UFC 158: 'St Pierre vs Diaz'

[wandshogun09]

Just a few weeks away now. Hopefully I won't have to change the thread title because this fight's been on and off more than Kevin Webster's blue overalls.

 

 

PPV MAIN CARD

Georges St Pierre vs Nick Diaz - UFC Welterweight Title

Carlos Condit vs Johny Hendricks

Jake Ellenberger vs Nate Marquardt

Chris Camozzi vs Nick Ring

Colin Fletcher vs Mike Ricci

 

FX PRELIMS

Patrick Cote vs Bobby Voelker

Antonio Carvalho vs Darren Elkins

Dan Miller vs Jordan Mein

John Makdessi vs Daron Cruickshank

 

FACEBOOK PRELIMS

Rick Story vs Quinn Mulhern

TJ Dillashaw vs Issei Tamura

Yves Jabouin vs Johnny Eduardo

George Roop vs Reuben Duran

 

Where do I even start with the main event?

 

 

It was all signed and ready to go for UFC 137 back in October 2011;

 

Until Nick Diaz no showed the press conference;

 

 

...because he got high.

 

Leaving his boss hanging around like a spare bollock. Dana wasn't happy and yanked him from the title match. GSP in the meantime, injured his knee...

 

 

With 137 needing a new main event, Diaz ended up fighting BJ Penn instead. He beat Penn to a swollen, bloody pulp and then went mental in the cage...

 

 

"Where you at Georges? Where you at motherfucker?"

 

Said Nick.

 

 

Said Georges.

 

Then Diaz went on to call out GSP and question the legitimacy of his knee injury...

 

 

GSP demanded to fight Diaz and vowed to "put the worst beating in UFC history" on him. The fight was again booked to take place in Feb 2012 at UFC 143. But GSP re-injured his knee and had to undergo surgery. Fortunately, it all went well...

 

 

Diaz then lost to Carlos Condit on points;

 

Retired. Then seemingly changed his mind within days and was going to come out of retirement to rematch Condit. Then got a 12 month suspension and a fine. Why?

 

 

'Cos he got high.

 

You still with me?

 

GSP in the meantime, recovered from his surgery and got back to business;

 

 

He even managed to squeeze in a successful title defence against Condit;

 

It's February 2013, which means Diaz's suspension is up. And GSP still wants to fight Diaz. Not Anderson Silva. Not Johny Hendricks. Screw rankings. GSP wants Diaz. So it's happening.

 

 

Or at least, I hope it's finally happening. But once again...

 

 

...is always a risk. And he's already missed a few pre-fight interviews, along with his brother Nate who also no-showed, which has wound up costing the UFC $50 grand.

 

Why did Nick and Nate not show?...

 

 

Because they got high, because they got high, because they got high.

 

Lets just hope this fight actually happens this time. Third time lucky and all that.

 

 

Co-main event was originally supposed to be a rematch of Carlos Condit vs Rory MacDonald. Sadly Evil Rory got injured. But the good news is we now get a fresh match up between two of the most lethal welterweights in the sport...

 

'The Natural Born Killer' Carlos Condit

 

A man known for his toughness, finishing ability and also coming closer to dethroning GSP than anyone has in 6 years;

 

 

His new opponent is Johny 'Big Rigg' Hendricks

 

The man most feel is the true #1 contender at 170. He's also the most likely replacement if Diaz decides to do a disappearing act again between now and the fight.

 

He possesses probably the most brutal left hand in all of MMA;

 

He's fighting with a bit of a chip on his shoulder after being passed up for the title shot in favour of a guy coming off a 12 month suspension (because he got high) and a loss (to the man he's fighting).

 

Condit's not too fussed;

[jimufctna24]

Those Diaz's Gif's are alpha. The one of Rogan makes me want to smack him though.

 

Provided the Main goes ahead, my head says GSP on points where as my heart says Diaz by submission.

 

I cannot see GSP cracking under the pressure of Diaz's relentless attacks, he is too seasoned for that. I think he will end up taking the fight to the ground where he will inflict a grappling clinic on Diaz for 5 rounds. Diaz is underrated off his back, and maybe his best way to win is too catch GSP with armbar. But GSP maybe a bit too crafty for that.

 

I do not dislike GSP and think in certain circles he gets underrated as a fighter. People dismiss him in comparison to Silva and Jones due to his more conservative style, but I think he as just as effective. I still want Diaz to win, yes he is unreliable but there is something I have always found likable about him. He is a unique character and every sport needs that.

 

This could be the last time we see Nick in the UFC or maybe even MMA, and if it is he will go out with the biggest payday of his career.

[wandshogun09]

Added a bunch of links for added hype goodness. And yes, I deliberately found the most annoying Rogan gif I could in keeping with us all being cunts to him lately

[David]

My prediction for the main event hasn't changed since we first discussed the possibility of this fight. St-Pierre outwrestles and outgrapples Diaz en route to a decision victory, which will leave Diaz in a rage, moaning about how St-Pierre didn't fight "like a real man" and other such nonsense, before he retires again and goes away in the huff.

 

Oh, and we'll also have to listen to Rogan desperately try to keep the casual fan interested during the bout by repeatedly banging on about how Diaz is a Gracie-trained BJJ player who could reverse the masterclass in grappling at any point with a "sick" submission.

 

He won't though.

 

The most interesting fight of the night for me is the Condit/Hendricks bout. This is possibly the strangest fight of the night as well. If Condit wins the UFC basically have no number 1 contender for St-Pierre, which will result in months of the will he/won't he fight Anderson stuff. We need a Hendricks win in this bout, big time.

[444 4444]

I can't see anything other than a GSP decision but I'll be happy with a few of these.

 

[cleslie92]

Really looking forward to this one. Ricci/Fletcher will be interesting with the UFC in full on cuts mode, will the loser survive?

[David]

Really looking forward to this one. Ricci/Fletcher will be interesting with the UFC in full on cuts mode, will the loser survive?

A loss for Ricci could see him being cut I think (even though I'd deem it unfair), but there's no way Fletcher gets cut if he loses.

[wandshogun09]

Yeah, can't see past a GSP points win myself.

 

If Condit wins the UFC basically have no number 1 contender for St-Pierre, which will result in months of the will he/won't he fight Anderson stuff. We need a Hendricks win in this bout, big time.

 

I'm still rooting for Condit despite a Hendricks win being better for the division/him deserving a shot. Just because I'm a Condit fan and there's something I find unlikeable about Hendricks.

 

Plus as you say, a Condit win takes away another roadblock preventing GSP/Anderson. If Condit eliminates Hendricks, and GSP/Anderson win their next fights, there may never have been a better time to do it. There would really be no obvious immediate challengers for either.

 

My ideal scenario would be;

 

-GSP beats Diaz and Condit beats Hendricks at UFC 158.

-Anderson beats Weidman in July.

-GSP vs Anderson in November, at MSG, on the UFC 20th anniversary show.

 

Dana already hinted at it being possible.

[David]

I know this will surprise absolutely no one, but I'd rather see St-Pierre vs Hendricks than St-Pierre vs Anderson.

 

I know the build to the super-fight would be huge and all that, but the end result would be just as underwhelming as most of the UFC's supposed superfights. Just like we saw Sonnen get hammered by Silva, and like we'll see Diaz get decisioned by St-Pierre, and we'll see Jones stop Sonnen, we'll see St-Pierre be much too small to do anything against Anderson.

 

I've constantly said it, the only real so-called superfight I'm interested in is Anderson vs Jon Jones.

 

St-Pierre would go into the Anderson fight with a four inch height disadvantage and a reach disadvantage as well. Anderson is more evenly matched with Jon Jones, which is why it's a fight I'd rather see.

 

St-Pierre would have more than enough on his hands with Hendricks.

[wandshogun09]

Like I said when this last came up, it's not an either/or situation with Anderson vs GSP and Anderson vs Jones. We don't have to choose one or the other, we can potentially have both. Dana's said himself that "the best thing about this is - you have the greatest pound-for-pound fighter in MMA, Anderson Silva - and he falls right between the #2 and #3 pound-for-pound best fighters in GSP and Jones". Anderson can fight both.

 

I don't think people grasp just how fucking rare this situation is. It's not like boxing in the 90s where you'd have Roy Jones and Julio Cesar Chavez, two of the pound-for-pound all-time greats, but they'd never meet because they were too far apart weight wise. Anderson Silva can fight both the #2 and #3.

 

I understand it's personal opinion, but for the life of me I can't wrap my head around the idea that anyone would rather see just another run of the mill title defence in GSP vs Hendricks, over a fucking once in a lifetime superfight between two of the greatest of all time,

[David]

I understand it's personal opinion, but for the life of me I can't wrap my head around the idea that anyone would rather see just another run of the mill title defence in GSP vs Hendricks, over a fucking once in a lifetime superfight between two of the greatest of all time,

They're two of the greatest of all time in different weight divisions though. Anderson has shown he can easily compete with guys at 205lbs, and he doesn't look out of place there at all. He stood toe to toe with guys like Stephan Bonnar & Forrest Griffin, and at 6'2 and with long limbs he was able to compete without any problem.

 

St-Pierre is 5'10 and is even small by welterweight standards these days.Look at the size of him! He's got huge legs and a heavily-muscled torso already. How the fuck is he going to put on the weight needed to compete with a guy who can walk into the cage 35lbs heavier, four inches taller and with a longer reach and the skills needed to use that length and reach to devastating effect?

 

St-Pierre gets absolutely fucking dominated by Silva. He'd get picked apart on the feet due to Silva's length and reach, and I don't see him having the size (plus he'll be losing speed the heavier he gets) to apply his wrestling game.

 

I'd be calling that fight as a stoppage within three frames, and that's me being optimistic! An absolute whitewash of mental proportions.

 

I know it isn't a case of "either or" when it comes to these bouts, but I'm simply saying that Jones vs Silva is more competitive. St-Pierre is a small welterweight who can compete at 170lbs due to his outstanding ability. I'd maybe even give him the nod if he was fighting a small 185lbs middle-ranked fighter (such as that weight class equivalent of James Irvin), but he wouldn't be. He'd be taking a big leap in weight, and fighting a guy considered the greatest of all time who has destroyed guys at 205lbs.

 

A very one-sided fight.

[KingOfMetal]

I can't believe theres actually a chance of GSP fighting twice within 6 months, been along time since he managed that. I know its not his fault, but he seemed to get injured alot

[The Natural]

Won't be surprised to find out I hope GSP does a number on Nick Diaz and I think he will. GSP by decision. Really don't like Nick Diaz.

 

Unsure on my prediction for Condit vs. Hendricks yet except I want Hendricks to win. Hendricks should be the one in the main event fighting GSP for the UFC Welterweight Championship.

[wandshogun09]

Hendricks should be the one in the main event fighting GSP

 

I don't disagree but it's not enough reason for me to root for him on the basis of that alone.

 

For example, say hypothetically, Frank Mir submitted Cormier and Reem in a combined 58 seconds in his next 2 fights. He'd deserve a title shot. Say Dana decided against that and booked Cain vs JDS 3 and Mir fought, I dunno, Hunt in the co-main. I couldn't root for Mir (who I loathe) over Hunt (who I love) just because Mir got a raw deal from Dana.

 

I sympathise with the man's frustration. I still hope Condit knees his beard into the 43rd row

 

Dana quote on the superfight situation;

 

GSP is going to defend his title against Nick Diaz, Anderson Silva will defend his title this summer, and before the end of this year, we will see a super fight with either GSP and Anderson Silva, or Anderson Silva and Jon Jones. One of them is coming.

[Egg Shen]

Dave i don't wanna beat a dead horse, but i like the way you think a fight between a small GSP and a much bigger Anderson Silva is ludicrous, but a similar situation in the female divsion is perfectly logical.

 

Anyways...

 

Sleeper on the this card is Makdessi/Cruickshank on the undercard, if those two crazy fuckers bust out the tricks it could be one of the wildest 'movie' style fights we'll ever see, can't wait for that one.

 

Gonna be a great show.