Penn-Diaz On for UFC 137 in Las Vegas

[Simple Man]

http://www.sherdog.com/news/news/Pen...as-Vegas-35424

UFC President Dana White today confirmed a rumored bout between Nick Diaz and B.J. Penn at UFC 137.

“This is crazy, but here we go again,” White posted Thursday on Twitter. “You wanted it, so you got it. Penn versus Diaz, Oct. 29 in Vegas.”

The reigning Strikeforce welterweight champion, Diaz had originally been slated to face Georges St. Pierre for the UFC title in the event's headliner. However, after allegedly missing two press conferences in as many days, Diaz was pulled from the bout by the UFC boss.

Instead of Diaz, Penn's original opponent, former WEC champion Carlos Condit, will now face the champion. With both Penn and Diaz left without an opponent, a potential bout between the two immediately drew attention from both media and fans alike.

UFC 137 will emanate from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Marquee welterweight matchups aside, the event will also feature a pair of pivotal heavyweight tilts, as Mirko Filipovic meets Roy Nelson and Cheick Kongo scraps with Matt Mitrione.

A former two-division UFC champion, Penn returned to welterweight in 2010 following a pair of losses to UFC lightweight king Frankie Edgar. The Hawaiian's reemergence at 170 pounds began fortuitously, as he knocked out old rival Matt Hughes in just 21 seconds at UFC 123. Most recently, Penn fought the highly-regarded Jon Fitch to a majority draw at UFC 127 this past February.

Diaz has not lost since 2007. The Cesar Gracie Jiu-Jitsu product captured the inaugural Strikeforce welterweight title in January of 2010, defending his belt thrice successfully before signing with the UFC earlier this year. Diaz's last in-cage appearance came against Paul Daley in April, as Diaz survived an early scare from the heavy-handed Brit to knock Daley out with only three seconds to go in the first round.

[Boanerges]

Diaz is going to win that one if he actually decides to show up...

[snakecharmer3638]

I wouldn't put all my money on Diaz..... This is the kind of fight that usually brings out the best in Penn. Either way it should be a good fight.

[mainbutter]

This is going to be crazy interesting! Thanks for sharing

[Simple Man]

I'm just happy we get to see Diaz fight And against Penn? Awesome.

Regards,

B

[mainbutter]

I guess my question to all the "diaz is invincible" club is: if he loses to Penn, what does that mean for his career? I think it's obvious that GSP is a tougher opponent. Would that mean that he can't bang with the top tier of the UFC?

[PweEzy]

Dang dude, so what was Diaz's excuse for disappearing? Did they say yet? To be honest, I hope BJ kicks his tail, just because of how this has all gone down. Maybe I'm just a hater but I really get sick of seeing chicken s**t people in professional fighting.

[lance]

Diaz is never allowed to fight in UFC after he lied to Dana, Dana fired him for breaking his obligation to do a news conference.

[chessfighter]

Diaz was not fired.
I think it was very premature for Zuffa to pull him from the original fight. They should have fined him a percentage of his pay. There was no bigger draw aside from Anderson Silva fighting GSP. And when has Diaz never shown up for a fight? From what I can tell he's always had some type social anxiety and has done this in the past. Regardless if he shows up to a press conference or not will have no bearing on if I'll watch the fight. Penn VS Diaz is just as fascinating, but who really care about Condit VS GSP?

[Boanerges]

Diaz was not fired.
I think it was very premature for Zuffa to pull him from the original fight. They should have fined him a percentage of his pay. There was no bigger draw aside from Anderson Silva fighting GSP. And when has Diaz never shown up for a fight? From what I can tell he's always had some type social anxiety and has done this in the past. Regardless if he shows up to a press conference or not will have no bearing on if I'll watch the fight. Penn VS Diaz is just as fascinating, but who really care about Condit VS GSP?

Scott Coker: Nick Diaz vs. Jay Hieron Strikeforce title fight could happen by year's end

by Dann Stupp on Aug 16, 2009 at 12:20 pm ET

Although skipping a mandatory drug test cost the fighter a welterweight title shot and a spot on this past Saturday's "Strikeforce: Carano vs. Cyborg" card, Nick Diaz could still get a shot at the belt by year's end.

That's according to Strikeforce CEO and co-founder Scott Coker, who discussed the Diaz situation following Saturday's Showtime-broadcast event.

If and when licensed by the California State Athletic Commission, Diaz (20-7) is expected to fight for the title against his originally scheduled opponent, Jay Hieron (18-4).

Just a week before Hieron, who said he recently signed his deal with Strikeforce (and turned down an offer from the UFC) largely because of the promised title fight, was set to meet Diaz, who skipped a mandatory drug test and was knocked off the card. Hieron went from a fighting for the title on the televised main card to a meeting with Jesse Taylor, who took the fight on just a week's notice, on the un-aired preliminary card.

The move cost Hieron sponsor money and valuable exposure.

"It was stressful," Hieron said after his unanimous-decision win over Taylor. "I was lying to myself saying it's doesn't bother me.

"Of course, that was a deciding factor for me to go with Strikeforce – for Nick Diaz and the title fight. But that didn't happen."

But it could.

According to Coker, Diaz and his manager, Cesar Gracie, are already planning to meet with the California State Athletic Commission to resolve the situation.

"We had a conversation with Cesar Gracie about the Nick Diaz situation, so I feel very comfortable Nick will be back shortly," Coker said. "I think he's going to meet with the athletic commission, get that all worked out, and hopefully we'll see Nick back here before the end of the year."

Will Diaz be punished by the organization and lose his shot at the belt? Or is the Diaz vs. Hieron title fight still the plan?

"Jay Hieron came here to fight Nick Diaz, so we will put that fight together," Coker said.

While Coker never criticized the fighter and was quick to remind reporters that Diaz is trying to rectify the situation, the fight executive did have to remind Diaz just how costly his decision was and how future lapses in judgment could affect the organization.

"Basically, I expressed my concerns and our feelings, and the feelings of Showtime, saying, 'Look, when we're promoting a main event, you have certain responsibilities to do your part because we're going to do out part," he said. "He's going to sit down with (CSAC executive) Bill Douglas and the commissioner and work something out. ... Once he's licensed and cleared – he's not even under suspension; he just never showed up for his licensing. He's not licensed yet. When he's licensed, we'll plan to fight him after his license (is given).

"[Diaz] apologized. He said, 'I'm really sorry.' He's actually a good kid."

Hieron, a former UFC, IFL and Affliction fighter, has now won six consecutive fights and eight of his past nine to garner worldwide top-10 consideration in his weight class. Diaz, a former lightweight who's hopped around the weight classes and even took a catch-weight fight with middleweight Frank Shamrock earlier this year, owns a five-fight win streak and is 9-1 since May 2006.

"I think that's a great, exciting fight," Hieron said of Diaz. "That's the fight I want. I know the fans probably want to see it, so hopefully they make that happen."

He has done this before and lost out on a title fight. Who knows if he would have actually showed up since he was dropped I would have dropped him too. To much money at risk to chance if he shows up or not. Best to just get the guy who is doing all his contracted obligations a new opponent even if the other fight was a bigger money maker. If the big money maker is a no show you will lose out GREATLY. Best not to chance that IMO especially with someone who has a history of just going MIA...