn’t likely that anyone survives 108 significant strikes from Silva three years ago.

However, as long as Silva wants to fight, he’ll continue to get big bouts. Dana White has alluded to giving Silva the power to do his own matchmaking. “I don’t think he needs 3-4 fights to get back to the title,” White said, per Elias Cepeda of Fox Sports. “But if he feels that way, he’s the No. 1-ranked guy in the world, he can fight Jacare Souza, he can fight Lyoto Machida, Vitor Belfort, Luke Rockhold, Yoel Romero.”

White is even still interested in making a superfight between Georges St-Pierre and the former middleweight champion, per Damon Martin of Fox Sports:

After a seven-year title reign, countless historic fights and magic moments in the cage, no one could blame Silva for walking away. It’s unlikely that the Silva who fought Saturday night could beat the champion. Chris Weidman has already beaten him twice and can conceivably improve at only 30 years old.

As long as he continues to fight, fans will continue to tune in, though. There are plenty of intriguing options for Silva outside of a championship fight. Bouts against the likes of GSP and Michael Bisping would have tremendous drawing power and represent winnable fights for The Spider.

Diaz: Take the Money and Run?

Diaz has made no qualms about why he fights: the money.

The eccentric fighter has made it clear in the past that he only wants to take fights that are going to lead to the biggest paychecks. He’s stuck to his word, too. His last three fights have now been against two of the biggest draws in UFC history and another one for the interim title at 170 pounds.

However, that penchant for taking the biggest fights hasn’t produced the results of a true star. He’s now 0-3 in those fights. His last win was in 2011.

Giving credit where credit is due, Diaz was a bit more competitive in this bout than he’ll probably get credit for. As Jonathan Snowden of Bleacher Report noted, three of the five rounds were fairly close:

However, the reality is we might not see Diaz for a long time again. With three consecutive losses, it’s hard to justify giving him the type of fights that he has been holding out for recently. As Dana White noted via Shaheen Al-Shatti of MMAFighting.com, the payday that the former Strikeforce star made at UFC 183 may mean he takes another sabbatical:

Still, much like Silva, as long as Diaz is fighting, people will tune in. The supporters of the Stockton native are as rabid as any fanbase in MMA, and the list of people who watch his fights to see him get beat is likely just as long.

Diaz might go away for a while once again, but it wouldn’t be shocking to see him get sucked back in at least one more time.

All statistics via FightMetric unless otherwise noted.

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Silva vs. Diaz Results: Winner, Analysis, Key Moments and Factors in the Bout

Anderson “The Spider” Silva returned to The Octagon on Saturday night at UFC 183, and he came away with a unanimous-decision win over Nick Diaz. Silva wasn’t at his best, as he ate 77 significant strikes from Diaz, but none of them hurt him, and he was…

The moment everyone was waiting for took place about midway through the first round. Silva threw a leg kick with his previously injured left leg. While he had endured 13 months of rehabilitation and had undoubtedly thrown thousands of them during training, there still had to be a mental hurdle to overcome by throwing the strike in a live fight.

Silva did it without pain, issue or hesitancy. Per the pay-per-view broadcast, Diaz mentioned that he was waiting to see if Silva would use the strike that had become a staple in the legendary Brazilian’s arsenal.

Once Silva let loose with the kick, Diaz knew he was dealing with a fully-equipped opponent.

Speed was the biggest factor throughout the fight. Silva was simply beating Diaz to the punch on most occasions. The jab and one-two combinations did the most damage. Silva landed more than half of his 108 strikes to Diaz‘s head, and the latter’s face showed the wear from the shots.

By the fifth round, Diaz was bleeding profusely from above and below his left eye. Despite the fact that Silva outlanded and connected at a higher rate than Diaz in every round, per Ariel Helwani of MMA Fighting, the polarizing American complained about the judges’ scorecards:

It’s hard to win a fight when the other guy not only lands more but also hits you at a higher percentage. I’m just saying.

When the fight was over, Silva hinted at possibly retiring. Per Fox Sports UFC, the all-time great said there is no timetable for him to decide if he’ll fight again:

At 39 years old and having rebounded from a gruesome leg injury, Silva doesn’t have anything else to prove. He’s already going to go down as perhaps the greatest mixed martial artist ever. Leaving the game on a winning note, with his body and mind intact, is as good as it will get for him.

He could chase Chris Weidman to avenge the two losses he suffered against him, but in the long run, that wouldn’t change his legacy very much. Getting out now is the most advisable move for The Spider.

All stats per FightMetric.

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Anderson Silva: 3 Fights for Him Should He Decide to Fight Again

Saturday evening, UFC 183 saw a legend return from one of the most brutal injuries in the history of the company. Anderson Silva came home to the UFC Octagon to face Nick Diaz, a fan favorite with good toughness and the skills to land.
The fight was an…

The fight was an exciting five-round contest that showcased Silva’s world-class skill and Diaz‘s determination, grit and willingness to throw down. When it was all said and done, Silva took a five-round unanimous decision over Diaz, earning his first win since losing the UFC Middleweight Championship to Chris Weidman two fights ago.

We will see where Silva goes from here. He is almost 40, and one would not be surprised if there are not a lot of fights left in the gas tank.

Here are three fights Silva can take next in the aftermath of UFC 183.

Georges St-Pierre

It’s been talked about forever, and it’s almost at a point where you should be smacked with a leather glove and challenged to a duel if you mention the idea of Anderson Silva vs. Georges St-Pierre. However, it would actually be the perfect swan song if both guys want to walk away from the sport for good.

Now, I am not implying that Silva should retire; far from it. However, given his age and family, I don’t think he has much time left as an active mixed martial artist.

As for St-Pierre, he stepped away from the sport a while back, and we don’t know if he will ever fight again. If he did, it would have to be a marquee fight that’s worth his time and effort.

I say it actually is time for Silva-GSP to happen. St-Pierre can go back to retirement afterwards if he wants, and Silva can make his decision to go out fighting his greatest opponent of all time or continue his journey in the cage.

Vitor Belfort

Vitor Belfort was scheduled to main event UFC 184 opposite UFC middleweight champion Weidman, but Weidman got injured, and Belfort is down crap river without a paddle. Perhaps the most important rematch of his career would entice him to not sit out and wait for Weidman.

If you remember, which I am sure you do because of its notoriety, Silva and Belfort fought a few years ago when Silva was champion and Belfort was touted as a big threat to his title reign. However, the fight ended quickly with one of the best knockouts in the history of the sport, as Silva decapitated his foe with a gorgeous front kick.

It was a kick that has been played on highlight reels since. It is a kick that has changed the game and had fighters quickly learning the proper technique so they can include it in their repertoire.

I am certain Belfort would like a chance at redemption. Perhaps dangling this fight in the interim while Weidman heals up could force his hand to fight.

Thales Leites

This one is kind of a dark-horse candidate for Silva’s next match, but it could work given the circumstances.

Silva and Thales Leites met a long time ago during Silva’s reign of terror as the UFC middleweight champion. It wasn’t a close match, and Silva clowned his fellow Brazilian the entire fight.

Since then, Leites has greatly improved. This has been seen in his latest UFC run, a string of victories that culminated in a submission win over Tim Boetsch last night on the main card.

This fight makes sense just based off the fact that Leites has improved so much. It would be a shot at redemption against a man who thoroughly embarrassed him in their first encounter.

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UFC 183: Results and Scorecards from Featured Main Card Bouts

The action in the main card of UFC 183 was more hit than miss. Most of the fights were excellent, but some were not. The main event delivered from a dramatic and historic standpoint. Seeing Anderson “The Spider” Silva back in The Octagon and victorious…

Silva ate far more strikes than what we’ve become accustomed to seeing in his fights, though none of them seemed to hurt him, and his movements seemed a bit more herky jerky.

Diaz has never been known for his speed, but he looked extra slow and plodding on Saturday. Still, it’s hard to say the bout didn’t deliver. Diaz did his heel thing, and the two men definitely engaged in some quality exchanges.

When it was over, Silva said he was unclear on whether he’d fight again.

If this was the last fight of his career, he at least will go out as a winner and healthy. If you’re a 39-year-old legend, it may not get any better than that. Here are the results for all of the main card bouts.

Mein Lets It Slip Through His Fingers

Despite dominating Thiago Alves throughout the first round, Jordan Mein took a tough loss when he ate a perfectly placed body kick that sucked the air out of him. After throwing a strike, he left his midsection open, and the opportunistic Brazilian took full advantage.

The Pitbull landed a right leg kick that sent Mein to his knees. Alves pounced and grabbed victory from the jaws of defeat. Mein is still a young and rising star, but this loss will sting for a while.

Leites Keeps the Brazilian Comebacks Coming

Even more so than Alves, Thales Leites was being beaten up by Tim Boetsch through the first round-and-a-half. The Brazilian was busted up and swollen from trying to trade with Boetsch in the stand-up game.

Leites clearly held an edge as a grappler, and he was finally able to get the fight into his specialty area. Boetsch has always had trouble defending submissions, and that deficiency reared its head again.

Leites looked to be headed toward a stoppage loss, but turned things around as he submitted Boetsch in the second round via triangle choke.

I wonder why it took Leites so long to take the fight to the ground, but ultimately he got the win and $100,000 in combined bonus money.

Iaquinta Pounds Lauzon

This one had Fight of the Night written all over it but fell short of those expectations. The fight was still entertaining, but it turned out to be too one-sided for that honor.

Joe Lauzon had a few moments early in the bout, but Al Iaquinta took over in the second round with a nasty combination that rocked the veteran. Iaquinta patiently stalked Lauzon and methodically forced the referee to stop the bout. It was an impressive performance for Iaquinta.

Woodley and Gastelum Put Us to Sleep

Billed as the co-featured bout, the Tyron Woodley-Kelvin Gastelum scrap turned out to be one of the worst on the entire card. Neither man did much of anything, but Woodley earned the split-decision win based on a few well-placed right hands that knocked Gastelum’s head back.

Gastelum came into the fight 10 pounds overweight, and per Dana White via Karyn Bryant of Fox Sports, the 23-year-old will not be allowed to attempt to make 170 pounds again.

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