Nick Diaz No-Shows UFC 137 Presser, GSP Now to Face Carlos Condit

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September 7 2011 Last updated at 04:40 PM ET

Nick Diaz No-Shows UFC 137 Presser, GSP Now to Face Carlos Condit

By Mike Chiappetta
MMA Writer

In a stunning development, Nick Diaz has effectively gone missing in action from the UFC, forcing company president Dana White to remove him from a UFC 137 welterweight championship match with Georges St-Pierre.

Diaz will be replaced by Carlos Condit, who was already scheduled to fight on the same night.

Diaz had been scheduled for press conferences Tuesday in Toronto and Wednesday in Las Vegas. White said that Diaz missed a series of flights for his Canada trip, and hasn't been heard from him since Monday night after the company tried to re-book him multiple times.

"I'd had my reservations about Nick Diaz for a long time," White said during a press conference at the Mandalay Bay Events Center. "You've heard me use the term 'play the game.' All I asked him for was this much. When he signed, I said, 'Let me tell you what kid, add up all the purses of you career, this will be biggest fight of your life.' You have the opportunity to fight GSP and win the welterweight title. But I need you to do certain things."

Diaz has always been notoriously media averse, but White said in his history of promoting over 1,600 fights, he's never had this happen. St-Pierre, too, was in a state of shock over the situation.

"I just don't understand why someone doesn't show up to an opportunity like this," St. Pierre said. "I just can't believe it. It's amazing. It's crazy."

"He was going to make life-changing money for this fight," White added. "And maybe the thing is with Nick Diaz, maybe he did crack under the pressure. Maybe he folded under the spotlight."

The already shocking press conference turned even more bizarre midway through, when Diaz's manager Cesar Gracie called White as he was on the podium and apologized for Diaz's behavior, saying he has been unable to locate him.

At that, St-Pierre shook his hand.

"Maybe he is here and he is going to come out and say, 'This is a prank,'" St-Pierre said. "Are you trying to prank me?"

White later mentioned that Diaz had been staying with Gracie and snuck out the back door. Since then, he's essentially gone missing.

The St-Pierre vs. Diaz fight was essentially a title unification, with Diaz recently re-signing to the UFC as the reigning Strikeforce champion. Diaz had won 10 straight fights leading up to the GSP matchup, but St-Pierre said he believes Condit is a more dangerous opponent.

"I do believe Carlos Condit is more dangerous than Nick Diaz," he said. "If they fought, I would put my money on Carlos Condit, so for me it's a bigger challenge."

Condit and St-Pierre were both stablemates at Team Greg Jackson, but St-Pierre said he had no issues with facing Condit.

White said that when he called Condit and offered him the title fight, Condit broke down crying in appreciation of the opportunity. White added that Condit immediately got on a plane to head to Las Vegas and meet with the press.

Diaz is 27-5 overall with four straight wins and victories in 12 of his last 13 bouts. St-Pierre (22-2) has held the UFC championship since recapturing the belt in August 2007, winning nine straight fights.

White said the change comes as a "pretty big financial blow" to the UFC, saying the promotion spent over $15,000 just in flights over the last two days. He also said completed advertising would have to be changed, and that tickets went on sale today for the October 29 event. Fans who purchased tickets expecting to see St-Pierre vs. Diaz will have the opportunity to receive a refund, though White said he wasn't expecting many to make those requests.

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I was hoping to see GSP whip Diaz too....

I'm bummed. This was a fight I wanted to see. Diaz had a fantastic opportunity and a great possibility to win. Smart decision for the company, bad decision for Nick. He's going to have to earn it now.

Regards,

B

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Originally Posted by Simple Man

I'm bummed. This was a fight I wanted to see. Diaz had a fantastic opportunity and a great possibility to win. Smart decision for the company, bad decision for Nick. He's going to have to earn it now.

Regards,

B

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Nick Diaz is an awesome fighter!!! I just don't care for him or his brother personally. I was really looking forward to that fight myself and I think it would have been a REALLY good one. I can't wait to hear what his excuse is!! Hope it's a good one!!

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September 8 2011 Last updated at 09:28 AM ET

For Nick Diaz, Most Recent Head-Scratching Lost Opportunity May Be His Last

By Mike Chiappetta
MMA Writer

What is more surprising: that Nick Diaz blew off two straight promotional obligations and expected to stay in his championship match, or that many of his supporters believe he was somehow wronged by being removed from the opportunity of a lifetime?

I'm not here to pile on Diaz. He has already earned himself quite a penalty by losing out on a huge payday as well as a chance to win the UFC welterweight championship from Georges St-Pierre. Both are things he said he wanted, but neither was enough to get him to step on a plane. I am here to add a little sanity to a bizarre situation.

While no one questions his fighting heart and gameness, he has never answered the questions of maturity, a problem intermittently reflected in his behavior over the years, which at various times has included missed promotional obligations, a hospital fight, a positive drug test, an in-ring brawl, and no-showing a mandatory drug test that cost him a title match.

Yes, believe it or not, this is the second major title fight that he's lost out on because he simply didn't show up.

The behavior of Diaz in missing press conferences in back-to-back days comes as no big surprise. Anyone in the media who has tried to interview Diaz in the past knows he is notoriously press averse. Most fans know that. His bosses definitely know that.

Yet a few months ago, when Diaz openly campaigned for bigger paydays and more major opportunities, UFC president Dana White had only one request: play the game. Work with me.

It seemed simple enough, but in the back of White's mind, he was never quite sure if Diaz was truly going to follow through with the promise.

It's easy to wonder what would cause someone in line for the biggest payday of his life to throw it away for no good reason. Maybe this is exactly what we wants. He's said in the past he doesn't love fighting. In fact, he hates it. Why else would he miss not one but three flights? Why else would he offer no explanation to his bosses, simply going AWOL? There's a basic disrespect underpinning that type of response. Even if he has legitimate issues that need to be addressed, you owe your bosses an explanation for absence.

It's telling that Diaz's longtime trainer and manager Cesar Gracie explained that Diaz suffers from social anxiety disorder, but that he still couldn't excuse his behavior.

That's because Diaz is 28 years old. He's a grown man, and has had the time, resources and support system to address his problems. It's not as if he never attended a press conference before. Sure, each time he did it begrudgingly, but at least he was there. Woody Allen once famously said that "80 percent of success is just showing up." Remarkably, the easiest part is sometimes the most difficult.

Many Diaz apologists have already protested the opponent switch; he's out, and Carlos Condit is in. But the UFC has a billion-dollar business to run, and they can't risk Diaz not showing up when it truly matters.

On a video released on Youtube on Wednesday night, Diaz never explained his absence, but says "I've never not showed up to a fight."

That's simply not true. In August 2009, Diaz no-showed a pre-fight drug test in the days leading up to his Strikeforce title fight with Jay Hieron. The fight was set, the title hung in the balance, and Diaz was nowhere to be found.

Does that scenario sound familiar?

That was exactly what White feared about Diaz in the past. Even when the UFC and Strikeforce were separate entities, White never spoke badly about Diaz, explaining that he simply wouldn't play by the rules.

But during his current streak of 10 straight wins, Diaz became too good to ignore. As a fighter, there is much to like about him. He is tenacious, aggressive, talented and full of heart. He has great fight instincts, and a finisher's mentality. He competes with a chip on his shoulder. There is always something to prove for him. It was that kind of drive that led to him to repeatedly ask for the opportunity that he was eventually granted.

White gambled. He believed Diaz. He took the chance that maybe he'd grown up.

When a fighter elevates himself towards the top, there are certain conditions that come with it. Many fighters don't enjoy doing the media rounds, but it is a necessary evil. He always talks about wanting to make Georges St-Pierre money, or Floyd Mayweather money, but ignores the fact that both of those stars are out in front of the camera, selling the fight up until showtime. It may not be fun, but it's how you get paid.

Diaz will somehow rebound from this. He's still young, he's still good, and he's still in demand. In the long run, the experience may even come to help him. In the best-case scenario, he will learn from his mistakes and mature. In the worst-case scenario, it will pull his fans in closer. There will always be a certain counterculture vibe to MMA, and he might as well be its patron saint. Too good to lose, and too wild to be corralled.

Nothing lasts forever though, and unless something changes, Diaz is likely to be remembered as a hell of a fighter, and a terrible businessman.

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huh.

*shrugs*

GSP/Condit won't be as interesting on paper, or in any kind of drama, but has the potential to be the best GSP fight we've seen in a while.

I think the Condit is the right fight but I think I'd be lying to myself if I see this ending any other way than Condit getting owned. Way too much of a gap in skill.

Regards,

B

GSP fights too safe. Ever since Serra knocked him senseless. GSP does not take risks anymore.

That being said, I don't think GSP will lose at 170 lbs.

He'll eventually move up to fight Anderson and he'll get knocked out in the first round.

Much rather have seen Diaz then Conduit, but Conduit deserves the shot.

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Originally Posted by Tzeentch

GSP fights too safe. Ever since Serra knocked him senseless. GSP does not take risks anymore.

That being said, I don't think GSP will lose at 170 lbs.

He'll eventually move up to fight Anderson and he'll get knocked out in the first round.

Much rather have seen Diaz then Conduit, but Conduit deserves the shot.

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GSP has already shown he isn't interested in the fight with Anderson (and for good reason). What you might see happen IF Anderson doesn't retire is his move to Light HW. At that point I think we will see GSP move up to MW. That might happen either way IF Anderson retires or moves up. Silva vs Jones is more realistic IF Anderson decides to give it a run for the LHW title. That's all I see keeping him interested in the fight game at this point besides a rematch at MW with Chaal, IF Anderson decides to give him one. I love talking fights!

Thanks for hosting the forum Boanerges!

Regards,

B

Anderson has already lost his interest in MMA.. his only interest in keeping his record clean until his contract is up.

I would have rather of seen GSP vs Diaz then Conduit personally. It's kind of sad the only thing Diaz really said about being cut from the fight is I guess someone doesn't want to see me win? Really :confused: That someone must have been himself because he knew to play by Dana's rules and chosse not to!! All he had to do was show up to the stupid press conference!! It's not like he was asked do do something unreasonable!!! I don't think Diaz is scared to fight but maybe he was scared to lose? By doing this he was dropped from the fight and he can blame it on everyone but himself and there is still the unkown as who will win and Diaz can keep saying he would without having to actually prove it...

In my opinion, I think Nick Diaz should be fired overall. In the real world if you just don't show up to work without letting anyone know, you lose your job, so I think the same should happen here. He probably just knew he was going to get his ass whooped anyways. Excuse or no excuse, I think in a professional position, the excuse should have been presented well before the no show. As far as Silva, he won't bother moving up to light heavyweight because every fighter in that class is too scared to fight him.(the entire LHW class is full of a bunch of panzies in my opinion.) And because Silva is already a huge dude in his own class, GSP will have a HUGE size disadvantage if he ever fought Silva. I highly doubt either will ever happen.