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Dana: "Diaz is next for GSP, if the challenger will accept"

9K views 112 replies 57 participants last post by  SideWays222 
#1 ·
Nick Diaz may still be on suspension, but when he returns in early 2013, he'll return to an instant title shot according to UFC President Dana White.

"Georges St-Pierre went on vacation, but when he came back we were talking about Anderson Silva," White said. "He said, ‘I want Nick Diaz. Me and Nick Diaz have unfinished business. We were supposed to fight. That's the fight that I want.'

"So, Georges St-Pierre has been a phenomenal champion, just a great guy to deal with for us. He doesn't ask for things. So if he wants to fight Nick Diaz, and Nick Diaz wants to fight him, then that's probably the fight we'll make."

Much of the recent talk around St-Pierre has revolved around a potential superfight against UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva. A title defense against Diaz obviously ends that discussion for the time being, however White is sure both sides will revisit it if St-Pierre emerges victorious.

"Georges has been off for a year," White explained. "(Silva is) a tough fight for him to come back to. He asked personally for the (Diaz) fight."

White would not pinpoint a date or venue for the bout -- in fact, he said he had yet to even talk to Diaz -- however the idea of holding the event at Toronto's Rogers' Centre was intriguing to him.

As for the forgotten man in this situation, Johny Hendricks, White says the bearded contender won't be allowed to wait on the sideline and will likely fight once more before receiving a title shot.

"Listen, Johny Hendricks has had great fights," White said. "You talk about winning in spectacular fashion, this guy hits people so hard they skid across the Octagon. (But) he's no position to demand anything. Georges St-Pierre is the champ, he has been forever. If that's the fight he wants, then that's probably the fight we'll give him if Diaz accepts it."
Source: MMAFighting.com
 
#91 ·
And the UFC will now feature championship fights in three....THREE.... weight classes, where the challenger lost his last fight.

Simply nothing to say except LOL and put another card on the list of not to buy. Also if Dana thinks this is a winning strategy, better look at the numbers. 2011 PPV revenue was way down for the UFC from 2010, and 2012 will be way down from 2011, so, thats it Dana, keep up this strategy that is running the UFC into the ground.
 
#92 ·
2011 PPV revenue was way down for the UFC from 2010, and 2012 will be way down from 2011, so, thats it Dana, keep up this strategy that is running the UFC into the ground.
There were no undeserved title shots in 2011-2012, to bring up the numbers Sonnen and Diaz....two big money makers are being gifted the title shots, its not exactly a new thing for the UFC...but they haven't been doing it lately.
 
#96 ·
Agreed. It's fairly ridiculous to think that Hendricks vs. St. Pierre would do better numbers than Diaz vs. St. Pierre. Besides, if numbers have dropped for any reason, it's escalating PPV prices coupled with people generally having less money to spend. But I get that people need a scapegoat, so Dana may as well be it.
 
#98 ·
My point is that people blame Dana for everything. Chael vs. Jones. Declining numbers. The works. I never hear a word against the Fertitas. Or Joe Silva. Are people honestly so blind that they believe Dana runs the entire operation himself? There are a myriad of people involved. If the Fertitas or Joe Silva (and others) hated this fight, I doubt it would be happening.

People complain when there aren't enough 'big' main events or name brand fighters on a card. And so the UFC goes out of its way to give the fans just that, and all of a sudden Dana is driving the company into the ground. It's nonsense.
 
#101 ·
He's not to blame for the declining ratings, but these matches are his doing, it comes off as if he's rewarded Chael for taking a fight when Dan Henderson couldn't, not because he didn't want to but because he was hurt, and then he's the guy who threw Jones under the bus when the card that he and his team made fell apart because it was only based on one fight, I didn't hear Lorenzo or Joe Silva get on a conference call and blame Jones and Jackson for that.

As for that last part about the fans wanting big fights, it's like I've said Hendricks has sold this fight with his fighting, that's what matters in the end isn't it? If a guy talks shit but he's a painfully boring fighter are people really gonna watch him? Of course this doesn't apply to Nick, I dislike him but I don't find him boring, but this fight is basically built off trash talk. I'm sure if you took a poll on what people thought the outcome would be of GSP/Diaz and GSP/Hendricks both fights would be massively in favor of GSP, the only thing that's different in these fights would be build up, we'll see Nick say something like "He's a bitch, and I'm gonna knock his ***** ass out" where as Hendricks "I believe I can knock him out, and that's what I'm gonna do"

Nick Diaz didn't earn this shot, he talked his way into it, but I'll sit back watch the fight and then when Nick gets beat after five rounds he'll throw a hissy fit, act like a spoiled child who didn't get his way and he'll probably quit, again, just like he did against Condit.
 
#100 ·
The last two times we saw Hendricks tested against actual wrestlers, he won an uninspired split decision in one fight and lost the other. He should thank Nick Diaz. This is going to make Hendricks as popular as he's ever been amongst the 'purist' internet fanboys and keep alive his ridiculous notion that he can actually hang with GSP.
 
#104 ·
If the fight sells, it won't be because of Hendricks. GSP could square off against a broom and still pull the best numbers in the company. I feel for Hendricks. It's a raw deal. But suck it up and fight on. Plenty of us experience letdowns and setbacks each and everyday, but we don't cry to the masses or threaten to sit on the sidelines until we get our way. I see his point, and truthfully, he is the rightful contender. But the public tantrum and pleading is unnecessary. This isn't a case of Dan Henderson, where his days are legitimately numbered. Hendricks is a young man. If he's the chosen one, his time will come.

JDS practically had to walk through a dozen men to get his title shot, and when that dream was held up, he didn't whine and complain. He took another fight, won, and look at where he is now. Hendricks needs to see the bigger picture.
 
#106 ·
JDS didn't get passed up for a guy coming off a loss though, he made his way through the rankings but there two guys that were also undefeated in the UFC ahead of him in Carwin and Cain and those guys earned their title shots before Junior.

I get what you're saying but it still makes the UFC look bad, like I've said, politics ruined Boxing, they can ruin MMA, these fights are solely being made for money but I don't know if people are gonna be up for Edgar, Sonnen(especially Sonnen) and Diaz all getting title shots coming off losses, it may backfire on them, I expect it to for Jones/Sonnen.

good posting

:thumbsup:
It's gonna be so funny reading your reaction to Georges retiring your boy.
 
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