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Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) made its return to national television this past weekend (May 5, 2012) with UFC on Fox 3, featuring a Lightweight title fight between the surging Nate Diaz and the always tough Jim Miller and a co-main even battle between Welterweights Josh Koscheck and Johny Hendricks. The televised portion of the card was kicked off in style by a Heavyweight scrap between knockout artist Lavar Johnson and Pat Barry that showed once again the reason Johnson is a force to be reckoned with, knocking out "HD" in the very first round. In what UFC President Dana White called a "perfect night," "Kos" and "Big Rigg" also entertained the crowd in a back-and forth affair, while Alan Belcher proved his dominance over Rousimar Palhares in a middleweight tilt. Sounds like a successful night, right? Unfortunately, UFC on FOX 3 didn't do too well in the ratings. In fact, they were the lowest of all three Fox events. Despite the dip in viewers, UFC CEO Lorenzo Fertitta is not worried one bit. Speaking to Yahoo! Sports, Fertitta talks about the decrease in viewers for UFC on Fox 3, and also says that a bright note was that Nate Diaz showed that he can be a future pay-per-view (PPV) star. Check it out: "Would we like to see the numbers be trending differently? Yes, of course, but we're not concerned and we don't think it's an overall reflection of our business. There are reasons for it. If you think about it, for the first [Fox] fight we had a massive amount of promotion within the NFL on Fox. And we led with our big show, the heavyweight championship, so of course, we were going to draw a much broader range of viewers. The fight in January in Chicago actually performed pretty well, even though it was a little below the first one. It was still super solid. This last show, I'd say it was a moderate performance. Really, what we're looking at is, 'How did we rank within the competition compared to what was going on that night?' And in hindsight, going on Cinco de Mayo may not have been the best thing to do." Low numbers aside, the UFC did do well in the 18-49 demographic in its time slot (via Yahoo! Sports): Despite the competition, the UFC ranked first in the 18-49 demographic in its time slot. (The Mayweather fight didn't count, because pay-per-view shows aren't tracked by Nielsen.) The UFC had 1.471 million 18-49 viewers Saturday. Even that, though, was significantly less than in the first two Fox cards. On Nov. 12, the UFC drew 3.776 million 18-49-year-olds and on Jan. 28 it was 3.072. The live viewing of the April 28 boxing match between Bernard Hopkins and Chad Dawson on HBO attracted 1.57 million total viewers and 919,000 in the 18-49 demographic, despite being in 80 million fewer homes than UFC on Fox 3. Fertitta also believes the fact that the event was also competing with the record setting box office blockbuster movie "The Avengers," didn't help their cause. On a bright note, Lorenzo is confident that the UFC has found a new star to promote in the form of Nate Diaz: "If The Avengers did [a box office of] over $200 million for the weekend, unfortunately for us, there were a great number of our potential viewers sitting in a movie theater somewhere. Or, they were out that night celebrating Cinco de Mayo. Listen, I'm not trying to make excuses. Hats off to HBO and Bernard Hopkins. That's a great job and a great number they pulled. But when you say, 'Are we concerned,' I'd say no. We're excited. We had a situation where 2.5 million people, which I would say is still a substantial number, got to see what I would say was a tremendous product. All four fights were great fights and in the main event, Nate Diaz showed he's potentially a breakout star who down the road could move the needle for us on pay-per-view. The playbook is playing out for us exactly the way we wanted it to. Before I was involved in the pay-per-view business and understood the ins and outs, I was always scared to death to change the channel. We will work on this and look at it, but we're not unhappy. We got a tremendous amount of exposure for a kid like Nate Diaz. We're going to build him the way we built Jon Jones. Two years ago, nobody knew who Jon Jones was, and now, a couple of weeks ago, we did a very good [PPV] number for his fight that I think really crossed over and where the non hard-core fans were talking about it." With UFC on Fox 4 slated to go down in August, which features a Middleweight scrap between Brian Stann and recently acquired Hector Lombard and a Light Heavyweight bout between Lyoto Machida and Ryan Bader, the UFC will hope that the decline in viewership doesn't continue. Or will it? "All-American" has a great story to tell as a United States military veteran, but will it be enough to move the needle on national television? And can Nate Diaz really be a future pay-per-view (PPV) draw for the promotion? Opinions, please.

Posted in: ufc, diaz, fox, nate, nate diaz

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Frankie Edgar had some positive words for Nate Diaz following his decisive victory over Jim Miller at UFC on Fox 3 in New Jersey, going as far as to call Diaz "kind of a teammate." Edgar did not expect Miller to be finished, as it had never happened in a UFC Octagon until Saturday night. Edgar may find himself facing Nate Diaz soon should he regain the Lightweight championship in his rematch with Ben Henderson. While Edgar states that he believes the fight would take place in September, it has been

Posted in: ufc, diaz, nate, nate diaz, edgar

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Tempo. Pace. Rhythm. Momentum. These are fairly impalpable aspects of hand-to-hand combat that can be challenging to identify or describe, yet they can have drastic repercussions on a fight's outcome. In the unified rules of MMA, the main thrust of the Control category was to acknowledge a wrestler who controlled his opponent through takedowns and positional advantage. As with most elements of grappling, it's much easier to identify the tangibility of a fighter securing or defending a takedown, having his guard passed or his back taken. Also, because these actions are less subjective to interpret and much more black and white, grappling statistics will generally be more accurate -- and therefore more valuable -- than striking statistics. However, there are certain characteristics of control that aren't so plain and obvious. Most are reflected in the free-movement or striking phase of combat, but the grappling department is not entirely devoid of these contentious issues -- such as the oft-debated scenarios of a bottom-fighter threatening with sweeps or submission attempts and dictating the momentum with an active guard. This interplay, like analyzing who's directing the ebb and flow of a striking match, is trickier to assess from the standpoint of control. The beloved term "Lay-N-Pray" was coined for a wrestler who invoked positional and/or locational control with the noticeable absence of activity or offense. Anderson Silva's most unappreciated performances were actualized under the same credentials but, instead, the middleweight champion dominated the location of the fight by forcing Patrick Cote, Thales Leites and Demian Maia to stand up with him. In the clinch phase, two examples of encounters that were heavy on control but light on offense are Randy Couture vs. Brandon Vera and Aaron Simpson vs. Brad Tavares. With the displeasing and unclear facets of control behind us, let's look at the most recent sample of exciting and attributable advantages of control in a stand-up affair. Nate Diaz demonstrated his uncanny ability, which is fully shared by big brother Nick Diaz, to dominate the tempo of a stand-up battle against Jim Miller in the main event of last weekend's UFC on Fox 3 show. In every match up featuring one of the Diaz brothers, the most important single factor is whether they'll be able to dictate the momentum, pace and location of the fight -- because whenever they can, they win. Continued in the full entry. SBN coverage of UFC on Fox 3 In the first round of Nate Diaz vs. Jim Miller, it was clear which instruments Miller wanted to employ in order to orchestrate the rhythm: leg kicks, takedowns and a stifling clinch game. In the first half-minute of their lightweight clash, Miller cracked off two crisp leg kicks and locked horns in the clinch and snatched a body lock while pursuing a high-crotch takedown. Diaz ate both low kicks but defended the clinch assault well by digging an underhook on one side and grabbing tight wrist control on the other. This allowed him to peel away from Miller's grasp, circle off the fence and drift back into the cage's open space; effectively negating Miller's preferred realm of combat to duel in his own. The entire first half of the opening stanza saw another successful clinch tie-up and pair of Miller leg kicks. While this was far from momentous, Miller did succeed in controlling the momentum by applying these techniques effectively. The subtle changes in the fight's flow came about in the latter half of the first round. What makes the Diaz brothers so special from the perspective of tempo is that most fighters are content to read their foe's rhythm and capitalize on whatever opportunities they're given. Nick and Nate accomplish more than that: they excel at both thoroughly disrupting their opponent's tempo and imposing the relentless, high-volume boxing onslaught that's become their distinctive trademark. Nate started to steal the momentum with a wide right hook and blistering straight left combination, then another, then a series of straight, snapping jabs. Again, the results weren't a significant about-face but Miller, who'd kept a tight range while pressing forward, was steered backwards and forced to completely disengage and reset. The key is that the location where they re-engaged is where Nate Diaz is at his deadliest, and every time he steered Miller back to the outer fringe of striking range, he had the opportunity to disrupt Miller's flow and enforce his own. A personal victory was achieved when Nate moved forward to initiate the clinch with Miller. That zone was assumed to favor Miller, as it was close enough to jam Nate's lengthy pawing and one step closer to taking him down. Nate made a definitive statement by fearlessly engaging Miller in the clinch and, because he was able to mount offense and cause Miller to back pedal, he effectively took one of Miller's perceived advantages out of the equation. Sensing this, Miller tried to aggressively clinch up again to re-establish the momentum, but Diaz applied his leverage well with a wide base and technical defense (underhooks, whizzer and countering with a kimura attempt). Diaz circled off and pressed Miller on the cage wall and started landing his signature assortment of tight punches -- both upstairs and down -- and cleaving knees. In the final minute, the dynamics had changed and Diaz was now walking Miller down, showing signs of that confident swagger and stinging freely with sharp combinations, one of which dropped Miller. The second round was a classic display of Nate Diaz when he knows he's orchestrating the music. He had a strong read on Miller's timing, what selection of strikes and angles he was typically attacking with and, having cemented that the clinch was not a danger-zone, Diaz absolutely owned the striking range. He began to slip, dodge and side-step Miller's advances while finding the mark with his brilliant counter-boxing. The Diaz brother's mastery of tempo goes beyond controlling the pace. One reason their frenetic boxing is so tough to decipher is the way they play around with the tempo (and angles) of their strikes. This has been deemed as the pitter-patter shatter because the steady stream of half-power punches will be unexpectedly complemented with a huge power shot; usually a scorching uppercut or hook to the body at close range or the right hook and left straight combination from outside. The brethren are also heralded for having a silky smooth guard game and being impossible to hold down, much of which can be attributed to their knack for disrupting their opponent's flow and imposing their own. There are two ways to win in MMA: striking and/or grappling. The more subtle means that mixed martial artists use to succeed with striking and/or grappling can be fascinating, and the Diaz brother's unparalleled mastership of dominating the fight's tempo is one.

Posted in: diaz, miller, nate, control, tempo

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"You're playing and you think everything is going fine. Then one thing goes wrong. And then another. And another. You try to fight back, but the harder you fight, the deeper you sink. Until you can't move... you can't breathe... because you're in over your head. Like quicksand." - Shane Falco, The Replacements The thrilling performances we saw at UFC on Fox 3 on Saturday night were some of the best we have had yet in MMA this year and they were followed up by a very good match between Floyd Mayweather and Miguel Cotto too. Nate Diaz turned in a star-making performance. Lavar Johnson, Louis Gaudinot and Roland Delorme had amazing comebacks for their wins. Alan Belcher metaphorically went into the lair of the beast and slew it there and then to shock us all. However, most of these MMA fireworks were launched by the other fighter doing something incredibly dumb. This should not dim the acclaim or temper the enthusiasm, as that is the nature of the sport, but looking at a list of the things that went wrong should tell you that the Izod Center on Saturday night featured an unusual amount of brain-farts. None of these fighters we saw that night are anything less than intelligent, highly trained combat sports athletes who have dedicated a considerable portion of their lives to this sport. However, that does not immunize them from making mistakes and mistakes in the highest levels of any sport will see your spirit broken and a big fat L on your record. A number of fighters from that card would likely and actually did tell us that they went away from the gameplan or somehow did several things they shouldn't have all at once for inexplicable reasons. Much like the immortal quote delivered to us above by Keanu Reeves, one thing after another went wrong in an uncontrollable slide and the victors seized upon their chances to shove their struggling opponents beneath the allegorical quicksand and get the finish. The man in the above photo, John Lineker, never got the chance to slowly fumble away victory. He leaned his head out a bit too far in the second round that he was winning and Louis Gaudinot put him to sleep. Lineker charged forwards into the trap - unawares until it was too late. For others on the card, their demises were slower and more cruel in their arrivals. After the jump, more detailed talk about the mistakes that allowed the brilliant performances and comebacks of the UFC on Fox 3 card. The card started off oddly with Mike Massenzio, a champion folkstyle wrestler and Brazilian jiu jitsu black belt, tapping to a no-hooks-in rear naked choke to Karlos Vemola - not someone renowned for his submission grappling skills. Massenzio won the first round readily, but in the second failed to sprawl hard enough to deny Vemola a takedown. Massenzio compounded his error by allowing Vemola swift passage to a hookless back control. Two mistakes landed him in a position so bad he had to tap out. Hooks aren't necessary for rear naked chokes to work, but it remains unusual for a black belt of Massenzio's experience and abilities to be caught in such a choke. Massenzio's experience with the swiftness and instability of quicksand was a harbinger for the night. Nick Denis nearly had Roland Delorme finished. The referee Keith Peterson was thisclose to stopping the fight at one point. A decision to stand back up started the slide into quicksand. A pair of lefts sandwiched around an inside leg kick stunned Denis and a trip takedown for Delorme panicked Denis to the point where he gave up his back. Denis ended up tapping to a rear naked choke with one second left in the round. One second separated him from surviving the round he once was winning so handily. One second was too much time for him to muster enough energy flounder back to the surface of the quicksand. Roland Delorme gets the RNC on Nick Denis. Photo by Esther Lin. The night's biggest reversal belongs to Pat Barry. He started off well, but quickly made mistakes in the clinch around the first minute of the fight. Those mistakes allowed Lavar Johnson to deliver several solid knees to the exposed head of Barry and crack a mighty elbow or two as follow-up. Barry was knee deep in the quicksand here and he knew it. As befitting an experienced fighter, Barry took those strikes with a fair amount of poise and drove forwards for a takedown. This was a surprisingly smart move, as Barry may still be a white belt or a neophyte wrestler, but he is still better than Lavar Johnson in terms of their respective ground games. While on the canvas, Barry stayed persistent and achieved a dominant side control position. Barry had actually switched out of mount for the opportunities to use the short elbows/punches, submissions and the ability to drain his opponent's gas tank that side control offers. Barry even had some success with a keylock attempt that was well conceived of, but not executed with the best skill possible. That keylock was still deep and Lavar got out of that with a wish, a prayer and a great big heaping of brute strength. Barry works for crucifix control after letting go of the kimura attempt. Photo by Esther Lin. The decisive boneheaded moment came when Barry decided to allow the muscling-up Johnson to return to his feet. Barry made the same mistakes in the dirty boxing/clinch range he'd made a couple minutes prior and Johnson used that opportunity to bring Barry's head into contact with his upwardly flying knee. A solid connect with a knee to the chin off a head kick attempt by Johnson further stunned Barry and the quicksand was waist high. Johnson backs Barry against the cage with his fearsome punches. Photo by Esther Lin. Barry tried to weather the strikes once more and somehow found the space to fire off a last ditch counter. Unfortunately, poor decision making is only made worse by match fatigue and the accumulation of heavy strikes. All three combined to make Barry fire off a very badly telegraphed and easily blocked left head kick that had no business being thrown at that time and spacing. Johnson barely stopped to defend it and got right back into shoving Barry deep down into the quicksand of unintelligent defense. Rousimar Palhares is perhaps the most notorious submission grappler on this planet who has not won a world title or ADCC gold. He built his fame on his incredible ability to wrench limbs in ways they were not designed for and most knowledgeable MMA fans expected to see him do the same to Alan Belcher. What we got was perhaps the finest display of leglock defense ever put on inside the octagon and Belcher's hand raised in victory. Palhares gets a rather good leglock set-up ready to go, as Belcher defends. Photo by Esther Lin. Far be it from me to take away from Belcher's victory, but he doesn't win like that if Palhares doesn't roar like a leg-biting lion for three minutes of a fight and then sit meekly in the guard like a sacrificial lamb. A very nice single leg attempt instantly went wrong for Palhares and Belcher worked the visually pleasing wrestling guillotine/Twister. Palhares did stay calm and worked his way out to launch his own grappling-based attacks. Heel hook attempt after heel hook attempt resulted at a frantic pace and Belcher was both fortunate and incredibly well prepared in stopping each attack just before the moment of no return. Palhares was out of the quicksand and dancing on the edges as Belcher started teetering into the pit instead. And then "it" happened. Rousimar Palhares just... stopped. Palhares has had several high profile boneheaded moments and this one ended up being his most costly since the Nate Marquardt loss. After getting to an open guard position, Palhares stopped attacking. He made some attempts at wrist control, but seemed to either lose focus or experience a severe adrenaline crash. A very sloppy armbar attempt went nowhere and Rousimar did little with his feet on Belcher's hips. Belcher kept his excellent base intact and sank punches and elbows into Palhares's face until referee Dan Miragliotta stopped the fight with slightly over forty seconds to go in the first round. Palhares was out, only to inexplicably slide back under the quicksand. Jim Miller is a terrific human being and has shown his skills and mettle time and again in the cage. Unfortunately, he made several mistakes early on and never really got going, while his opponent, Nate Diaz, got better and better until his star was almost blindingly incandescent. Nate lands a knee in the clinch. Photo by Esther Lin. Nate dominated in the clinch. He won the hand fighting battle and achieved the Thai plum or head control several times to deliver some very nice knees to the head and midsection. Jim seemed like he was trying to remember his coaching and steadily work his way out of the burgeoning disaster - which is perhaps not the best thing to do when facing the onslaught of Stockton Slaps that either Diaz brother puts out. Despite a near-back take on the ground, Miller was unable to really put Nate in trouble or put him on the ground in the right positions. Nate won the striking battle too, often landing from range as Miller was caught flat-footed several times. Nate gets the rear left hand straight from the outside as Jim is a beat late defending. Photo by Esther Lin By the time Nate seized upon the guillotine, Jim was already beaten and lost to the quicksand. The submission was a thing of beauty, with Nate constantly re-adjusting to cinch it tighter and tighter, and Joe Rogan's pointing out of Miller's bloody tongue sticking out made it even more clear that this was an absolute demolition of a very highly regarded lightweight that we were watching. Nate put on a brilliant performance - but Jim also put forth a terrible one. I have zero doubts that these fighters demolish the lion's share of their training partners in the clinch, on the ground or standing. Barry might get squashed by Cole Konrad and Cro Cop in grappling matches, but he was obviously better than Johnson that night on the ground. Miller has used his angles of attack and defense far better in the past. Palhares has kept his motor going far longer before. To put it short, Jim Miller and Pat Barry absolutely can fight much better than they did that night - but they didn't. Rousimar Palhares didn't either. John Lineker, Mike Massenzio and Nick Denis, too. The quicksand of bad decisions and poorly timed actions got them all. Fortunately, none of them are actually dead or trapped at the bottom of a liquid dirt pit. They can train out the mistakes and rejuvenate their desires to climb to the top of the MMA scrapheap. Hopefully, all of them get the chance to prove their mettle once more on MMA's brightest stage. From top to bottom, UFC on Fox 3 was one of the best fight cards of the year and each fighter there on that Cinco de Mayo deserves to be in the UFC and showing us what they can do.

Posted in: belcher, nate, palhare, barry, quicksand

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Frankie Edgar has been around the sport of MMA long enough to know a solid performance when he sees one. While witnessing the recent Nate Diaz-Jim Miller main event fight at UFC on FOX 3, “The Answer” came out with plenty to say in regards to Diaz and his submission victory. Edgar, in an interview [...]

Posted in: diaz, nate, event fight, edgar, frankie

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Well it looks like Nate Diaz impressed more than just the UFC brass this past Saturday night (May 5, 2012) with his second round guillotine choke finish against Jim Miller in the main event of UFC on Fox 3. With the victory, Diaz will be earning a title shot against the winner of the Frankie Edgar vs. Benson Henderson 2, which is hopefully going down later this summer. One of those combatants, the former UFC lightweight champion, Edgar, tells Fuel TV's Ariel Helwani that he's taking his hat off for Diaz's performance on the big stage. "Nate [Diaz] is a stud, man. He's kind of a teammate so I was happy for him. Man, it was a hell of a performance, it really was... Jim [Miller] is tough as nails. I didn't know what the outcome would be, but I definitely didn't think Jim would get finished. Hats off to Nate, man. He's a stud for sure." "The Answer" also discusses the injury which is delaying his title rematch against Henderson in the full video posted after the jump:

Posted in: ufc, diaz, nate, jim, jim miller

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Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) returned to network television this past Saturday night (May 5, 2012) with UFC on FOX 3: "Diaz vs. Miller," featuring what may have been the star making turn of Nate Diaz when he submitted Jim Miller in the second round of the main event to earn a crack at the 155-pound crown. It's just too bad so few people saw it happen. Johny Hendricks failed to make the impression he was hoping for in the co-headlining match-up against Josh Koscheck, but "Big Rig" came away with a split decision victory that may have earned him a welterweight title shot. And what's there to say about Lavar Johnson and his knockout of Pat Barry? Or Alan Belcher and his first round comeback against Rousimar Palhares? In cased you missed any or all of it -- or just want to keep the discussion alive -- below are links to all the major storylines borne from Saturday night's event in New Jersey. In we go. UFC on FOX 3: "Diaz vs. Miller" Results and live fight coverage Recap and morning after discussion Post-fight press conference video Bonuses and awards Event photos gallery Medical suspensions and injuries Nate Diaz vs. Jim Miller fight video highlights Johny Hendricks vs. Josh Koscheck fight metric report "Prelims" results and recap Fight recap: Lavar Johnson floors Pat Barry Fight recap: Alan Belcher beats Rousimar Palhares at his own game (kind of) Fight recap: Johny Hendricks edges out Josh Koscheck Fight recap: Nate Diaz submits Jim Miller to earn lightweight title shot Fight review and analysis: Lavar Johnson vs. Pat Barry Fight review and analysis: Alan Belcher vs. Rousimar Palhares Fight review and analysis: Johny Hendricks vs. Josh Koscheck Fight review and analysis: Nate Diaz vs. Jim Miller UFC on FOX 3 post-fight fallout Overnight ratings come in at 2.25 million viewers Big winners and lowly losers Event report card MMA Mania Matchmaker UFC on FOX 3 and Mayweather vs. Cotto a contrast in styles between MMA and boxing Finally the UFC delivers a fun, exciting event on the FOX network UFC President Dana White calls UFC on FOX 3 a perfect show What's next for Nate Diaz and Johny Hendricks? Nate Diaz will, apparently, wait to face the winner of Ben Henderson vs. Frankie Edgar for the lightweight title Take a bow, Nate Diaz, you deserve it after submitting Jim Miller A new and improved Nate Diaz means bad news for the lightweight division Anthony Pettis wants a number one contender fight against Nick Diaz Johny Hendricks fought through sickness to defeat Josh Koscheck A picture of Josh Koscheck's busted up eye after Johny Hendricks fight Alan Belcher becomes a title contender with win over Rousimar Palhares Lavar Johnson takes Pat Barry's place in the heavyweight division by knocking him out That, my friends, should be enough to keep you talking -- at least for the time being. What gets your vote for the biggest story coming out of UFC on FOX 3? Sound off, Maniacs.

Posted in: ufc, fight, diaz, vs, nate

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In the main event of UFC on Fox 3, Lightweights Jim Miller and Nate Diaz met in a much anticipated fight. After two rounds of surprisingly one sided action, Nate Diaz walked away the victor, defeating Miller via guillotine choke in round 2. Diaz is now on a 3 fight win streak and undefeated since returning to Lightweight last year. Miller drops to 21-4 and has lost 2 of his last 3 fights. Heading into this fight there were a lot of questions about how it would play out. Would the two decorated submission specialists engage on the ground? Or would Diaz rely on his unique boxing style and keep the fight standing? As it turned out, it was Diaz who dictated the pace of the fight, taking Miller apart on the feet, then finishing him on the ground. What looked like a close battle on paper turned into a brilliant, dominating performance from Diaz. The controversial fighter earned his shot at the UFC Lightweight title with this win. What was the high spot of this fight? Diaz's choke was fantastic, brutal stuff. But for me the highlight was the moment in round 2 when Nate got comfortable and started clowning Miller. I know many are not fans of those moments, but it's consistently my favorite part of Diaz brothers' fights because you know it means they are in the zone. And when Nate and Nick are in the zone, they are among the best boxers in MMA today. Where do these guys go from here? At the post-fight press conference, Dana White confirmed what he suggested last week - Nate Diaz will indeed be the next challenger for the UFC Lightweight title. He'll have to wait for the Frankie Edgar vs. Ben Henderson rematch this fall, but once that is done, Nate will be up. Either potential opponent will provide a fascinating match-up, though I suspect Diaz has a better shot against Edgar than Henderson. Jim Miller is in a rough spot. After putting together a terrific run in the Lightweight division, he's now 1-2 in his last 3 and far outside the title picture. It seems quite possible that he's now locked into a gatekeeper to the title kind of role, which is a tough place to be. The top of the division is pretty busy at the moment, so he may need to wait and see how things shake out before setting up his next fight. If Gray Maynard defeats Clay Guida, Guida vs. Miller seems to make sense. Watch it now, later or never? Now. Between this and the Donald Cerrone fight, Nate Diaz has proven that he belongs among the Lightweight elite. This is a great showing and a highly entertaining fight. Check it out now. SBN coverage of UFC on Fox 3 More Bloody Elbow coverage of UFC on Fox 3 in the full entry. Mayweather Vs. Cotto And UFC On Fox Results: 10 Brightest Stars From Weekend's Combat Action - Brent Brookhouse UFC On Fox 3 Overnight Ratings Down Significantly - Brent Brookhouse UFC On Fox 3: Hendricks, Koscheck Both Injured, Complete Medical Suspensions - Kid Nate UFC On Fox 3 Video: Nate Diaz, Johny Hendricks Post Fight Interviews - Kid Nate UFC On Fox 3 Results: Winners And Losers - Tim Burke Video Highlights UFC On Fox 3 Diaz Vs. Miller - Kid Nate UFC On Fox 3 Post-Fight Press Conference Video And Coverage - Tim Burke Bad Boy Presents Bloody Elbow Radio - Episode 162: UFC On FOX Results Review - Matt Bishop UFC On Fox 3 Diaz Vs. Miller Results And Post-Fight Analysis - Kid Nate UFC On Fox 3: Diaz Vs. Miller Live Results And Play by Play - Dallas Winston

Posted in: ufc, fight, diaz, fox, nate

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One of the things that's always fascinated me about Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Lightweight contender Nate Diaz is how closely his style mimics that of his brother, Nick Diaz, as well as parallel improvements both have made over the same timeline. The latter has lifted both from being merely talented fighters, with one glaring deficit, to potent contenders who are an incredibly difficult package to contend with. Lack of takedown defense and core wrestling ability was the Achilles heel for both in the early part of their careers. Both Diaz's, during the first half of their UFC campaigns, could pretty much be reliably beaten in one way and one way only: by strong wrestlers taking them down, working them within the confines of the top position (quite often to little effect) and winning a judges' decision. The Diaz brothers possess incredible durability along with stifling jiu-jitsu, and better foes seemed to pursue a very narrow but clear-cut strategy to ride these out to a decision. But with Nick's quantum leap in striking, which fully kicked in during his Strikeforce days, he became another kind of fighter altogether. It created an added level of pressure to opponents, fatiguing them as much mentally as physically; Nate has now reached that same level. Two years younger than Nick, the lightweight battler put on a career-defining performance Saturday night in the UFC on Fox 3 main event from the IZOD Center in East Rutherford, N.J., dispatching Jim Miller with a second round submission and landing an eventual 155-pound title shot in the process. That same Diaz pressure that is now Nick's signature style is obviously something Nate has mastered, and in breaking Miller's will, Nate did something that Frankie Edgar, Gray Maynard and Ben Henderson came nowhere close to doing: he finished Miller, one of the most tenacious and reliable fighters in the sport. You can also see the great jiu-jitsu game in Nate in terms of how he outs of a potentially troublesome bottom position; when Miller did get Diaz on the mat, Nate immediately secured a butterfly hook/counter move to deny Miller the chance to solidify his spot, then creating a scramble to get free. It's going to be fun to watch the lightweight title work its way to Diaz, with Henderson rematching Edgar, presently scheduled for UFC 150 on Aug. 11, 2012. Whomever wins -- and I like Henderson on account of the first fight, and his inevitable improvement -- facing Diaz is a whole different kind of assignment. It's the small things Diaz does to wear out opponents, underwritten by incredible grappling smarts and toughness. Whether it's banging foes in close, or bouncing shots off their heads in the endless stand up confrontations he seems to relish in forcing, Diaz wears down opponents because he's always, always, always fighting. His improved takedown defense was what changed the tone of the Miller bout, as he stuffed Jim's early attempts with solid countering and positioning, something you didn't see earlier in his career. Over a five-round fight, improved takedowns and a surging ability to strike make Diaz an incredibly tough assignment. He and Ben Henderson might be one of the best match ups the game has to offer, with Henderson's punishing blend of size, wrestling and Houdini-like ability to wrest himself out of bad positions and excruciating submissions. Until then, whoever is preparing to fight Nate Diaz knows there are no easy spots, no places to rest, and you're in for one hell of a long night and fight. That's good news for Diaz fans, and waited since he arrived after winning The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 5 in June 2007. Jason Probst can be reached at Jason@jasonprobst.com or at twitter.com/jasonprobst.

Posted in: ufc, diaz, henderson, miller, nate

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EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ -- Just when you thought no Nick Diaz in your life meant MMA got a little more boring, here comes brother Nate Diaz to pick up the slack.Nate is young and fast and talented, and now, we can say he is elite, too. If you had any remaining doubts about that after his throttling of Donald Cerrone last December, you probably don't after he became the first man to finish Jim Miller at Saturday night's UFC on FOX 3.Think about this: Miller is a man who's stepped into the cage with current lightweight champion Ben Henderson, current No. 1 contender Frankie Edgar, and the last No. 1 contender Gray Maynard. None of them finished him. None of them came close. But Diaz did it, and in a scheduled five-round fight, needed less than two of them to pull it off. That left even Miller in a complimentary mood. "He fought a beautiful fight," Miller said. "He had my number." When you get someone as proud as Miller to say something like that, you know it's checkmate. Those aren't words he's easily uttered in the past. He came into the fight with a lifetime .875 winning percentage, and had been a divisional standout in the UFC, at one point winning seven straight fights and knocking on the door of a title shot. But against Diaz, Miller found little success. The two may have fought a fairly even first round -- two judges scored it for Diaz while one scored it 10-10 -- but he still didn't look comfortable trying to close the distance against Diaz's five-inch reach advantage. In the round, Diaz out-struck him 49-17, according to FightMetric.But in the second round, Diaz really turned it on. All of the sudden, it was as if he was locked in. He started taunting Miller, talking to him, playing with him, really. And whatever he threw, he landed. At one point, he put his arms down, invited Miller to hit him, and then connected on a front kick. Diaz was simply in the zone, landing 48 strikes to Miller's 10."I don't even remember what he was saying," Miller said. "It didn't affect me. It was the strikes he was landing that affected me. I shouldn't have given him the opportunity to be speaking … He took the momentum and held it."That is the kind of thing a Nick Diaz opponent walks away saying, which makes you wonder if Nate's career is about to follow a similar career trajectory in terms of success. At one point of Nick's career, he was 15-7 with 1 no contest, and then, everything seemed to click, and he rolled off an 11-fight win streak, taking him to the brink of a UFC welterweight title shot, an opportunity he lost through his own no-showing of two press conferences.Nate was 15-7 heading into last night's fight, and suddenly he was as good as we've ever seen him. Could that same kind of streak be coming? It could. Diaz's biggest problem has always come from wrestlers, and Miller certainly took his chances to get it to the mat. Diaz was simply better than him, shutting down four of five tries. There are certainly better functional MMA wrestlers in the UFC lightweight division than Miller, but Diaz's performance in this aspect can only be seen as a positive.Another promising quality? The sideshow circus that comes with Nick's behavior seems to be no issue for Nate. UFC president Dana White has repeatedly noted how Nate has been no problem to work with, and does what's asked of him. Diaz wasn't outwardly celebratory after the fight. Sitting at the post-fight press conference podium, Diaz spent most of his 30 minutes there checking congratulatory text messages on his phone, occasionally looking up when he received a question. Perhaps surprisingly, Diaz said he was willing to wait to get a shot at the lightweight title, something he was promised during fight week if he won.Since Diaz has entered the UFC, we've seen a lot of him. According to MMADecisions.com, his 16 fights over the last five years is the most of anyone in the UFC during that time, far ahead of a slew of guys with 13. That activity has made him sharp, but it's also the reason he doesn't mind taking a breather while Henderson and Edgar sort out the division.Diaz may always have a problem with wrestlers -- and with either Henderson or Edgar, he's guaranteed one -- but at least at 155, he won't be giving up size and muscle as he was in his brief move to 170. Much like brother Nick, Nate has learned that unwavering striking volume and an attacking ground game make for a dangerous combination, even against a wrestler.That's the message his win over Miller sent to the rest of the division. Nate Diaz is no longer just Nick's little brother. When it comes to lightweights, he's now elite.

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Nate Diaz and Jim Miller squared off inside the Octagon at the IZOD Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Diaz dominated his opponent en route to an impressive submission victory towards the end of round 2. Cesar Gracie product will now face the winner of Henderson vs. Edgar rematch, which will take place later this year. Nate Diaz is now 16-7 in his professional Mixed Martial Arts career. Further Reading: Full UFC on FOX 3 Recap Video: Highlights: Diaz -

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The stakes were high last night (May 5, 2012) for the UFC on FOX 3 main event between lightweights Nate Diaz and Jim Miller in East Ruthorford, New Jersey, and expectations were met or exceeded on just about all accounts. Diaz had a potential title shot on the line while Miller was hoping to secure one more huge victory to get himself into the title picture as well. The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) season five winner seemingly had a wrestling disadvantage, but Miller was unable to capitalize on it. The biggest surprise of all was Miller, a man who'd never been stopped despite three losses to top five current UFC lightweights in 24 previous fights, being forced to tap out to a Diaz guillotine choke. So how in the world did the proud Stockton native submit such a high level Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt? And what's next for both terrific fighters?Follow me after the jump for our Nate Diaz vs. Jim Miller UFC on FOX 3 post-fight review and analysis: Miller tried to put pressure on Diaz early, pushing him into the fence and working to mix in dirty boxing, knees and takedown attempts, but Diaz hung tough and was able to remain standing. It was a very grueling pace and Diaz was able to escape and create distance again. In striking range, Miller tried to land some leg kicks but Diaz countered with his incredibly accurate boxing. Diaz's punching flustered Miller and the New Jersey native was unable to find his range with his boxing, repeatedly coming up short with his overhand left and right hands. Miller switched to single-leg takedown attempts but again they were unsuccessful. As he tried to circle to his left, Diaz pounced with a beautiful 1-2 combination which blasted through his defenses and actually sent the hard-headed AMA Fight Club member to the ground. The wounded Miller went to his bread and butter which was the ground game and both men traded sweeps and top position for the final 30 seconds. In the decisive second round, both men stalemated in the clinch before resetting in the cage center and this was where Diaz completely took over. It started with a simple wiggle of his fingers, then it was dropping both hands to his sides before wading in and throwing solid knees up close and personal. After the next separation, the taunts started flowing from Diaz and Miller took the bait, leaping in with a wild flying knee as Diaz countered with a swift combination. He continued to taunt, noticing Miller's reaction and Miller mixed up his attack with a front kick to the face but Diaz just slapped his own face as to make it seem like Miller couldn't hurt him. Once in the clinch, Diaz had a "come on mother fucker" get bleeped out and it was noticeable that Miller was breathing heavily here out of his mouth. Miller, after eating several more knees and beginning to bleed heavily from his nose, began to get increasingly desperate. This led to Miller rushing forward with a takedown attempt, missing with his left leg trip and finding himself badly caught in Diaz's web. The Cesar Gracie product's guillotine wasn't completely locked in at first but he had Miller in all sorts of trouble, eventually stepping over and mounting him, which is just about the worst position to be in while being choked out and Miller had no choice left but to tap out. For Jim Miller, he was simply outclassed. Diaz thwarted him at just about every turn and he had some major issues landing his punches from a distance. His best attack was in the clinch with short strikes and his leg kicks from the pocket but even then, he was constantly getting countered and getting as good as he was giving. If I had any suggestions, it would have been to work his leg kicks more and to aggressively shoot in for a double leg takedown when Diaz was building momentum rather than trying to fire back with flying knees and front kicks. Those just played into Diaz's game be creating openings in his defenses which Diaz continued to exploit. Miller has repeatedly put on great fights, but he has also come up short now every time against the elite in the division. Unfortunately, with this loss, he's almost certainly out of title contention for a significant period and will likely become a high level gatekeeper. I wouldn't be surprised to see him face the upcoming loser of the Gray Maynard vs. Clay Guida fight. Other options include the Donald Cerrone vs. Jeremy Stephens loser or perhaps the loser of Jacob Volkmann vs. Paul Sass. For Nate Diaz, this was a masterful performance. He was able to avoid taking much damage in the clinch and utilized his length very well. I loved that he mixed in more knees and even some leg kicks to diversify his striking attack and keep Miller guessing. Best of all was once he got comfortable in the striking exchanges and starting trash-talking and taunting. Miller is such a blue-collar worker in MMA, it was insane to see him lose his composure. Diaz took advantage of every opening that Miller gave him during his wild attacks and then capitalized on Miller's desperation with that takedown attempt in the second round, reversing it swiftly into an offensive attack of his own. This fight answered a lot of Diaz's critics in terms of his ability to fend off some takedowns against a tough wrestler. Granted, Miller is a very well-rounded fighter and not just a wrestler, but Diaz was able to avoid being put on his back repeatedly and was quick to sweep, throw submissions or get back to his feet in all the brief instances where he was put on the ground. There's no need to speculate. Nate Diaz will wait for a title shot. He mentioned he wanted some time off anyways in his post-fight interview so he has no problem with potentially having to wait until the end of 2012 before fighting again considering it will be for the title this time. Diaz will fight the winner of Frankie Edgar vs. Ben Henderson next. That leaves Anthony Pettis out to dry, but that's not Diaz's problem whatsoever. For complete UFC on FOX 3 results, including blow-by-blow, fight-by-fight coverage of the entire event as well as immediate post-fight reaction click here, here and here. So what did you think, Maniacs? Are you now a believer in this new and improved Nate Diaz 2.0 in the lightweight division? Is he a serious threat to become the next UFC champion at 155 pounds? What would you do with Jim Miller next? Sound off!

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The UFC on Fox 3 card is in the books, and I had a terrible night of predictions. I was totally wrong about Nate Diaz, and my undercard picks were straight up pathetic. Nevertheless, the event delivered as advertised and the main card was a good mix of devastating striking and slick technical submission grappling. The main event between Nate Diaz and Jim Miller showed that Nate most definitely belongs at the top of the lightweight division and is clearly NOT overrated (as I stated before - sorry 209). Winners Nate Diaz: As I said above, I was wrong. I have no problem admitting that. Diaz looked superb in New Jersey tonight, establishing his boxing game and outworking Miller in the clinch, which was a huge surprise to me. The finishing sequence was ultra-slick, and he proved that he can deal with the relentless pace of the 155 grinders. He apparently earned a title shot with the win, and the Nate Diaz we saw tonight could definitely give Ben Henderson or Frankie Edgar fits. Who would have thought that it'd be Nate and not Nick that would probably be headlining another card in late 2012? Johny Hendricks: It wasn't exactly the dominant win he pulled off in his last bout, but "Bigg Rigg" (terrible nickname) has now taken out two of 170's best gatekeepers in successive bouts. Carlos Condit vs. Georges St. Pierre won't be happening until at least November, but Hendricks is definitely in the drivers seat in regards to the next title challenger. The only question now is whether he sits out and waits, or fights a guy like Jake Ellenberger to solidify his hold on the elusive title shot. Alan Belcher: I'll be up front and say that I've never been a big Belcher fan, but he proved his mettle tonight. He played Toquinho's game and beat him at it, which is more than pretty much any other middleweight can boast about. His submission defense was picture-perfect and he showed patience, something he has lacked in the past. I still don't think he's exactly in the title hunt (you should have to beat at least one top-ten opponent to earn that consideration), but it was undoubtedly the biggest win of Belcher's career and definitely something to build on. Lavar Johnson: The big man was clearly a fish out of water on the ground, but his opponent was as well so he survived. Johnson proved to be a killer on the feet once again though, totally brutalizing Pat Barry against the cage to the point that I sat on my couch cringing at each right hook. He's way too one-dimensional to challenge for any titles anytime soon, but god damn is that one dimension devastating or what? I don't think the stars will align the way I want them to, but how good would Mark Hunt vs. Lavar Johnson be? Michael Johnson: I can honestly say that I didn't expect to be writing about him tonight, but he looked excellent against a tough opponent last night. Goldberg kept harping on his improvement since he joined the Blackzillians, and that might be true. To me though, he just looked truly comfortable on the feet for the first time since The Ultimate Fighter. It might have been because he didn't have to worry about getting taken down by El Cucuy, but that was undoubtedly the best performance of Johnson's career. I don't think we'll see him in title contention anytime soon, but that was a huge win for him. The Flyweight division: UFC fans had seen exactly two flyweight bouts coming into tonight's show - Joe Benavidez destroying Yasuhiro Urushitani, and the weird draw between Ian McCall and Demetrious Johnson. If they had any doubts about the little guys coming into tonight, I think John Lineker vs. Louis Gaudinot and John Dodson vs. Tim Elliott made them believers. Both were awesome bouts full of non-stop action, and I'm excited about the future of the division going forward. You should be too. SBN coverage of UFC on Fox 3 Losers Jim Miller: I hated seeing one of my favorite fighters go out like that, but he was classy in defeat and said what we were all thinking - Diaz had his number. A lot of people (including myself) believed that Miller wasn't himself against Ben Henderson, and it came out later that he fighting a kidney infection at the time. That made sense. I don't know or care if he had some sort of reason for his performance tonight - the bottom line is that he got beat by the better fighter. This is undoubtedly a huge step pack for Miller, and he'll need to rack up at least three more wins before he could even be considered for a title bout again. Josh Koscheck: Let's face it, he barely lost. A lot of people think he deserved the W. Throwing him in the losers column seems harsh, but it is what it is. The biggest thing coming out of the fight was the status of his eye, which was swollen up badly once again. Many are suspecting that he had re-injured his orbital bone, which would be very bad for his future in the sport if it's serious. Honestly though, how much did Kos really lose here? He wasn't getting a title shot with a win. He narrowly lost to a serious contender. He has nothing to be ashamed of and I hope he continues to get top-tier welterweights. It's easy to hate Kos, but he's damn good. Rousimar Palhares: How does someone with such devastating submission skills have such a terrible guard? Props to Toquinho for getting to exactly where he needed to be to finish the fight. But when it didn't go according to plan and Belcher ended up on top, why did he just eat GnP like Fedor eats ice cream? It's been proven time and time again that being one-dimensional won't fly in today's MMA world and while Palhares will always retain a big fan base based on his finishing skills, it's clear he's not a title challenger. Pat Barry: Everyone loves HD. But let's face it, he's not someone that deserves main card slots on national TV. I respect any guy that is willing to round out their game, but he had no clue what to do after he got the takedown and the americana didn't work out. He was lost. And if he isn't a world-beater on the feet, he isn't going to be competitive in the division with such a one-dimensional skill set. Again, I love the guy as much as anyone. He's a warrior. But he's not UFC-caliber, as much as that sucks to say. Tony Ferguson: What the hell man? El Cucuy has been dynamite in the UFC thus far and it was sort of embarrassing to see him get completely shut down like that last night. Props to Michael Johnson, he fought a great fight. But Ferguson didn't fight his fight at all and he looked totally lost all night. No urgency, no ability to adapt, and no answer. Plus, it's quite clear where Johnson's weaknesses are - on the ground. Other than one halfhearted attempt late in the fight, El Cucuy never tried to take it down at all. This was a gigantic setback for Ferguson, and anyone that would tell you otherwise is a liar.

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Since returning to the lightweight division in 2011, Nate Diaz hasn't just been reborn. He's become the Terminator. Retweet this Share on Facebook • Email • StumbleUpon • Reddit • Digg • Technorati • Instapaper • Tumblr • Google Reader • LinkedIn

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The 209 gets another guaranteed title shot. Let's hope the universe doesn't get drunk one night and screw things up, like what we witnessed in the ‘guaranteed’ title shot between Nick Diaz and Georges St. Pierre at UFC 143. Something tells me Nate Diaz's directions to the airport have been written, laminated and stapled to the dashboard of his car for months now.Nate Diaz started mean mugging Jim Miller <strong>before he even entered the octagon</strong>. There must be something to that. It would be hilarious if forty years from now, we find out that Nate Diaz was actually a mutant and he had the ability to drain a large portion of his opponent's energy just by staring at them.When the bout started, Jim Miller seemed to counter Nate Diaz's jabs with lower leg kicks, something that he probably picked up on while watching endless replays of Nate's fight against Cowboy Cerrone. As the fight went on, Nate Diaz slowly peppered Jim Miller with a potpourri of eloquent stand-up, rendering his face into a shade of crimson red.In the end, Nate caught Miller in a tight guillotine, forcing him to tap out in the second round. Seconds after Miller tapped out, I noticed Ronda Rousey going absolutely <strong>nuts</strong> in her seat – and I’m pretty sure she actually fell over celebrating Nate’s victory.Props to Nate on an amazing win and be sure to catch Nate and Nick Diaz on ‘Ronda Rousey’s Road Trip to the 209’ coming to MiddleEasy in just a few days.

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Nate Diaz def. Jim Miller by submission (guillotine choke) at 4:09 of the second round Nate Diaz came into New Jersey and made a huge statement in his main-event Lightweight bout with Jim Miller at UFC on Fox 3 tonight. Diaz was able to latch on to Miller's neck with a power guillotine and there was no escape for Miller, who tapped out for the first time in his career at 4:09 of the second round. Diaz seemingly earned a title shot with the win. Miller landed a solid leg kick to open the fight. The fighters engaged in a long clinch battle against the fence, with neither getting an advantage. Diaz started to establish his volume boxing game while Miller repeatedly missed with winging right hands. After another extended clinch battle, Miller scooped a leg but couldn't get anything. Diaz landed a left on Miller's chin that appeared to drop him. Diaz tried to spin and take Miller's back, but Miller reversed and got a late takedown. Diaz swept at the bell. After some Miller kicks to start round two, the fighters clinched against the cage. Miller separated and strafed Diaz with a big elbow. Diaz started dropping his hands, gaining confidence in his boxing. Miller started to bleed. Miller went for a flying knee, which led to some Diaz taunting. Diaz locked on a front headlock and landed a knee, so Miller dropped down. Nate landed some strikes, then locked on a power guillotine. Despite some rolling, Miller had no escape and was forced to tap. Miller appeared to have his tongue out of his mouth and was biting down on it while being squeezed. Yuck. The win earned Nate Diaz a future UFC lightweight title shot, though that won't be for a while. Miller has now lost two out of his last three bouts. SBN coverage of UFC on Fox 3

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Two rock-solid Lightweight fighters collide in the UFC on FOX 3 main event later this evening (May 5, 2012) at the IZOD Center in East Rutherford, N.J., proving a vexing test of will for both Nate Diaz and Jim Miller. In Diaz's case, he'll have a chance to showcase his ever-improving striking, which lit up and beat down the game but outmatched Donald Cerrone in December. It was a showcase performance for Nate, who really seems to be coming into his own with on-point boxing and a nimble sense of when to engage and when to evade. Miller's impressive seven-fight win streak marked him as an elite contender, until he ran into Ben Henderson, whose bigger frame and punishing physicality delivered a vicious beating that left the scrappy Miller in rebuilding mode. After submitting the talented but inconsistent Melvin Guillard, Miller needs a victory to insert himself back into the conversation of who the top contenders really are. Body types play a huge role in this match up, as Diaz' six-inch height and considerable reach advantage will force Miller's hand. Jim is a competent boxer but not in Diaz' class, especially with Nate's increased volume of late. Diaz, however, relies on the threat of his jiu-jitsu and stifling guard to discourage foes from taking him down and, hopefully, riding their way to a cautious but top-game-dominated decision. That's exactly how Miller overwhelms people, however, and the fact that he'll be giving away too many advantages on the feet forces his hand somewhat. Follow me after the jump for a complete breakdown of the UFC on Fox 3 fight between Nate Diaz vs. Jim Miller: The Breakdown Trying to match strikes with a Diaz on the feet often leaves foes looking like they're fighting underwater. The volume, pressure and constant ping-ponging of shots off your body leaves you a beat behind, bounced around like a pinball and forever unable to get untracked. Diaz' sharpshooter approach was brutally effective against Cerrone, a talented kickboxer himself. However, solid and submission-wary wrestlers have been able to exploit Diaz' modest takedown defense and work their way to decision wins, and Miller's definitely of the caliber to do it - at least against the less-developed version of Diaz that was ridden to defeats by the likes of Clay Guida and Joe Stevenson. Miller, however, is a pretty good blend of takedown artist and jiu-jitsu savvy, and if he gets in Diaz' tricky guard, he'll have to walk a fine line between working enough to justify the ref keeping it on the mat or risking sweeps or submission attempts that will allow Diaz to get back to the feet. It's a delicate balance, but Miller's talented enough to pull it off. This is also a points-conscious fight for both, meaning it's not likely either guy has illusions about finishing. Diaz and Miller are two of the most durable and submission-proof guys in the game, with outstanding conditioning. The choice between the tactical move to definitely win a close round versus going for a riskier finish could definitely spell the difference in this fight. The Pick There is very little separating the top ten lightweights in the world, and Diaz and Miller are basically fighting for right to state a case that they belong in the top five. Nate's striking will set the tone early, but if Miller can stay low and steer clear of Diaz' high-output attack, and he can a shot to plant Nate on the mat and work to pile up points and build the perception that he's winning, even if it's isn't overwhelming. However, there is something jarring about fighting a Diaz and there are very few safe places to be. On the ground, their masterful jiu-jitsu makes passing guard virtually impossible to sustain, and their rock-solid chin and tactical smarts rarely leave them in a disadvantageous position. It's also why they can strike with such confidence - they're not worried about being taken down and can let their hands go with impunity. Miller's an incredibly hard worker but you get the feeling that he's playing right into Diaz' strengths. Nate will potshot him on the feet in the beginning of rounds and force Miller's hand, at which point Diaz will make him work harder than most might expect for takedowns, and Miller will be unable to definitely score or control Nate on the mat. Restarts will play a big part in this fight, and each time Diaz will resume piling up points with effective scoring, leaning and countering and mixing in shots from distance and good combinations. It won't be the kind of sustained beating Cerrone took, as Donald never really threatened with takedowns, and Miller virtually has to have any hope of winning. But it will be enough for Diaz to score effectively and sway the judges to walk about with an entertaining and competitive split decision on the cards. Diaz via split decision Be sure to join MMAmania.com this evening for LIVE, detailed UFC on Fox 3 results of all the "Diaz vs. Miller" action. It will include blow-by-blow coverage of the Facebook video stream, FUEL TV "Prelims" bouts, and of course, the FOX broadcast. We'll start RIGHT HERE at around 4 p.m. ET and carry straight on through early Sunday morning. See you later! Jason Probst can be reached at twitter.com/jasonprobst or jasonprobst@gmail.com

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For tonight's featured attraction of the UFC on Fox 3 show, we have a battle of polar opposites. Nate Diaz and Jim Miller are both legit strikers and BJJ black belts, but the likenesses pretty much stop there. Duress from his coach and teammates was the only reason the humble Jim Miller (21-3) ever asked for a title shot. And why wouldn't he? He was on a 7-fight win streak in one the UFC's most stacked divisions and has only lost by decision to former #1 contender Gray Maynard and current lightweight champion Benson Henderson throughout his 12 Octagon performances. Miller seemed embarrassed at taking even the slightest step toward acknowledging his accomplishments and his sheepish post-fight request for a title shot was genuinely polite -- which is far from the standard in MMA. Miller is a blue-collar workhorse who always shows respect to his opponents and does all his talking in the cage. Nate Diaz (15-7), however, would fight the champion of any organization, in any weight class, tonight -- for free, in his backyard or outside in the parking lot. The mere potential of engaging in hand-to-hand combat with another human being would utterly insult, offend and enrage him, and errant middle fingers and malicious sneers would surely follow. Sure, he'd love to have a UFC championship belt, but I have a hunch he'd value being equipped with his nunchaku in the event of a playful, brotherly ambush just as much. More UFC on Fox 3 Dissections Koscheck vs. Hendricks | Palhares vs. Belcher | Barry vs. Johnson Fuel TV Undercard | Facebook Undercard In addition to the personality clash, Diaz is a tall (6'0") and lanky (76" reach) lightweight driven by pure offense, which is transmitted through distinctly unorthodox and aggressive boxing, fluidly effective sweeps and submissions and -- when forced -- a serviceable Judo acumen in the clinch. Miller has more of a compact stature (5'8", 71" reach) who intelligently draws upon his bulletproof 3-dimensional arsenal (striking, wrestling, BJJ black belt) to implement whatever attribute is most appropriate. The timeless outlook for a well-rounded mixed martial artist is selecting the most effective tools to exploit weaknesses. Broad diversity is also accompanied by the concern of whether that particular fighter's more extensive arsenal of good weapons can be applied to unhinge a narrower arsenal of great weapons. The rap sheet on Diaz has always reflected that a stand-up shootout is something to avoid and a clinch- or grappling-based strategy can pay dividends ... as long as it's conjoined with high-level submission defense. Therefore, the straightforward question is whether Miller can replicate the takedown-heavy performance of monstrous lightweight and standout wrestler Gray Maynard or the deceivingly powerful onslaught of top welterweight Rory MacDonald. With wrestling emerging as a critical avenue for Miller, when compared to those two fighters, the salient differences are height/length and pure wrestling voracity. The size-factor is an indisputable statistic and, while Miller is no slouch of a wrestler by any means, I'm not sure we can place him on the same pedestal as Maynard or MacDonald. Complete analysis in the full entry. SBN coverage of UFC on Fox 3 On one hand, it seems a little too convenient to write Diaz off anytime he's matched with a serviceable takedown artist. Conversely, one could counter by citing his struggles with Joe Stevenson and Dong Hyun Kim, who are immensely talented but not quite as hefty or domineering as Maynard and MacDonald. Diaz is phenomenal at capitalizing on his length in the striking department, but has struggled to translate that length into extra leverage on the defensive end. Though lacking brute strength, a wiry athlete with stretchy proportions can impose massive leverage in several scenarios, just like Rafael Cavalcante did with his clinch-work against Muhammed Lawal or light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones does with his devastating clinch takedowns. Traditionally, Diaz's length magnifies his unique striking but seems to work against him when shucking off grapplers. Adopting technical footwork to keep him out of the spots where he's forced to rely on physical attributes would be an integral complement, but he hasn't excelled there either, thus the ease with which Donald Cerrone up-ended him with chopping kicks or the way his extended and heavy lead-legged stance is susceptible to low singles and ankle picks. The unending forward movement and constant pressure of Diaz has made him a fan favorite but stands as a strategic flaw against opponents who endeavor to get inside and attack from phone-booth range, as Miller certainly will. In the past, Miller has never forced takedowns and has been confident enough in his striking to await the right opportunity. Against Diaz, he might not be afforded that luxury. While the tendencies noted above highlight some potential opportunities for Miller, Diaz will be pouring it on with strikes and has an unparalleled knack for dominating the tempo on the feet and disrupting his opponent's. Most of Miller's takedown defense are set up pretty well, but initiated in straight lines rather than angles. While that doesn't mean he won't be successful, it does reduce his ability to fully exploit some of Diaz's flaws. Miller isn't entirely experienced against exceptionally tall adversaries nor southpaws like Diaz either. And let's not forget -- Nate is a black belt of the highest degree on the mat, so it's not a cakewalk for Miller if he can secure a takedown and it's no easy task to keep Diaz down. Should they become entangled, Miller has excellent scrambling. This is where his explosiveness and compact frame work well, as he's a frenetic scrambler who typically passes to a better position before his opponent can react. Nate is an adept scrambler as well, but his real bread and butter is the virtual library of smooth sweeps and submission opportunities he creates with his active hips. Once firmly planted on the ground, Miller is far from an idle top player and prefers activity over control. This trait benefits Diaz, who is a nightmare to hold down and preys on his opponent's activity with counter-sweeps and escapes. I'll conclude with a summary of the match up based on the dynamics within the Three Phases of Combat. Free-Movement Phase: Clearly Diaz. He's at his best when peppering with high-volume combinations and moving of his own volition. Since every fight starts standing, Miller will be tasked with forcing the action to a different phase or dueling in Diaz's realm of specialty. Clinch Phase: Miller, though not by a landslide. Most of Diaz's takedown susceptibility comes from outside takedowns that bypass the clinch and go directly from the free-movement phase to grappling. He's capable with trips, throws and Thai knees in the clinch, but tends to allow himself to be pressed against the fence too easily and often. How frequently and efficiently Miller can initiate the clinch is probably the most pivotal factor, as it keeps him out of Diaz's preferred range and one step closer to his. If he struggles to clinch, he's once again relegated to tactics from outside, and shooting doubles or striking on the fringe with Diaz is not ideal. Grappling Phase: It seems as if, if the fight hits the ground, chances are that Miller will be on top. As much as I hate to admit it, the judges have historically scored this as winning (regardless of the specifics). Diaz has one of the most active guards in the sport along with a cunning set of sweeps but, barring a submission or an escape, the grappling portion leans toward Miller. Even though Miller gets the nod in 2/3 of the categories, he's faced with breaking out of the single phase where Diaz has the advantage and keeping him there. Regardless, Miller comes in as a substantial favorite in the -220 department and there is plenty of evidence to support it. My prediction is based more on instinct and preference than strictly logic, so I'm taking a chance that Diaz can defy the odds and pull out an entertaining win. My Prediction: Nate Diaz by decision. Poll Nate Diaz vs. Jim Miller Diaz Miller   25 votes | Results

Posted in: diaz, miller, nate, he, phase

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Nate Diaz wouldn't be fighting tonight (May 5) in New Jersey if not for older brother Nick. When Nick Diaz began training in Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) to avoid the rough and tumble gang life many youths in Stockton find themselves in, Nate followed him. When Nick decided to parlay his training into a career in mixed martial arts (MMA), it wasn't too long after Nate was also making his cagefighting debut. Even after the former Strikeforce champion discovered and fell in love with triathlons, an activity to keep him occupied and fit in between bouts, Nate sure enough grabbed some goggles, a bike and a pair of New Balance sneakers. It's safe to say Nate idolizes his older brother. In a world he feels is always against him, in a world full of chaos and uncertainty, Nick is his only constant. Nick was, is and will always be there for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) lightweight. Despite this, Nate has been living -- and fighting -- in Nick's shadow for the entirety of his career. It's not hard to believe when one considers Nick made his Octagon debut at 20 years of age, his penchant for trash talking before, during and after a fight, his highly publicized suspensions for marijuana use and his seemingly inability to have a boring fight. Nick, for as much as he shies away from it, always finds himself in the spotlight. But tonight comes Nate's opportunity to step out of his older brother's shadow. At UFC on Fox 3: "Diaz vs. Miller," Nate can become his own man. With a win over Jim Miller, Nate will secure a lightweight title shot against either current champion Ben Henderson or the man "Smooth" usurped, Frankie Edgar. While Nick is already a former Strikeforce champion and got a crack at UFC gold when he faced off against Carlos Condit at UFC 143, a chance for Nate to contend for the lightweight strap would do a lot to shed him of the stigma he's not as good a fighter as his older brother. Despite winning the fifth season of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF), the talent-rich 155-pound installment which restarted the division, Nate's always been viewed of as a lesser version of Nick. They share the same strengths -- excellent boxing and BJJ -- and are both prone to get manhandled on the canvas by any wrestler worth their salt. They look, talk and fight alike except Nick seemed to just be better at all of it. With the welterweight brother apparently retired following his loss to Condit, Nate remains a mixed martial artist, ready to carry the Diaz banner into the Octagon. He holds an 8-3 record at lightweight in the UFC including his two most recent victories against former lightweight kingpin Takanori Gomi and World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) standout Donald Cerrone. While the way he disposed of "The Fireball Kid" was impressive, it was Diaz's performance against "Cowboy" at UFC 141, which opened eyes. Many expected the bout to tear the roof off the MGM Grand Garden Arena and while it was a spirited affair and won Fight of the Night honors, Diaz dominated his opponent from bell to bell and put an abrupt halt to Cerrone's six fight win streak. It's the type of performance Diaz needs tonight if he hopes to defeat Miller, who has only been stopped short by future champions and title contenders. Can Diaz fit that description and fight for the title? Can he win it? Can the TUF 5 winner finally become his own man, apart from his older brother and his many accomplishments? It all depends on tonight. How the MMA history books will look back at Nate Diaz all depends on tonight.

Posted in: ufc, diaz, nick, nate, brother

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I yam what I yam and that's all what I yam. - Popeye the Sailor The point of Nate Diaz and Jim Miller being the main event of UFC on Fox 3 on Saturday May 5, 2012 is that they are near mortal locks to put on an exciting fight. Both men are highly durable, very energetic and display a savage lust for finishing opportunities, whether by submission or by strikes. The matchmakers and the TV producers are counting on these men to be exactly who they have been in the past, figuring that it will combine for a very competitive and combative affair that makes for truly good sport and entertainment. But who are Nick Diaz and Jim Miller in terms of the ground game? What opportunities will they hunt for and which limbs will they seize against opponents that are similar to the fighter that will stand across from them Saturday night? First, we look at Jim Miller's bout against Mac Danzig at UFC 100 in 2009, before moving through the decision loss to Benson Henderson at UFC Live 5, then lastly at the recent victory over Melvin Guillard at UFC on FX. Then we move to Nate Diaz and his battles with Clay Guida, Joe Stevenson, Dong Hyun Kim and Rory MacDonald. Related: Judo Chop: The Southpaw Striking of Jim Miller | Judo Chop: The Unconventional MMA Boxing of Nick and Nate Diaz | Nick Diaz, Daniel Mendoza and the Sweet Science of Bruising | SBN Coverage of UFC on Fox 3 Jim Miller gets some boxing work in. Photo by Esther Lin of MMA Fighting. Miller's Fights Mac Danzig is no slouch on the ground. He is quite good at grappling if most normal measuring sticks - but within the context of elite level MMA, it was shown repeatedly that Mac could be bullied by an opponent with a strong top game. Jim Miller was able to do so, although some close calls threatened to derail his gameplan. Against Danzig, Miller quickly took him down in the first round and looked to pass immediately and stay tight to prevent any submission attempts. Danzig still managed to sweep and hit a guillotine off a takedown launched by Miller just as they stood back up. In the second round, Miller landed a double after a sprawl attempt by Danzig failed. Jim shrugged off a kimura attempt and threw several punches and elbows, trying repeatedly to land left-handed elbows and punches. A late guillotine by Danzig nearly worked, but time ran out in the round before Miller reached his breaking point. In the third round, Miller shot repeatedly with success and Danzig unsuccessfully tried for another guillotine. After a kimura attempt by Mac, Jim took the back and went for his favored rear naked choke (the one he finished Guillard with). Amazingly, Danzig broke free from a locked on choke and reversed Miller to land some punches. At UFC Live on Versus 5, Ben Henderson savaged Jim Miller for the two later rounds after losing the first (in the eyes of most armchair judges). The first round saw Miller essentially do his best impression of a Diaz brother, with a standing arm triangle and back take attempt that saw himself get deposited on the ground before a scramble yielded a standing kimura attempt. Bendo defended well and delivered some mean elbows, but Miller credibly threatened the future lightweight champion at multiple points in the round. A kidney infection on top of accumulated damage caused Miller to continue taking crazy chances over the next two rounds with a kneebar/heel hook combination, which was abandoned after Bendo escaped and started to pour on the strikes to Miller's head. Another kimura attempt failed in the face of the elbows and punches as well. A late mount by Henderson saw Jim covering up and successfully escaping back to the feet, showing commendable resilience and sticking to effective grappling even when hurt or extremely tired. Summation: Jim Miller has a very solid all around game, preferring to work from the top, displaying excellently timed defense to positional improvements by his opponents and scrambles quite well to neutral or advantageous positions. From the bottom, he displays a shrewd sense of how to isolate limbs while keeping the opponent mostly immobile. However, when going for broke, as he did against Henderson, Miller abandons position to hunt after submissions that are going to be very difficult to apply to slippery and smart opponents like Henderson or Nate Diaz. Nate works out for the press and photogs. Photo by Esther Lin of MMA Fighting. Diaz's Fights: The Gray Maynard fight was passed over for this article as very little of that fight took place on the ground and Diaz was largely able to deter an oddly complacent Maynard from working any takedowns with his boxing. Long ago, Nate showed his tendency to offer up his back while hunting hip tosses, kimuras or just plain getting away while battling Clay Guida at UFC 94. He is much better at selecting his opportunities, but it is worth noting that apart from one hammerlock Guida attempted, very little damage to Nate resulted from these tactics. Closer to the present day, the fight against Joe Stevenson at UFC Live on Versus was a terrific display of one fighter being one or two steps ahead of a very attack-minded opponent. Stevenson may be more famous for his Ultimate Fighter days or for his near sacrificial lamb bout against B.J. Penn, but he is a very good submission grappler. Each time Nate went for a kimura or a guillotine, Joe Daddy was defending and looking to improve position. Nate did come close with a guillotine and briefly had mount, but Joe bucked him off and secured his own top position well. An old Judo Chop explains the spladle Joe Daddy used to put Nate in a very uncomfortable position. As a bonus, I dug up a live blog of the Kurt Pellegrino fight done by Luke Thomas: Herb Dean is the ref. Pellegrino gets a quick single leg takedown and gets Nate's back. Diaz eating punches and trying to get up. Pellegrino swings to north-south and back to back control. Crowd chanting DIAZ DIAZ. Kurt puts Nate on his back, in the guard. Landing some shots from the top. Passes guard to side control. Batman is punishing Diaz in the beatdown position but a game Nate fights back to guard. Diaz certainly got his wish for tougher competition. Has a cut open on Nate's head. Diaz givea up his back and looks like he's out on his feet. Pellegrino has head control again, going for a d'arce. Diaz is struggling for a single and now has Kurt pushed against the cage standing. What a gamer! The round ends, I'd score it 10-8 for Pellegrino. Round 2: Feeling each other out on the feet, Pellegrino gets an easy single leg then moves from 1/2 guard to full guard. Rogan is puzzled. Elbows and hammer fists from the top. Diaz trying to get a kimura. Kurt escapes. Nate looking for a guillotine, nothing, goes for an omaplata, nothing. The stand and Diaz gets a good judo throw against the fence but Pellegrino reverses. No Diaz is standing and Pellegrino gets a slam, Diaz has a triangle! What a bad mofo!!!!! Damn Nate Diaz is for real. He took an asswhipping in the first round and comes back to submit Pellegrino! Great performance. Diaz did some great celebrating between locking in the choke and getting the tap. This is a star-making performance in my book. Pellegrino might have been the fighter to damage Nate the most on the ground in his career. Nate again hunted the kimura, guillotine and got a very quick triangle off a slam. Against Kim, Nate was taken down early in the first round by a fast double. While on the ground, Diaz showed some willingness to go for kneebars and the ability to consistently stuff a very good top game grappler's guard pass attempts. Just about every attempt by Kim to hop over a blocking leg was brought back down to the ground. Every positional advancement that Kim enjoyed was due to Nate offering up his back as bait for a kneebar or scramble. An inside trip in the second round secured another takedown for Kim, but little came of it as the elbows and active hips of Nate frustrated Kim again and again. Rory MacDonald has moved into MMA GIF history with his suplexes of Nate Diaz. However, the first of those suplex chains came from an inside trip that didn't exactly work. Nate gave up his back in an attempt to either get away or set up the Diaz brothers staple - the standing kimura roll. The third round suplex came off a failed ankle pick by Diaz, as he knew he was probably down two rounds to none on the judges' scorecards. The suplexes were spectacular, but Rory only got a few punches and elbows from them, as Nate was launching upkicks continuously and fending MacDonald off. The Takanori Gomi fight was rather unusual in that instead of being taken down, Nate was able to leap to the back immediately after dropping Gomi. He was shrugged off as Gomi worked his defenses, but transitioned to an extremely nice armbar/triangle/armbar combination. This combination was so sweet that it made Gomi look clueless on the ground. That is not the case, as Gomi was an ADCC qualifier several times in no gi grappling and being dazed from several punches does not excuse Nate slicing through his defenses like a hot knife through butter. Summation: Nate loves the figure four grip on the far side arm - which is something Dave Camarillo preaches himself - and will use that grip to defend single legs quite well. A very fast double leg can and usually will deposit Nate on his back, but his active hips and nimble feet make it very difficult to pass guard or to avoid the triangle/armbars that he loves to apply. Nate has undeniably improved his grappling since the days of Stevenson and Guida, but the attacking-while-risking-position mentality has never gone away and probably never will. He loves turtling up and rolling for a submission or a re-guard to a triangle or kimura. Prediction Time: Given the propensity for both fighters to work kimuras, it is possible for the top person (likely Miller) to counter a kimura with an armbar. However, I strongly suspect that Miller will come out like Pellegrino did and stay low and tight. I also believe that Miller will avoid slamming Nate down, unless he gets the back, as that triangle/armbar is lethal. As for submitting Nate, Miller's best shot is to take the back off a bait-and-roll and go for the RNC. As the Guillard fight showed, you do not give your back to Jim Miller lightly. Danzig was able to get out, but Miller has only improved since that day. We could see a submission finish in this fight that builds from a counter to a counter, despite the very good positional and striking defense of both fighters. The excitement of the main event should be at an even higher level than it is now for the fighters are who they are - excellent submission grapplers and competent to very good strikers with near endless stamina.

Posted in: diaz, round, miller, nate, jim

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If you want to understand anything about the Diaz brothers, you should probably get yourself to Stockton. If you want to understand the important differences between Nick and Nate Diaz, and how the latter’s life might have turned out very differently if not for the former, you should probably go twice.That’s how it worked out for me, anyway. In retrospect, I’m actually kind of glad it happened that way. But only in retrospect.The first time I went to Stockton was in the summer of 2009, when I was sent there to do a cover story on Nick for Fight Magazine. I was there for three days, and I never even saw the man. Not once. Not even after I waited all afternoon one Sunday in a Mexican restaurant with a photographer who wanted to know if all MMA fighters were this difficult (they aren’t). Not even after I staked out his gym in downtown Lodi literally all the next day, only to have one of his blue belts flash me a confused look when I asked if he was expecting Nick to show up at any point."I wouldn’t think so," he said, as if the question itself was slightly ridiculous. I left yet another voicemail for Nick, then the next morning I left Stockton without my story. I thought about that failed venture every time I heard Nick complain that nobody would put him on the cover of a magazine. I thought about it when he insisted that no reporters would dare come to Stockton and see the world from his point of view. You better believe I thought about it when the UFC Magazine wanted to send me back there to do a story on Nick’s younger brother a little over a year later. No thanks, I thought at first. I got a good look at that Mexican restaurant the first time. What reason was there to think that Nate would be any easier to work with than Nick had been?I found out how wrong I was almost as soon as I got to town. Nate had just finished training for the evening, he told me via text as I made the drive from the Oakland airport into Stockton. Did I want to meet him and some friends of his for smoothies? After briefly considering the possibility that smoothies was slang for a crazy type of weed I didn’t even know about, I told him sure, I could drink a smoothie. When I showed up at the smoothie place and he was actually there, as promised, I knew we were already off to a better start.We drank our smoothies outdoors on a warm October night and Nate explained to me why he hated the UFC’s practice of making fighters who might one day have to face each other in the cage share time and space at media appearances and in airport shuttles. The way he saw it, this was intentional. It was the UFC’s attempt to make professional fighting "like some sport," when, at least in his mind, there was nothing sporting about trying to break other people’s limbs and faces on live TV. To pretend otherwise was to buy into an illusion, which Nate seemed to believe would only harm his performance. Better for his opponent to assume he was a psycho hell-bent on destruction, he explained, than for the guy to get comfortable in his presence. The tradeoff was that it made him out to be a madman or a thug in the eyes of public, and he knew it."People can think what they want, but if you hang out with me, I’m chill," he said. "The only time people see me is when I’m on TV fighting, and that’s when I’m at war. That’s not how I am all the time."And that seemed true enough. We spent that night driving around Stockton in his souped-up Chevy Silverado with a Tupac CD as our soundtrack (the entire time I was with him, from the car to the gym, I don’t recall him listening to anything but Tupac). Nate explained how the Stockton I was seeing was a gentrified (my word, not his) version of the one he grew up in. These days it was strip malls and chain stores (though it was still on the verge of being named the most "miserable" city in America by Forbes magazine), but it had been much worse in the years prior. Growing up here, Diaz learned a certain tough guy code before he learned anything else. He learned how not to stare at people, and yet how not to look away. He learned when trouble was about to start up, and how to make other people believe he was ready for it.But Nate will tell you now that it wasn’t until high school that he really learned to fight. Even then it was more Nick’s doing than his. Nick was the motivated one, the focused one. Nate was just the kid who wanted to tag along with his big brother. At first, Nate admitted, he wasn’t terribly interested in jiu-jitsu. He also wasn’t very good. What kept him coming back was that, after practice, the older guys in the class would usually buy he and his brother a burrito from the food truck that pulled up near the gym each night."That was actually the main reason I wanted to go train," he said. "I didn’t have any money. At home we didn’t have s--t. I was starving all day. So if I went to train I’d get something to eat. Sometimes I’d be sitting at home and it was like, well, if I go train with Nick I’ll get something to eat afterwards. If I don’t I’ll just sit here and be hungry. ...I was going for burritos and dinner, and hey, I wanted dinner every day. Before I knew it I was a blue belt."As he got better at jiu-jitsu and went from being the tappee to the tapper, he also discovered a side effect he didn’t expect: happiness. The endorphins from the exercise briefly made him forget the anger and hopelessness he’d come to regard as normal. He wasn’t any good in school, and teachers were always telling him that the best he could hope for was staying out of prison, and they didn’t seem too optimistic about his chances of accomplishing even that. But after following his brother to the gym night after night, suddenly he had a skill worth cultivating. He had something resembling a future. And because Nick fought in local MMA events, it seemed completely reasonable that he should too. It wasn’t even much of a choice. Next thing he knew, he was a pro fighter.Here’s where it’s difficult to overstate the influence that Nick Diaz had on his brother. Without him to funnel Nate’s energy into something productive, who knows what would have become of him. The same was true even after Nate had a career to focus on.For instance, he said, there was the time the WEC wanted him to fight Hermes Franca for its lightweight title. At the time, Franca had more than 20 pro fights, whereas Diaz had about six. To make matters worse, when he showed up the week of the fight, the promoter had a few changes in mind that didn’t seem beneficial to Nate. He didn’t know better, so he was ready to agree to whatever the WEC management suggested. Then Nick stepped in. If they wanted his brother to fight, he told them, they needed to up his pay. After a little back and forth on the exact sum, Nick had argued the price all the way up from two grand to show and another three to win, to $12,000 -- win or lose.As Nick put it when I asked him about it later, "They changed all the rules for that fight. ...We decided he needed to get paid as much as I get paid."Nate remembered trying to keep a straight face throughout the last-minute negotiations, but internally it was a different story."I was just like, are you kidding me?! I couldn’t believe it. I thought, man, I’m going to be a thousandaire. I’m going to buy a house!"He lost that fight, but he wouldn’t lose another one until Clay Guida took a close decision over him at UFC 94, nearly two and a half years later. By then, he was well on his way to becoming a seasoned pro and a UFC lightweight contender, and all while he was still less than a decade removed from being the kid who had only showed up to jiu-jitsu in order to get fed.Does any of that happen without a big brother like Nick there to guide him and push him? Probably not. Probably something much worse happens instead. Probably most of us never learn Nate Diaz’s name, or at least not for any positive reasons. It’s easy for us to think about them as two halves of the same mean-mugging whole, as if they’re more or less interchangeable. We think about Nick’s legacy as a fighter and a genuinely fascinating, but also baffling figure in the MMA world. But when we think about him only as a fighter, we forget what he’s already accomplished as a brother.The closest I came to getting a true glimpse of the importance of that relationship came just before I left Stockton for the second time. I’d spent all Saturday in their Lodi gym, though this time they were both there, for several hours. When they finally wrapped up a marathon training session I got to sit with Nate in the locker room and show him an old photo of him, his brother, and -- according to Nate -- their sister, which had been floating around the internet for the last few years.Nate instantly recognized the photo when I brought it out, but it seemed as if he hadn’t looked at it in years. He certainly didn’t seem aware that it was on the internet, or that it had been passed around so much by fans who had become enthralled with the legend of the Diaz brothers and their life in the 209."We were like third grade or second grade here. It’s crazy," he said, his eyes misting over. "Man we grew up in poverty, in the ghetto, just a really s----y environment. Like right here, we lived in a hotel. Us and my mom, just living in a hotel."Back then, he explained, his big brother was his guide to the whole world, just like he would later become his guide to the world of MMA. Their mother, he said, tried to keep them out of trouble and focused on the positive things in their lives."We were pissed off kids, but she’d say, ‘No, people are good,’" Diaz said. "But growing up, Nick was older, he knew everything was bad. He knew other people weren’t like this, they had good stuff and nice houses. We’d be sitting in the motel waiting for my mom to get off work. My sister and I didn’t know any better. As long as cartoons were on, we were fine. But Nick, he knew. People would always mess with Nick. He’s always been like that."What are you supposed to say to these guys now that they’re grown men, living under the microscope of a sport that doesn’t always know what to make of them? How are you supposed to get them to play nice, to work well with others, after they spent most of their lives learning the opposite lessons? Maybe the answer is that you don’t. It’s hard enough just to get the vaguest idea of who they are and what they mean to one another. Even to get that, you’ve got to go all the way to Stockton. You might even have to go twice. In retrospect, you’ll be glad you did. But only in retrospect.

Posted in: time, nick, nate, brother, stockton

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With a win over Jim Miller Saturday on Sportsnet, Nate Diaz could surpass his older brother Nick Diaz in terms of his pedigree in MMA.

Posted in: diaz, mma, nick, nate, term

Read the full article at sportsnet.ca

NEW YORK -- It's been three months since Nick Diaz fought, three months since his forced exile from MMA following a UFC 143 post-fight drug test that came back positive for marijuana metabolites. While Diaz's legal team is currently embroiled in a lawsuit with the Nevada state athletic commission regarding a suspension, he's back home in Stockton enjoying some of his other athletic passions, including jiu-jitsu and triathlons. And judging from the comments of his brother Nate, he's not spending much time pining for a return to the octagon. "The way things have been going since forever, I don’t think he’s interested," Nate said. "He’s not interested in fighting, but who knows what’s going to happen in the future."Nick (26-8, 1 no contest) moved to the UFC in mid-2011 and was expected to face welterweight champ Georges St-Pierre for the title before skipping two press conferences and being yanked from the bout by UFC president Dana White. Diaz's actions were costly, because though he beat BJ Penn at UFC 137, he dropped a close unanimous decision to Carlos Condit just three months later, moving him out of top contender status. That's a spot his brother could reach this weekend with a win.While Nate continues making final preparations for his UFC on FOX 3 main event matchup with Jim Miller, Nick has been training for a jiu-jitsu superfight with vaunted grappler Braulio Estima at the World Jiu-Jitsu Expo on May 12 in Lon Beach, California.Nick also helped Nate prepare for this fight. As of Wednesday afternoon, Nate was not sure if Nick would make it to East Rutherford, New Jersey to support him on fight night, but if he makes it, he will be one of his cornermen for the bout. It's just one of the many things Nick has going on right now. Far from missing fighting, Nick might make fighting miss him."Most people retire but they don’t got s--- to do," Nate said. "They’re going to get fat, they’re going to get bored, they’re going to sit at home. Nick’s competing in a jiu-jitsu tournament next weekend. He just did four triathlons in the last two months, and he’s having fun, man. Staying busy."

Posted in: ufc, diaz, nick, month, nate

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Posted in: ufc, diaz, fox, nate, scrum

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Nate Diaz is getting ready to step in the Octagon with Jim Miller at UFC on Fox 3, but first, check out this full UFC 118 fight video of Nate Diaz vs. Marcus Davis. Retweet this Share on Facebook • Email • StumbleUpon • Reddit • Digg • Technorati • Instapaper • Tumblr • Google Reader • LinkedIn

Posted in: ufc, diaz, nate, jim miller, bull

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submitted by tekprodfx16 [link] [1 comment]

Posted in: diaz, tekprodfx, nate, hl, layziethesavage

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Nate Diaz will be the first to tell you that modern-day school lunches are based solely on surplus, not nutrition. The last time I talked to Nate, he told me America is spending more money on keeping people in prison than they are to properly feed our kids. Nate told me that food is a narcotic, so the entire country is addicted. We just need to make sure we're addicted to the right stuff, not sugar-coated lard squares. That's really the only conversations I've ever had with the Diaz brothers -- it always turns into a discussion on how food sucks which then shifts into Nick (or Nate) shadowboxing in the corner for no apparent reason. That's the Tao of the Diaz Brothers, and this Saturday we'll see Nick cornering Nate in a potential title eliminator bout against Jim Miller at UFC on FOX in East Rutherford, New Jersey. We'll be there on location, but in the meantime check out this video of Nate Diaz getting ready for his upcoming bout. It'll make your Monday morning go by just a little bit more smoothly if you do so.

Posted in: diaz, nate, nate diaz, diaz brothers, time i

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submitted by rx25 [link] [comment]

Posted in: fight, diaz, vs, nate, rx

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FanPost edited and promoted by MMAmania.com. Admit it, we've all pulled off a few fighter impressions over the years. Each and every one of us are guilty of doing Georges St. Pierre. Think not? Tell me if this sounds familiar: "I wuz not eempressed by yer performence!" Well, one mixed martial arts (MMA) fan had the cajones to record himself impersonating a handful of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) combatants, including Junior dos Santos, Nate Diaz, Chael Sonnen, Wanderlei Silva, B.J. Penn, Michael Bisping, Dan Henderson, Alistair Overeem and Quinton Jackson. There is also a special appearance from Anderson Silva. I think the guy did a decent job, the one I thought was the most on-point voicewise was Nate Diaz and I thought the "Reem" one was funny too. Editor's note: I like seven out of 10, but the one that had me laughing was "The Axe Murderer." Nate Diaz was probably number two for me. -JH

Posted in: diaz, quinton jackson, nate, fighter impressions, onpoint voicewise

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It appears Strikeforce finally has a plan in place regarding their still-vacant welterweight championship. Though not officially announced, a May bout between Nate Marquardt and Tyron Woodley will apparently involve the organization’s divisional title even though Marquardt will be making his 170-pound debut in the match-up. “It’s the best outcome I could have imagined, with all this. Like I said – back with Zuffa, back in a title-fight for my first fight back. It’s amazing,” said Marquardt on this week’s episode of Inside MMA, adding their clash would be contested over a five-round period. The belt has been on the shelf since Nick Diaz vacated it to join the UFC this past fall. “He’s a smart fighter, but at the same time, I have a lot more experience than him. It’s gonna be my fight to dictate where it goes,” Marquardt explained of his upcoming meeting with Woodley. Woodley is 10-0 in his career including recent wins over Paul Daley and Jordan Mein, while Marquardt holds an overall record of 31-10 with the bulk of his success coming at 185 pounds. “Nate the Great” has been out of action for more than a year after being released by the UFC due to testosterone use, then signing with BAMMA and waiting for a bout with Daley that never materialized. Marquardt Addresses Criticism of TRT It is expected Marquardt-Woodley will be added to next month’s Strikeforce event in San Jose currently co-headlined by Gilbert Melendez-Josh Thomson and Daniel Cormier-Josh Barnett. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC Tweet

Posted in: nate, marquardt, tyron woodley, woodley, ” marquardt

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A little less than a year ago Nate Marquardt was released by the UFC after an elevated level of testosterone forced his last-minute withdrawal from a headlining fight. Since then Marquardt has remained inactive, signing with BAMMA but never actually making his debut for the British promotion. Now, after inking a deal with Strikeforce, it appears “Nate the Great” will receive a crack at the company’s welterweight championship despite the circumstances surrounding his departure from the UFC, his yearlong stint on the shelf, or never having actually fought at 170 pounds. Though not officially announced by the organization, Marquardt recently revealed he’s been told that his May debut will involve the divisional belt. “It’s the best outcome I could have imagined, with all this. Like I said – back with Zuffa, back in a title-fight for my first fight back. It’s amazing. I also understand it’s gonna be a five round title fight for the 170 pound title,” stated Marquardt on Inside MMA where he confirmed the clash would come against unbeaten grappler Tyron Woodley. “You know, he’s a smart fighter, but at the same time, I have a lot more experience than him. It’s gonna be my fight to dictate where it goes,” Marquardt added on the topic of “T-Wood”. The match-up is expected to take place on May 19 at a show already featuring Gilbert Melendez defending his lightweight strap against Josh Thomson and the Grand Prix Final between Josh Barnett-Daniel Cormier. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Posted in: ufc, fight, nate, marquardt, lastminute withdrawal

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In the giant steel filing cabinet of life, this story needs to be filed away in the 'things that gotta suck' folder. Nate Patterson is a pro fighter out of Las Cruces New Mexico with a 2-1 record who has even fought at a couple of the Greg Jackson Jackson's MMA series fight nights. Unfortunately, Nate did not earn himself a victory in a little alcohol induced spontaneous fight last weekend. According to this KRQE news story, Nate got a little froggy at an apartment complex pool party last weekend and things didn't exactly go his way. A confrontation ensued with a man who was allegedly urging Patterson to calm down and leave the pool area. Patterson refused to leave and according to witness reports was finally KTFO in one punch by this guy after he realized he couldn't back away from Patterson's advances anymore. Patterson was out cold thanks to this mystery one punch (and possible UFC traner) KO artist. He even had to be life flighted to an El Paso hospital because he was unresponsive when police arrived. The only thing I can imagine Nate Patterson thinking when he finally came to in the ER at an El Paso Hospital is, 'oops, it wasn't supposed to happen that way'. Check it out: [source] MMA fighter knocked out at pool bash: krqe.com

Posted in: mma, nate, punch, thing, patterson

Read the full article at Middle Easy

UFC veteran and TUF season 5 winner Nate Diaz received his Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt from Cesar Gracie today. Cesar Gracie has also awarded black belts to other MMA stand outs like Nick Diaz, Jake Sheilds and Gilbert Melendez. Nate is coming off a UFC 141 win over Donald Cerrone and is set to face Jim Miller at UFC on Fox 3 for a shot at the UFC Lightweight Champion Benson Henderson.

Posted in: ufc, diaz, belt, nate, ufc veteran

Read the full article at Bloody Elbow

Hell yeah. After years of training Nate Diaz just ran the gauntlet at Cesar Gracie's gym and after Cesar slapped him one last time, Nate was awarded his black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Grats from everyone at MiddleEasy dude. Go home and listen to the Joe Rogan podacast tonight and relax in the way the 209 best sees fit (marijuana), you deserve it. If you haven't been following their antics on Twitter, Ronda Rousey, LayzieTheSavage and Mrs. LayzieTheSavage: Jessica Dawn have embarked on an adventure-laden road trip from the greater Los Angeles area to the Diaz household somewhere in the 209. We're aware of how rawesome Ronda Rousey training with the Cesar Gracie Fight Team is, so rest assured we are documenting the entire trip for your hungry little eyes to feast on. It's due to those magnificent circumstances that we were able to capture Nate being awarded his black belt just moments ago.

Posted in: diaz, belt, nate, cesar, middleeasy dude

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"Ultimate Fighter" season five Winner Nate Diaz has come a long way since his days on the reality TV series, and he's one fight away from becoming the seventh TUF winner to earn a shot at a UFC title. After putting on an impressive performance in his victory against...

Posted in: diaz, nate, ufc title, fighter season, tuf winner

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Jim Miller gives an inside look at his camp, and discusses his upcoming UFC on FOX 3 headlining bout against Nate Diaz.

Posted in: diaz, miller, nate, camp, jim

Read the full article at MMA Convert

Jim Miller has a huge fight on the horizon, as the lightweight will meet Nate Diaz in the main event of UFC on FOX 3 later this year. Were a headlining spot on FOX not enough, Miller and Diaz will be a five-round affair with the winner securing a shot at the lightweight belt currently being worn by Benson Henderson. “I know Nate pushes a good pace, so I want to be ready for anything,” said Miller in a video from his sponsors promoting the bout. “I really want to make a statement.” Miller is training alongside the likes of Charlie Brenneman at the AMA Fight Club in New Jersey. Watch the complete video below where the talented 155rr shows us some of the things he is currently working on and discusses the upcoming match-up with Diaz: PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Posted in: diaz, miller, nate, nate diaz, fiveround affair

Read the full article at Five Ounces of Pain

While Ben Henderson, Frankie Edgar and Anthony Pettis go round-and-round trying to sort out the lightweight title picture, another 155-pound clash set for UFC on Fox 3 on May 5 in New Jersey will go a long way in deciding the next name thrown into the mix. Jim Miller will take on Nate Diaz in the main event of the promotion's next foray onto network television and he wants to use the platform to make a statement. "Training's going good for this fight. We're nine weeks out right now so I'm doing a lot of technique and just trying to become a better fighter at this moment and build my cardio up. I know Nate pushes a good pace so I want to be ready for anything once I step into the Octagon. I really want to make a statement in this fight and really cement myself as one of the top 155-pounders." A win could either earn Miller a title shot or, at the very least, a number one contender bout, possibly against Pettis if he's still waiting around. Anyone think that's the picture about to be painted? Or will Diaz step in and play spoilsport?

Posted in: fight, diaz, miller, nate, statement

Read the full article at MMA Mania

"Training's going good for this fight, nine weeks out right now so I'm doing a lot of technique and just trying to become a better fighter at this moment and build the cardio up. I know Nate pushes a good pace, so I wanna be ready for anything once I step inside the Octagon. I really wanna make a statement in this fight and really cement myself as one of the top 155'ers." Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) lightweight contender Jim Miller will butt heads with Nate Diaz at UFC on FOX 3 on May 5, 2012, from the IZOD Center in East Rutherford, NJ, not far from the AMA Fight Club where he trains and calls home, alongside older brother Dan. The winner is expected to get the next crack at the division crown in the aftermath of Frankie Edgar vs. Ben Henderson II later this year. Who takes this battle of lightweight brawlers? More on Jim Miller vs. Nate Diaz right here.

Posted in: fight, miller, nate, nate diaz, jim

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Join us at Bloody Elbow to discuss tonight's third episode of MMA Uncensored Live, which airs on Spike at 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT. Hosts Nate Quarry, Craig Carton and Mike Straka will discuss a wide range of MMA topics.The show has been a bit uneven so far (to say the least) but there's room for growth and it's probably worthy of another chance. For those of you that missed the first two episodes, this is how co-host Nate Quarry describes the show: "More than anything, it's less of a sports reporting show talking about the scores that just happened and more of an opinion piece. It's a lot more like a forum than it is a news show. You know when you go to the forums and there's about 90% sh*t talking and 10% intelligence? We're hoping to raise the bar closer to 15%," Quarry quipped. Last week's episode featured an emotional retirement speech from Nate Quarry, which was pretty heartfelt. You can check it out here. This week, they will be previewing Bellator 60 and the featherweight title fight between Joe Warren and Pat Curran. Tune in and speak your piece here.

Posted in: mma, show, episode, nate, quarry

Read the full article at Bloody Elbow

Ariel Helwani caught up with Nate Diaz at the UFC on FOX 3 press conference and asked him some stuff about his fight with Jim Miller. Yeah, that's gonna be a scrap and a half, but you know what we wanna hear: Does Nate think his brother Nick is seriously gonna stay retired? Triathalon season is starting so he's getting ready, getting in shape for that and concentrating on being in shape, being healthy and helping me out and coaching me for this fight [against Jim Miller]. Right now, I don't think [we will see him back inside the Octagon]. He's big on, like I said, staying in shape and just being healthy right now. He's not worried about it. I think he's retired. He hasn't been into this whole fighting thing for some time ... since everything that goes on with the funny wins and losses. And not just for him, but for people on our team. So, I just think he's relaxed right now, you know? I think he's pretty set on his retirement, though. I kind of agree with him [about his decision]. It's hard to say -- he's my brother. I'm not going to tell him to go fight somebody. I think he's doing the right thing. He made enough money to just chill back, sit back and relax. People don't understand: Nick never had nothing. He came from not much, so when he complained a lot about not making a lot of money it's because there were so many people making more money than him and he works 10 times hard than them. So, they definitely paid him enough money to not have to anything. He doesn't need to fight. Jake Shields has said he thinks Nick is probably just burned out (heh) and will probably be back, but Jake doesn't know Nick the way Nate does. Nate's the one that busts into Nick's bedroom and kicks him out of bed when he sleeps through plane flights and press conferences. He's got 26 years worth of experience being Nick's little brother, so I'd put more stock in his answer than Jake's. Then again, Nate probably also knows it's not his place to say "Yeah Nick's still saying he's retired but between you and me he's probably full of sh*t." Which would be my choice for truest statement concerning Nick Diaz's retirement.

Posted in: nick, money, nate, brother, he

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Nick Diaz’s brother, Nate Diaz, and his biggest rival, Georges St. Pierre, give their latest thoughts on Nick now that the dust has settled in these pair of interviews with MMA Fighting’s Ariel Helwani and Heavy.com’s Dave Farra. Nate believes that Nick really is going to retire now that he’s earned enough money not to worry about it anymore. That’s certainly not what GSP wants to hear though. He thinks MMA needs a guy like Nick Diaz and still badly wants to fight him. Interestingly, GSP also noted that he doesn’t believe marijuana is a performance-enhancing drug and thinks Nick probably needs it to handle his anxiety issues, especially when he has to make public appearances.

Posted in: diaz, nick diaz, nick, nate, performanceenhancing drug

Read the full article at MMA Convert

Posted in: diaz, interview, nate

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NEW YORK -- Watch below as Nate Diaz talks about his upcoming UFC on FOX 3 fight against Jim Miller, the love he received at Tuesday's press conference, why he thinks his brother Nick Diaz will remain retired and whether he will convince him to come back to MMA.

Posted in: diaz, nick, nate, nate diaz, jim miller

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Nate Diaz wields double middle fingers like Garrus from Mass Effect rocks an expertly-tuned sniper rifle. That's an ode to my reserved copy of Mass Effect 3 that's sitting at some Gamestop in Hollywood, California. I'm not going to touch it until we get this new Top Ten list up later today, along with our freshly manifested One FC contest tomorrow. The fate of the planet can wait for a few more days. I'm sure you guys can hold it down in the meantime. Today at the UFC on FOX press conference in New York, Dana White announced what most people assumed would result from Nate Diaz vs. Jim Miller: the winner will get a UFC lightweight title shot. “Well, I’m still obviously still dealing with the whole Frankie Edgar thing. I’m talking to Frankie and we’ll figure this thing out...We did, we said the winner of (Diaz vs. Miller) would get the shot.” We're already assuming Dana White consulted with Nate Diaz in order to ensure that he won't fire off the double middle fingers on national television. Let's just hope Mayhem Miller doesn't enter the cage at any point on May 5, 2012. [Source]

Posted in: ufc, diaz, miller, nate, middle fingers

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UFC lightweight contenders Jim Miller and Nate Diaz join Nick Lembo of the New Jersey Athletic Control Board and UFC President Dana White for a press conference announcing the ticket sales for UFC on Fox 3. The event will be held on May 5, 2012 in the Izod Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Full card after the jump. More SBN Coverage of UFC on Fox 3 Nate Diaz (15-7) vs. Jim Miller (21-3) Josh Koscheck (17-5) vs. Johny Hendricks (12-1) Alan Belcher (17-6) vs. Rousimar Palhares (14-3) Pat Barry (7-4) vs. Lavar Johnson (16-5) SBN coverage of UFC on Fox 3 Tony Ferguson (13-2) vs. Dennis Hallman (51-14-2, 1 NC) John Dodson (12-5) vs. Darren Uyenoyama (7-3) John Hathaway (15-1) vs. Pascal Krauss (10-0) Danny Castillo (13-4) vs. John Cholish (8-1) Pablo Garza (11-2) vs. Dennis Bermudez (7-3) Nick Denis (11-2) vs. Johnny Bedford (18-9-1) Mike Massenzio (13-6) vs. Karlos Vemola (8-2) Louis Gaudinot (5-2) vs. John Lineker (19-5)

Posted in: ufc, fox, vs, john, nate

Read the full article at Bloody Elbow

Nate Quarry has officially retired from active duty as a mixed martial artist.

Posted in: ufc, nate, quarry, duty, artist

Read the full article at Sherdog

Nate Quarry has seen and participated in a tremendous amount of mixed martial arts history throughout his nearly 10 year professional career. A cast member of the inaugural season of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF), he was the first participant to actually earn a title shot, although he lost to Rich Franklin back at UFC 56. He had 10 total fights in the UFC, holding a 7-3 record in the promotion, but at 39 years old and realizing that time was no longer on his side, he's decided it's time to move on and take the next logical step. Tomorrow night, "The Rock" will be making his debut as an analyst on Spike TV' s mixed martial arts news show MMA Uncensored Live alongside Mike Straka and Craig Carton. The middleweight veteran spoke with MMAmania.com about his upcoming role in the show, what will help set them apart from everyone else and what fans can expect in this exclusive interview. Check it out: Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): What's your role on the show MMA Uncensored Live? We've seen a lot of fighters get an opportunity to be on shows like this with ESPN's MMA Live or Inside MMA. What do you expect your role to be on this show? Nate Quarry: More than anything, I'm just bringing street cred to the show. I'm the guy who's been there and done that and can speak for pretty much any situation a fighter is going to be in. I fought in a warehouse and I fought for the world title at the MGM Grand so any time we've had a fighter on there, I can relate to what they've gone through and my co-hosts Craig Carton and Mike Straka, they're the knuckleheads that'll be speaking from the total fans point of view or the journalist point of view and every once in a while they need to be kind of shut down and told how it really is in our world so I bring the fighter's view point but at the same time, before I was a fighter, I was a fan so I'm bringing the fan's viewpoint as well. I'll talk about the fights I want to see and what still excites me still after 15-16 years of watching fights. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): I'm interested in some of the preparation you've done before this show. I remember your work as a motivational speaker, watching one of your speeches about the heart and toughness and coming back from your back surgery. How much did being out there and all that experience speaking in front of large groups help you land this role? Nate Quarry: Yeah, it's been a huge part of it with my speaking for the company that had my invasive back surgery. Working with them, we had it to where I was able to travel around and speak to people that are suffering so I would go to hospitals and tell my story and half the crowd would be UFC fans and half the crowd would be 90 year old people with degenerative scoliosis so I had to learn how to feel and speak to everyone in the crowd, make them feel like I was here relating to them no matter who they may be. I attended the TED conference in San Francisco and even being a young child in church, I was always doing bible readings in front of crowds. Everything kind of led up into this moment and I think once you get the opportunity, that's when the work really starts. I'm starting to hone my craft so I can speak more fluently and fluidly as these opportunities have come my way. The biggest research and preparation I've had to do is memorizing everyone's names and their records. That's been the hardest thing for me because I'm so, so bad with names. We were doing a test shoot the other day and I was trying to think of Gray Maynard's name when Frankie Edgar fought him and I'm just sitting there saying, "You know, the guy. He fought last time at the thing and the did the what-what" and Mike Straka is just laughing at me because he knows everybody's names and their records and all that stuff. This is gonna be a live show too so you'll have plenty of fuel to trash me at the end of everybody episode for sure. I'll probably be mispronouncing names but it's gonna be fun. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): You also has some experience doing your own show. It wasn't on as big of a scale as this but American Cagefighter in California on Comcast, did that help you as well? I think you said that your role on that show was a little different than this one, though. Nate Quarry: Yeah, for that show, I was the host. I was the main host and a lot of it was me introducing segments as well where from here, I'm interacting with my co-hosts, I'm talking with the fighters and doing stuff that I really want to do where we can just sit around and talk about UFC 144. I'm not just sitting there introducing the segments and going from the camera shot to the commercial for it. We're sitting here talking about who I think is going to win. Is it going to be Edgar or Bendo? To me, that's where the fun comes in and it's not just us sitting around reporting the scores, it's us giving our opinions. Just like anybody, like you do with your friends when you talk about the upcoming fights. All the swearing and arguments that you've gotten in where you went back and forth, to me, that's the whole fun in the fight game. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Do you think that natural flow between the hosts, the opinion, is that going to help set your show apart from some of the other shows out there? Nate Quarry: Yes, I really do. We've got personalities. Craig Carson is the number one sports radio guy in New York. Mike Straka, he left Fox News to follow MMA several years ago and now this is his dream job as well where he just gets to sit down and talk about fighting and he's been doing that with fighters for years. Then you've got me. I've always been one of the most opinionated guys. I've just never been given an opportunity to say my opinion. I think having the three of us interacting with each other, and Straka has already been screaming and yelling at me and I've had to tell him to use his inside voice. You're not gonna get that on any of the other shows. You take a fighter who doesn't even own a suit and you pour him into one, he just looks so stiff. With us, it's clothes we would wear on the street. It's words we would use on the street. I hope my mother's not watching. It's gonna be fun more than anything. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): You guys have a great first show lined up. Dan Henderson is planned to be your first fighter guest. Do you feel that will add a lot of legitimacy to the show, getting a guy that's in line to fight for the UFC light heavyweight title in 2012 to be on your debut show, an MMA legend? Nate Quarry: Yeah, I think right out of the gate it's gonna show that we have such a good show that Dan Henderson is wanting to be a part of it. He doesn't have to do anything so we're just really thankful for him being on. I've known Dan for 15 or 16 years and it's nice to sit him down once again and talk about his career, where he's come from and where he's going. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Do you feel like you guys are going to be able to give out good balanced view of everything? There are some shows that only show UFC stuff, some shows only discuss other stuff that they have a corporate interest in. Do you feel like you'll be able to give everybody a fair shake? Nate Quarry: Well, obviously we're gonna spend a majority of time talking about the UFC because it's the biggest show, but Bellator's gonna be making a big wave too in the next coming year so we'll be taking a big focus on that too but because we're not expressly affiliated with any one brand, that gives us an opportunity to talk about whatever we want to talk about. We're not a UFC sponsored show. We're not a Bellator sponsored show. We're here to talk about every show from the smallest to the biggest. To me, that's just very exciting. It's not gonna be a half hour advertisement for UFC or for Bellator or anything. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Dan Herbertson, one of the best MMA reporters out there from Japan, he hinted this morning that he's debuting a big story about the death of Pride in Japan and all that stuff on Thursday through Spike TV. Is that going to be something that you guys have on your show? Nate Quarry: Yeah, that's an incredible segment that we're doing on Pride and behind the scenes and the involvement with the Yakuza. It's cool to see this footage and see the interviews that everyone's got together. We've got this behind the scenes stuff that you never really see. Some people, they just watch the fights and then they turn it off and that's the entire thing. They don't think about the behind the scenes stuff where they sit these guys down and even myself, I cornered Dan Henderson when he fought [Murilo] Bustamante and what an incredible experience to be there and be behind the scenes and see the two fighters be given a duffel bag full of cash. I'm not gonna anything about the Yakuza because I like my pinkies but that's going to be a big show. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): So is that something that's going to be an important part of your show, these really big segments to get these well-researched stories out there? Nate Quarry: Yeah, I think it's going to depend on the week. It's going to depend on what big fights are going on and what's the big controversy. We're not affiliated with any organization so sometimes the controversy will be Joe Rogan confronting Mario Yamasaki in that one fight where he disqualified Erick Silva and what a controversy on that or maybe something about better training with judges and referees or it will be Nick Diaz failing his drug test and missing his rematch with Condit or it will be a recent fight like Sanchez-Ellenberger and how the UFC made a mistake and it should have been five rounds and it was only three rounds. Did that give Ellenberger a break? It's a bunch of things that the fans are already sitting around and sharing their opinions about. We're no different. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): I read that there's gonna be something called live Twitter interaction because the show's gonna be live. Can you tell me about the whole twitter interaction thing that you guys are planning for the show? Nate Quarry: Yeah, we're gonna have this hashtag #MMAUncensored so if people are tweeting to me or Straka or Craig Carton, we're gonna be looking at those tweets during the show and we'll pick out a couple of them to ask myself or Mike Straka or maybe even Dan Henderson. So the fans will really just be the fourth person there in the studio trying to get their names on the wall so we can relate to them and answer their questions. Like I did on my facebook on my twitter, I said, "We've got Dan Henderson coming on. What questions do you want me to ask him?" I see these fans who just love MMA so much, they've got these incredible thought-provoking questions that I never would have thought of myself. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Just promise me you guys won't just pick out the most vanilla questions like, "Who's your favorite fighter" and "How was training camp" and stuff like that. Nate Quarry: You know, it's funny you would say that because we were talking the other day about what questions to ask and that was one of the questions, "who do you want to fight next?" and "What's your gameplan for upcoming fight?I said, "Man, I'm not gonna ask that. First off, you're going to get the answer every single time about the gameplan: 'Well, I'm training for everything because he's a well-rounded fighter.'" You're never going to get, "Well, right now I'm working on my double jab into an overhand right so I can shoot with a double-leg takedown. I think this is really going to work well and he's not going to be expecting it." You heard it here first on MMA Live Uncensored, double jab into overhand right into double leg takedown and I hope your opponent is not watching! Those questions are never going to be answered so what I'm going to be asking or talking to Dan Henderson about, we're going to be looking back at the times he's came through and where he's going now which I honest want to know as a human being. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): That's very refreshing. Now I don't know if you're even aware of this one, but two hours ago, Vitor Belfort tweeted at you that he wants to train together with you and get you in his next camp for his fight with Wanderlei. Did you see that and do you have a response? Nate Quarry: I woke up this morning and I saw that and I was like, "What the hell?" I didn't even know I was on Vitor's radar. That was really surprising to me. I don't even know what camp he trains at or where he's at. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): I believe he's at Xtreme Couture. Nate Quarry: Oh, so he's in Vegas. Well, I'll reach out to him for sure but with my weekly commitment here in New York City, I don't see how that would be possible. But yeah, talk about waking up in the morning and getting a surprise. That was amazing. I couldn't believe that. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Does it concern you at all, you were originally going to be doing a thing with MMA Junkie but they got cold feet a month or two out. Do you have any words on that? Nate Quarry: To me, it doesn't really matter. I'll let the businessmen decide what they're gonna do. I'm just gonna focus on the show and to me, that means I get to be a fan and a fighter and express my opinions and that's a great job to me. I'll let the higher-ups worry about their drama and their politics and everything. I just want to sit around and talk about fighting. This is an incredible opportunity for me. I'm really hoping that once the show gets going, everyone will see that we're not here to hurt anyone or compete against anyone. We're just here to talk about fighting. Hopefully everyone will jump on board and recognize that and want to be a part of what we're doing. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): This has nothing do to with the show at all, but since you're such a big fan of zombies and everything, how cool was it that you got an opportunity to be a guest zombie on the Left for Dead video game? Nate Quarry: That was pretty awesome. My buddy works at Valve Software and when I wasn't in the first UFC game, he called me and said, "We've got to put you in a game here," so I went up to Seattle and they used some digital photos of me in some 3-dimensional photos and they put me in the game. That was really cool and it played right into my Zombie Cagefighter line. I hate to say there are times in my career that I was left wanting but people spat in my face, betrayed my trust, stabbed me in the back but then for every person that's ever stabbed me in the back, there's two or three or even five guys that stood up and helped me when I needed it and it's just an awesome opportunity to do any of this stuff. To be a zombie in a video game, to be able to sponsor some fighters with my Zombie Cagefighter line in Dream or in Bellator and see people wearing my shirts around or getting excited about it, it's a dream come true. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): That's about everything I had for you Nate, but before I let you go, did you have any last words about the show or anything else you wanted to add? Nate Quarry: Nothing I can really think of. I think you pretty much covered everything. (laughs) MMA Uncensored Live debuts tomorrow night, Thursday, February 23rd at 11 p.m. eastern time on Spike TV. You can follow Nate on twitter @NateRockQuarry.

Posted in: show, nate, quarry, im, mmamaniacom

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It looks like Strikeforce finally has a plan in place regarding their vacant welterweight title. According to a report on this week’s episode of UFC Tonight, Nate Marquardt has been signed to fight at 170 pounds in Strikeforce and will likely make his debut later this year in a championship clash with unbeaten contender Tyron Woodley. No specific or even general date was mentioned for the match-up. Marquardt made a name for himself in the UFC where he even competed on the organization’s first Fight Night in 2005. He was last seen in the Octagon a little less than a year ago where he beat Dan Miller. However, Marquardt was cut a few months later after showing an elevated level of testosterone leading up to a scheduled bout. He has not fought since despite signing a deal with BAMMA. Marquardt Explains his Side of the Story Pertaining to UFC Release Among the numerous instances of notable success for Marquardt are wins over Martin Kampmann, Rousimar Palhares, Kazuo Misaki, and Demian Maia. “Nate the Great” holds an overall record of 31-10 with 23 stoppages including ten TKOs and thirteen submissions. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC Tweet

Posted in: ufc, strikeforce, nate, nate marquardt, marquardt

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Nate Marquardt is an enigma. He has an unshakable faith in Jesus, but he doesn’t hesitate to bend the rules a bit in order to try to break his opponent’s neck. He is the sweetest, meekest, most soft-spoken guy in the world, but he is juiced out his ass AND his balls. Now, adding further to the enigma, Dana White believes that Nate Marquardt is “disgusting and has no business fighting” for Zuffa, but he will be returning to the Zuffa-Forza promotional umbrella, likely fighting for the Strikeforce welterweight title against Tyron Woodley later this year. This is a very good development for Marquardt, who is probably itching for a paycheck. He was cock teased by BAMMA for several months without ever actually fighting for them, and he is a pretty generous guy (when I went to his gym as a guest, he refused to even charge me a drop-in fee,) so he deserves to be able to make some money fighting. It remains to be seen how Marquardt will withstand the cut to 170 pounds, but he really had nowhere to go in the UFC middleweight division. Ergo, Strikeforce is not a bad place for him to end up. This move also lends Strikeforce some much-needed talent. Maybe this was Dana White’s grand plan for Strikeforce once it “handed over the reigns”: to turn it into Australia. If you’re “disgusting”, have bad BO, got hit with your second steroid suspension, or throw sucker punches, they can send you to the promotion where all the misfits earn their bread. Some pretty good fighters are misfits, so I would watch this. They could invite Renato “The Asshole” Sobral back under these auspices (David Heath shouldn’t have called him “motherf*cker” anyway.) Heck, they could even decorate the venues like Mos Eisley Cantina and invite Amanda Lucas over for the party.

Posted in: strikeforce, nate, doesn ’t, nate marquardt, marquardt

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Only eight months after receiving his UFC walking papers, Nate Marquardt has become a member of the Strikeforce roster.

Posted in: ufc, strikeforce, nate, member, marquardt

Read the full article at Sherdog

Imagine this scenario. You move in to a new apartment and instantly start to discover odd things. First, the previous tenants have left behind an Elvis mug. Who knows why? Next, taking the pictures off the wall you notice they have also sellotaped pictures of the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints to the back. Finally, you find Mormon pamphlets in one of the cupboards. The feeling of living in someone else’s house is strong and unsettling but hey, don’t let that stop you drinking out of an idolater’s Elvis mug. That’s the best metaphor I can come up with to describe the situation that Nate Marquardt is now in as he moves into Tyron Woodley’s house, the Strikeforce 170lb division, where Woodley has declared himself the unofficial champion. As reported on Fuel TV’s UFC Tonight show last night, Marquardt has signed with Strikeforce and has verbally agreed to face Woodley in a bout one would expect to be for the vacant welterweight belt, rumored to do down in May. For those that do not know, after his fight with Yoshiyuki Yoshida, along with the whole BAMMA 9 event was pulled from a February 11th date, Nate and his manager Lex McMahon negotiated an amicable split with the British promotion in order to find fights elsewhere. This Strikeforce contract comes eight months after losing his job with the UFC and ten months after his last fight, a unanimous decision win over Dan Miller. Credit to Obilo Nwokogba for the banner image.

Posted in: fight, strikeforce, nate, marquardt, woodley

Read the full article at Middle Easy

It appears Strikeforce has strayed from the norm, signing notable free agent Nate Marquardt in hopes of strengthening the organization’s roster by inking a legitimate contender with name value. Marquardt brings both experience and ability with him, jp;domg numerous wins against respected adversaries including Rousimar Palhares, Martin Kampmann, Dan Miller, and Demian Maia. News of the 32-year old’s signing was confirmed on this week’s episode of UFC Tonight. He is expected to debut against Tyron Woodley with divisional gold on the line. Marquardt has been out of action for nearly a year after enduring an unfortunate mixture of injuries and contractual issues. He was released by the UFC relating to his use of doctor-prescribed testosterone, essentially being banished at the time, then signed with BAMMA before parting ways with the British promotion based on the company’s overall inactivity. “Nate the Great” holds an overall record of 31-10 with 23 stoppages while only having been finished a single time himself in more than seven years. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Posted in: ufc, year, nate, marquardt, tyron woodley

Read the full article at Five Ounces of Pain

Former UFC middleweight Nate Marquardt has signed with Strikeforce. The move was announced by Ariel Helwani on tonight's episode of UFC Tonight on Fuel. Fuel TV's twitter account verified the news as well: @FUELTVFUEL TV #BREAKING: @arielhelwani announced on #UFCTONIGHT - former #UFC Middleweight @NathanMarquardt has signed to @Strikeforce. Feb 22 via web Favorite Retweet Reply Marquardt, who went 10-4 in his middleweight run in the UFC, was released by the promotion shortly before UFC on Versus 4, where he was going to make his welterweight debut against Rick Story. Marquardt had issues with his testosterone replacement therapy and couldn't get his levels under the Pennsyvlania Athletic Commission's set limit, which forced Dana White to remove him from the fight (and the company) and replace him with Charlie Brenneman. Nate had signed with BAMMA a few months ago, but card delays led to him never fighting for the organization. He was released from his contract with them a few weeks ago, and will now join Strikeforce. It is unclear at this point if he will be competing at 185 or 170.

Posted in: ufc, strikeforce, nate, middleweight, marquardt

Read the full article at Bloody Elbow

Nate Marquardt is back in the Zuffa family. Less than a year after his departure from UFC, Marquardt has signed a new deal with Strikeforce to compete in their welterweight division.

Posted in: strikeforce, nate, marquardt, zuffa family, ufc marquardt

Read the full article at MMA Weekly

Nate Marquardt's professional purgatory is over. One of the MMA world's top free agents, the veteran has been signed by Zuffa, but in a surprise move, inked to the UFC's sister promotion Strikeforce.The signing, confirmed by Zuffa's Dana White, was reported on Tuesday's edition of FUEL TV's "UFC Tonight."Marquardt, a perennial top 10 middleweight during a six-year run in the UFC, is expected to compete as a welterweight in Strikeforce. The 32-year-old hasn't fought since last March, when he earned a unanimous decision victory over Dan Miller at UFC 128. One of the more bizarre episodes in UFC history led to his release. In June 2011, Marquardt seemed set to make his welterweight debut in a match against Rick Story, but on the day of weigh-ins, he was denied a fighter's license by the Pennsylvania state athletic commission after failing to satisfy the requirements for a therapeutic use exemption for hormone replacement therapy. He was immediately cut from the organization by White.Just about one month later, Marquardt signed with UK promotion BAMMA, making him the highest-profile fighter in the organization's short history. As it turns out, he never actually fought in their cage.After Marquardt's BAMMA debut was delayed twice by the promotion, the two sides parted ways in January, allowing Marquardt to explore other opportunities. While UFC president Dana White said in the aftermath of the Marquardt firing that Marquardt would never fight for the UFC again, he never closed the door on a possible Strikeforce signing. Just last month, White seemed to acknowledge that he was open to a Marquardt return, saying "I don't dislike Nate. I like Nate very much. We'll see what happens."What happened is a return into the Zuffa family, where Marquardt will be a welcome addition to a division that is clearly lacking in veteran star power. Aside from Tyron Woodley, top fighters in the division include Tarec Saffiedine, Jordan Mein and Jason High.

Posted in: ufc, promotion, nate, zuffa, marquardt

Read the full article at AOL Fanhouse

Representin' the 209! Get your hands on Nick and Nate Diaz (without getting choked out in the process) when Round 5 releases their limited edition figurines this April as part of its "Ultimate Collector" Series 9. Get all the details here.

Posted in: diaz, nick, nate, nate diaz, edition figurines

Read the full article at MMA Mania

Whatever you're currently doing at the moment, there's a large probability that Nate Diaz isn't interested in it. Well, unless you're talking about living a gluten-free lifestyle. Nate could effortlessly talk a hole through your brain when it comes to eating healthy. He could then tell you how to close that hole using all-natural supplements and holistic remedies. In reality, Nate Diaz is just a down-to-earth guy that has an extreme obsession with firing machine guns at inanimate objects. LayzieTheSavage caught up with the 209er at The Gun Store in Las Vegas, Nevada for an autograph signing and cut this slick video in return. You're going to like it because you can't get enough of the Diaz brothers. Don't worry, I know you better than you know yourself.

Posted in: diaz, nate, gun, youre, machine guns

Read the full article at Middle Easy

While paying the same price to watch a PPV on the UFC's website as you would to see it on TV may seem like a bit of a rip, at least there's some cool bells and whistles attached to the internet version. You have your choice of cameras to watch, and your choice of audio. Sick of Goldy hawking Corn Nuts? Turn the announcers off. Wanna feel like you're sitting in your favorite fighter's corner? They've got an isolated audio feed for each corner too. That's what Bloody Elbow user KGNLuc used to transcribe everything going on between Nick's cornermen Nate Diaz and Richard Perez. Here's some highlights: (before the fight)Red Corner (probably talking to the corner-team): Be calm in the corner. That’s where the cameras are, they’re tryin’ t make us look bad. The camera [...] is makin’ us look bad for freakin’ out so be calm on the cameras (round 1)Nate: He’s tryin to make you chase him too. Cut him off real good. He’s tryin to coast for five rounds. Cut him off good!(round 2)Nate (to a teammate, 4:03): He’s got nothin on him, dude. He’s just tryin to set stuff up. (right here, Condit throws a spinning elbow at around 3:58) See, that’s the kind of ass*ole-sh*t he’s got. But ... he better land a good one if he wants to end it cause he can’t really do too much.Red Corner (somebody else than the staff that could be heard so far 3:08): Condit you pussy!Red Corner: You can run all day!(between rounds 2 and 3)Nate: You ain’t gonna have to chase him so much, too. You can if you want but you don’t have to. He’s trying to make you chase him around some hard shit (?). You can wave him down like "Come to me motherf*cker!". [...]You won the last two rounds so keep doin what you’re doin. But you can make him come to you too. Or do what you want. You can do that too, he ain’t doin nothin. (round 3)Nate (no clock yet...right at the start oft he round): It’s lookin goodRed Corner: You think so?Nate: Yah, two – zero.Red Corner: Sometimes though, they...Nate: Nah, two to zero. Everybody knows that. F*ck that! The guy ain’t doin nothin. He’s doin what he can though. After the jump, rounds 4, 5, and the aftermath: Greasing allegations and Nate Diaz's scorecard. read more

Posted in: round, ’t, nate, corner, ’s tryin

Read the full article at Fightlinker

Promoted from the FanPosts by Kid Nate. A lot has been said and written about Nick Diaz’ fight with Carlos Condit. One point of discussion has been Diaz seeming inablility to adapt in a fight that was at least close or – in the opinion of many fans and more importantly the judges – he was losing. Personally I thought Diaz did win the fight, but this is definitely a case of "could’ve gone either way". More interesting to me is the question, what was going on with Nick, wether he was following a gameplan, if he really did get bad advice by his corner and so on. Luckily, the UFC provides an audio-stream straight from the corner of Nick Diaz. Even more luckily for you gentlemen I had the insane idea to make a transcript of the high-points for the poor suckers who do not get these streams for free like us germans. Obviously I did regret that decision by the time I tried to decipher the screaming of Nate Diaz and the Gracie-Team for the first minute. But well…gotta finish what you started and give back to the community and such. So I pulled through. However: I was unable to identify any other speaker than Nate Diaz, so I just labled them "Red Corner". Most oft he time, it probably was probably Richard Perez (that was the white-haired guy that came out between rounds, right? The boxing coach?). I left out the inconsequential stuff such as "you want water?" most of the time. Whenever you see [...] I couldn’t understand what was being said and that piece is missing. Whenever you don't see that I probably still left out a bit. All these are direct quotes however, as precise as was possible. The timecodes are from the clock in the round and not extremely acurate but they’ll give you an idea, what was said when and it's the only way to sync everybody regardless of the source. Before Rd1: Nate: Fuck this guy, be smart a’right? Nate: Wake up, Dude! Wake up! There you go! Red Corner (probably talking to the corner-team): Be calm in the corner. That’s where the cameras are, they’re tryin’ t make us look bad. The camera [...] is makin’ us look bad for freakin’ out so be calm on the camera’s Nate: Watch that straight right left hook he’s gonna try, straight right – left hook. Red Corner: Let’s go Diaz! Be smart! Let’s do it!Round 1: Red Corner (right after the first leg kick): Check that kick Nate: Watch that straight right – left hook! Nate (4:43): Put that chin down! Red Corner (4:05): Box him up, Nick! Nate (4:07): Feints too! Feints! Make him throw! Red Corner (3:45): Turn it up! He’s trying to run! He’s trying to run! Nate (3:36, probably talking about Condit): Yeah, he gets hit. He gets hit with shots. Nate (3:34): Feints too, make him throw! Red Corner (3:30): Turn it up! Turn it up! Right there! Nate (commenting as Condit slips away): Hit and run... Nate (3:!4): Body! Body! Red Corner (3:08): You got him against the cage! Nate (3:04): Cut him off, don’t chase him! Red Corner (3:02): Cut him off, don’t follow! (The command is repeated many (!) times from here on out till the end of the round) Nate (answering to a question I can’t understand at 2:36): Trying to tag with a hard shot, that’s why. He’s probably tryin to win with a hard shot.. Red Corner (2:22): Cut him off, don’t let him get out! Nate (2:20): Let’s get on that body too! Nate (2:04): There you go! Set up the body! Red Corner (2:01): You stand up tall! Nate (after a spinning elbow by Carlos at 1:58): Fuckin’ dick! Red Corner (1:45): Get in and get out! Don’t let him get off! Work that body [...] Nate (after another leg-kick, 1:42): Check that shit! Red Corner (1:31): He’s landet the better shots so far Nate (1:30): Yah. Nate (1:27): He’s tryin to pace for five rounds. Nate (as Nick is pressing Carlos against the fence): Shorter! Shorter! Red Corner (1:14): Flank him! Come on! Get him against the cage! Body! Nate (0:56): Cut him off good! Red Corner (0:55): Get that body again! Keep that pace Nick! Red Corner (after Condit escapes again and a lot of "Cut him off!" previously): You let him get off again! Don’t let him get off! Red Corner (0:26): Back him up! Take a step forward! Set it up! Step forward! Turn it up!At this point I realized this would take forever and decided to drop most of the redundand stuff or sum it up!Before Rd 2: Nate: Sit down, sit down. Richard Perez: Don’t let him circle, you hear? When you got him against the cage... Nate (interrupting): Deep breaths, deep breaths. Richard Perez: Deep breaths, put of your mouth! Now...when you back him up against the cage Nick, you gotta stay in his face hard, you understand? So what you’re gonna do is your gonna pump that jab... Nick: (to Nate, interrupting) Gimme the bottle of water. Richard Perez: And you go to the body and then back to the head. Head-Body, it’s wide open, you can get him. Nate: He’s tryin to make you chase him too [him and Perez talking over each other] Cut him off real good. Nate: He’s tryin to coast for five rounds. Cut him off good!Round 2(I’ll leave most of the constant screams of "cut him off" here. Know that they are there till the fight ends) Red Corner (4:35): Here comes the headkick! (Actually there’s another leg kick) Red Coner (4:10): Keep comin. You have it there, dog! Nate (to a teammate, 4:03): He’s got nothin on him, dude. He’s just tryin to set stuff up. (right here, Condit throws a spinning elbow at around 3:58) See, that’s the kind of asshole-shit he’s got. But...he better land a good one if he wants to end it cause he can’t really do too much. Red Corner (3:41): You gotta throw your punches down the middle! Nate (3:32): Make him come to you! *somebody applauds after Nick taunts and slaps Carlos* (3:21) Red Corner (somebody else than the staff that could be heard so far 3:08): Condit you pussy! Red Corner: You can run all day! Nate (2:50): Make him chase you! Make him chase you a little bit! Let him chase you too he ain’t got shit! *Lot’s of calls for cutting Carlos off, going to the body and some feints from here on out * Red Corner (1:40): Make him miss! Make him miss! Let your hands go! Nate (after the flurry on the fence around 1:20): Good job Nick Red Corner (1:24): He’s tired now! He’s tired! He’s getting desperate right now, he’s getting tired! Down the middle! Nate: Nicks gonna pick up the pace later in the thrid-fourth round and if [...] Red Corner (0:37): Come on, Nick! You can’t win like that! You can’t win like that! Red Corner (0:17): Throw! Throw!Before Rd 3 Nate: Ok, sit down Red Corner: You can’t finish him by follwoing him. Your doin good [...] and come back with the uppercut. Nate: Keep doin’ what you’re doin. Red Corner: You’re doing good. You got him runnin now. He’s gassin out from runnin. Nate: You ain’t gonna have to chase him so much, too. You can if you want but you don’t have to. He’s trying to make you chase him around some hard shit (?). You can wave him down like "Come to me motherfucker!". [...]You won the last two rounds so keep doin what you’re doin. But you can make him come to you too. Or do what you want. You can do that too, he ain’t doin nothin. -- Can’t understand what Richard Perez is saying here, unfortunately Nate: Feints too, ok? Make him throw, make him throw. Good job brother, you’re doin good.Round 3 Nate (no clock yet...right at the start oft he round): It’s lookin good Red Corner: You think so? Nate: Yah, two – zero. Red Corner: Sometimes though, they... Nate: Nah, two to zero. Everybody knows that. Fuck that! The guy ain’t doin nothin. He’s doin what he can though. Red Corner: He’s running. He’s running the whole time. Red Corner (4:25): Right now! Right now! Red Corner (after Nick flurries on Carlos 4:23): Oh, nice! Nice left hand! Red Corner (4:21): He’s hurt! He’s hurt Nick! He’s hurt! Red Corner (4:12, as Carlos turns his back briefly and jogs to the middle of the cage): Get on top of him! You gotta be on top of him when he does that! He’s not set. Now down the middle! Come on! Cesar Gracie: (3:43) You got it dog! Keep going! Keep doing it! Keep doing it! He don’t know what to do no more! That’s it right there! He’s turning! He’s turning! Step over! Step over, down the middle! (This gets repeated a while with calls to let his hands go and go fort he body) Nate (2:51): Heartrate, Nick! Cesar Gracie (2:30): Don’t let him bounce around! Cesar Gracie (2:07): Come on now, Nick! Don’t stand in front of him! Back him up, there you you go! Mix it up, Nick! *Lots of "cut him off", "turn it up", "make him come to you" and all his corners favorites so far* Red Corner (to Nate): He’s gotta get the punch-combos going Nate: Yeah. It’s hard though when you’re chasing the fucker all over the place. Nate (0:16): Don’t chase him, walk him down, Nick! Nate (after Condit slipped): What happened? Did he fall? Red Corner: Yeah, he fell. Before Round 4 Nate: Here, sit down, brother Nick: Did I get hit? Nate: Nah, you’re not even cut. Richard Perez: He’s got nothin no more, dog. You hear me? He got nothin no more. All you gotta do is go down the middle, get that body-shot. Don’t stand in front of him though cause you may get hit [...] Nate: You can make him come to you as well cause he’s just running from you. Don’t chase him. Wave "Come to me, motherfucker", you know what I mean? [..] You can keep doin what you do the whole fight. You gotta cut him off really good, ok?Round 4 Red Corner: [...]man, they’re trying to cool him off. That was a lot of water. Red Corner: His heatrate seems still alright Nate (4:49): That’s what they do, they make him all wet so the punches slip off and shit. Red Corner (4:44): Ist that allowed here? Nate (Yelling over to the other corner): Ey, y’all put too much water on that motherfucker, man! Nate (4:32): Ref! Dry him off, ref! Dry him off! Nate (4:23): He’s slippin all over the place cause they put water all over him! That’s weak. Nate (3:48): Okay let’s go and pick your shots right now, let’s not go for the fence right now! Quicker shots that land, Nick! They don’t got to be hard now, just make’em land! Red Corner (3:25): He’s gonna run in a circle all night. Let’s get some hooks, make him stay in there! Red Corner (3:19): That body shot hurt him, do it again! Red Corner (3:12): He’s trying to run again. He always runs out to the same side. Right hook as soon as he turns out! Red Corner (3:05): Right hook, left hook, keep him in there! Red Corner (3:02): Body lock! Nate (3:01): He all wet! Red Corner (2:59): It’s aweful. Yeah, referee’s gotta [...] Nate (2:50): He’s wet, dude! He’s all wet. Red Corner (2:48): Let your hands go! Don’t stand in front of him! Nate (still about Condit being all wet): That’s weak dog. That’s weak. Nicks corner is clearly frustrated that he let’s Condit escape from the cage so often, exclaiming "aw man!" and calling for him to stay on Condit. Nate (1:50, as Condit sprints away again): Call for a yellow-card! Red Corner: He’s running all day Nate: That’s the best he can do man. He’s just surviving the fight! Nate (1:15): Step on the outside! Red Corner (1:13): Take the center! Make him come to you! Red Coner (0:50): Put him in a war, Nick! Make him waste his...let’s get his heartrate up! *again, there’s a lot of "let your hands go", "cut him off" and "Let him come to you" all throughout this round* Red Corner (0:07): Takedown!Before the 5th round Nate: Hey ref! Ref! Ref! Ref! Ey, they keep wetting him! He’s all slippery because they keep pouring water all over him. Referee: Alright, alright! Nate: There’s water... Somebody says: What do you think. Maybe Nick Nate: No. No, no, no, no, fuck that, you got every round. Somebody, maybe Nick (Although it doesn’t sound like him) says: "Don’t lie to me" Nate: He might have got that last round but that’s it. You got the rest. You’re up three to one, okay? Rinse it out, take a drink. Let’s get a couple of ten second intervals in this one, ok? Whenever you want, whenever you’re ready.5th round Nate: This is the last round, right? Red Corner Is this the fifth round? Nate: Yah. Fifth round. Nate (4:14 after the usual calls): Be smart Nick, make him miss! Nate (4:02): Quick punches that land, alright? Red Corner (3:38) You just stand in front of him! Come on Nick, come on! Red Corner (3:26): Don’t stand on the outside! Red Corner (3:12): Take him down when he stands like that! Red Corner (2:32 as Nick gets a body-lock): There it is! V-lock! (?) Lots of calls to "set that hook up", plus the usual stuff. Nate informs Nick oft he time at the 2 and 1:30 mark. Nate: Yeah! (as Nick takes it tot he ground, 1:20) Nate (1:10): He’s gonna finish somethin, dude. Red Corner: Relax! You got a minute! You got a minute! Nate: One minute! Nate (0:50): Yeah, he’s trying to get that armbar. Red Corner (0:40): Grab the chin! Red Corner (0:30): Break his nose! Nate: 30 seconds, go on top! Now, Nick, now! Nate (0:17): Ey, let’s get some elbows, get some punches! 15 seconds! Red Corner (0:09): Set that choke up!After the fight: Official: Nobody goes in until I say. Stay right here, please Red Corner: Yes, Sir. Nate: Fuck yeah! Red Corner: Get his shirt! Nate: Ey, gimme his shirt! Gimme his shirt! Nate: You won that shit! Official: Now get in there. You know what to do? Red Corner: Yes, Sir! Nate: Gimme that shirt! Dana White: Good job, dude! Nate: Ey! For sure four to one, a’right? Nick: I got that? I got that homie? Nate: Yeah Fuck yeah, you got that. Nick: I pushe him back the whole time Red Corner: Yeah, yeah, he ran. Nate: All we got is the sweatshirt. Ey yo, put this on. I tell you [...] four to one for sure. No problem. Red Corner: He ran too much. Nick (probably looking at the replay): They’re showin only (?)his shit. Nate: Yeah, that was the last round. But you got four to one for sure. There’s no way... Nick (interrupting): I almost finished that armlock. Nate: Yeah, yeah, I know. He knew he was biding (?) his time too. Hey look, Nick, you guaranteed no matter what won that fight. Nate (shaking Greg Jacksons hand): Good fight! Nate (shaking Carlos’ hand): Good fight, Carlos Nick (after a few steps): Ran too much Nate: Yeah Nick (talking to Lorenzo Fertitta. Unfortunately, this is very hard to understand) : [...]You asked me to fight, I came here to fight. I’m not gonna[...]I came in a little heavy. It was either I could cut the calories or cut the sparring [...]Nate pulls him away as the scores are ready to be read. Nate: "Hey, listen. Listen: He did what he had to do, alright? That’s what. So he’d get through that fight" And that was how Nick went into these last seconds before the decision was read. Listening to that was really kinda tragic. Unfortunately no further conversations were recorded although you can clearly see Nate and Nick talking in the background during the Condit-interview.

Posted in: nick, round, nate, hersquo, corner

Read the full article at Bloody Elbow

Why are MMA fans so cranky? Yep, it's that time of the month again. Rankings! Our partners in crime over at BloodyElbow.com have once again published their divisional rankings for mixed martial arts in the nation’s largest daily newspaper, USA Today, for the month of January 2012. For those of you unfamiliar with the process, here’s how it works: "The rankings, which will offer a definitive perspective of top MMA fighters across all weight-classes, will be released monthly and published in the Sports section of USA TODAY, online at USATODAY.com and on SB Nation’s MMA commentary and community blog, BloodyElbow.com … The USA TODAY/MMA Nation Consensus MMA Rankings are compiled each month by Nate Wilcox and Richard Wade of BloodyElbow.com. The rankings utilize each of the top MMA rankings from multiple unique sources. A weighted-formula is applied to normalize and distill the various rankings into one consensus ranking per weight class." To check out the latest USAT/MMA Nation rankings click here. We’ve also listed their top 10 in each class after the jump for your convenience. Heavyweight: 1. Junior dos Santos2. Cain Velasquez3. Alistair Overeem4. Frank Mir5. Fabricio Werdum6. Shane Carwin7. Daniel Cormier8. Josh Barnett9. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira10. Antonio Silva Light heavyweight: 1. Jon Jones2. Dan Henderson3. Rashad Evans4. Mauricio Rua5. Quinton Jackson6. Lyoto Machida7. Phil Davis8. Forrest Griffin9. Alexander Gustafsson10. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira Middleweight: 1. Anderson Silva2. Chael Sonnen3. Yushin Okami4. Mark Munoz5. Vitor Belfort6. Demian Maia7. Michael Bisping8. Luke Rockhold9. Brian Stann10. Nate Marquardt Welterweight: 1. Georges St. Pierre2. Nick Diaz3. Jake Ellenberger4. Carlos Condit5. Johny Hendricks6. Josh Koscheck7. Jon Fitch8. Jake Shields9. B.J. Penn 10. Martin Kampmann Lightweight: 1. Frankie Edgar2. Gilbert Melendez3. Gray Maynard4. Ben Henderson5. Shinya Aoki6. Jim Miller7. Clay Guida8. Nate Diaz9. Michael Chandler10. Anthony Pettis Featherweight: 1. Jose Aldo2. Hatsu Hioki3. Chad Mendes4. Pat Curran5. Marlon Sandro6. Diego Nunes7. Dustin Poirier8. Erik Koch9. Chan Sung Jung10. Kenny Florian Bantamweight: 1. Dominick Cruz2. Urijah Faber3. Joseph Benavidez4. Brian Bowles5. Scott Jorgensen6. Demetrious Johnson7. Renan Barao8. Miguel Torres9. Bibiano Fernandes10. Masakatsu Ueda What do you think? Looking good on all fronts or are there a few issues with the consensus opinions here? Share your ranking rants in the comments section below.

Posted in: mma, usa today, usa, nate, ranking

Read the full article at MMA Mania

It looks like the UFC liked the idea of Nate Diaz vs. Jim Miller as much as everyone else did after their recent wins because they’ve gone ahead and booked the match-up for UFC on FOX 3 on May 5. Dana White announced the fight this evening on Twitter. Our 3rd FOX fight May 5th at the IZOD Center in New Jersey will feature Nate Diaz vs Jim Miller!!! Nate = 3 sub and 5 FON Jim = 3 SON!! Dana didn’t mention any title implications involved with the fight, but you have to imagine the winner would be right up there with the Joe Lauzon vs. Anthony Pettis winner for the next lightweight title fight. There’s definitely a lot of possibilities at lightweight right now. Another UFC on FOX 3 match-up was also announced tonight. TUF 14′s bantamweight winner John Dodson will move down to flyweight to take on Darren Uyenoyama. Images via Dave Mandel for Sherdog

Posted in: fight, fox, vs, nate, jim

Read the full article at MMA Convert

UFC president Dana White tweeted tonight that lightweights Nate Diaz and Jim Miller will meet at the May 5th UFC on Fox 3 card at New Jersey's Izod Center. The fight will likely be a #1 contenders match for the UFC lightweight division. Miller is coming off a big submission win over Melvin Guillard at UFC on FX this past Saturday. Diaz took a decision over Donald Cerrone at UFC 141. @danawhiteDana White Our 3rd FOX fight May 5th at the IZOD Center in New Jersey will feature Nate Diaz vs Jim Miller!!! Nate = 3 sub and 5 FON Jim = 3 SON!! Jan 25 via Twitter for iPhone Favorite Retweet Reply Jim Miller (21-3, 10-2 UFC) W Melvin Guillard UFC on FX 1 SubmissionL Ben Henderson UFC on Versus 5 DecisionW Kamal Shalorus UFC 128 TKO Nate Diaz (15-7, 10-5 UFC)W Donald Cerrone UFC 141 DecisionW Takanori Gomi UFC 135 SubmissionL Rory MacDonald UFC 129 Decision

Posted in: ufc, diaz, miller, nate, jim

Read the full article at Bloody Elbow

Former UFC middleweight contender Nate Marquardt will not begin his career outside the UFC with BAMMA. The England-based promotion has released him from his contract.

Posted in: ufc, nate, bamma, marquardt, englandbased promotion

Read the full article at Heavy MMA

Nate Marquardt and British promotion BAMMA have parted ways before they ever actually started to work together.

Posted in: way, nate, nate marquardt, bamma, marquardt

Read the full article at MMA Weekly

As reported by MMA Fighting's Ariel Helwani, Nate Marquardt has cut ties with UK-based BAMMA and, in so doing, has stepped away from his fight with fellow UFC veteran Yoshiyuki Yoshida. The bout would have served as Marquardt's first with the organization. Marquardt and Yoshida were slated to face off at a BAMMA event this February 11. However, with news that the event would be pushed back to March, organization officials and Marquardt, whose promotional debut was already once delayed, have decided that free agency would be in the best interest of the perennial contender. From Helwani's piece, BAMMA CEO David Green gives comment: "It is important to note that the decision to remove Nate from the BAMMA 8 card and to reschedule BAMMA 9 in no way is a result of any actions taken by him. Nate was originally to feature on the BAMMA 8 card in December and with this current date change it is only fair for us at this stage to honor Nate's contract agreement and allow him to look for fights outside of the BAMMA promotion. "I cannot speak highly enough of the professional manner in which Nate Marquardt and his team have conducted themselves. They have been an absolute pleasure to work with and we are just disappointed that we have not been able to work out a way to seeing Nate take his place on the BAMMA 9 card." Marquardt last fought in March of 2011, earning a unanimous decision over Dan Miller. An anticipated welterweight debut last year ended in disaster when he was cited by the Pennsylvania State Athletic Commission for abnormally high testosterone levels. As a result, Marquardt was removed from his headlining spot at the eleventh hour and dismissed from the UFC. He hasn't fought since the release. With BAMMA off the agenda, and Strikeforce now a Zuffa promotion that isn't likely to recruit the embattled Marquardt, there aren't too many more options for the former UFC title challenger. At this point, it seems that Bellator is Marquardt's best option. Between the likes of Hector Lombard, Alexander Schlemenko, and Bryan Baker at 185, and Ben Askren, Jay Hieron, and Douglas Lima at 170, I'd say the organization plays host to a strong cast of both middleweight and welterweight opposition, and it likely offers the best chance for Marquardt to regain his relevancy in the sport.

Posted in: ufc, nate, bamma, marquardt, pennsylvania state

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Filed under: MMA Fighting Exclusive, News, BAMMANate Marquardt's run in BAMMA has come to an end before it ever really started. According to Marquardt's manager Lex McMahon, the UK-based BAMMA has agreed to release Marquardt from his contract following the organization's decision to delay their ninth event from Feb. 11 to March 24. Marquardt was scheduled to fight Yoshiyuki Yoshida in the main event of BAMMA 9 for the organization's welterweight title. This marks the second time BAMMA has delayed Marquardt's promotional debut, as he was originally scheduled to fight for BAMMA in December. "Nate is disappointed that he has not been able to fight for BAMMA and the UK fans," McMahon said. "However, given the situation that BAMMA removed him as the headliner from BAMMA 8 and have elected to reschedule BAMMA 9 to March 24, 2012 all parties concerned feel that it is in Nate's best interest to explore other options at this stage. Nate is one of the best fighters in the world and looks forward to fighting the best competition possible. Both Nate and I wish BAMMA all the best in their future endeavors." The 32-year-old Marquardt signed with BAMMA in July, following his release from the UFC in June. Marquardt was released from the UFC one day before his main event fight against Rick Story after the Pennsylvania State Athletic Commission ruled that his testosterone levels were above the approved limit. After a brief suspension by the commission, Marquardt was cleared to fight anywhere in the world, and he chose the upstart BAMMA organization. Unfortunately, Marquardt (31-10-2) never had the opportunity to fight for the promotion due to reasons beyond his control. "The decision to move the BAMMA 9 event to March 24, 2012, was taken in the interests of the BAMMA promotion as a whole and we believe that this will result in the strongest BAMMA event to date," BAMMA CEO David Green said in a statement provided to MMAFighting.com by McMahon. "It is important to note that the decision to remove Nate from the BAMMA 8 card and to reschedule BAMMA 9 in no way is a result of any actions taken by him. Nate was originally to feature on the BAMMA 8 card in December and with this current date change it is only fair for us at this stage to honor Nate's contract agreement and allow him to look for fights outside of the BAMMA promotion. "I cannot speak highly enough of the professional manner in which Nate Marquardt and his team have conducted themselves. They have been an absolute pleasure to work with and we are just disappointed that we have not been able to work out a way to seeing Nate take his place on the BAMMA 9 card." So once BAMMA informed McMahon that they would be delaying Marquardt's promotional debut for a second time, McMahon asked for Marquardt to be released from his contract, which BAMMA obliged to do. As a result of his release from the organization, Marquardt is now free to fight for any other promotion as soon as possible, and while McMahon declined to comment where and when we'll see the former UFC middleweight contender fight next, he said, "Nate's exploring his options and we're excited about the future." Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: fight, mcmahon, nate, bamma, marquardt

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Is The Nick And Nate Diaz Show Real Life Drama Or Regular Old Fight Hype? Kid Nate and Luke Thomas mull the existential dilemma at MMA Nation.

Posted in: show, life, nate, luke thomas, life drama

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Alright, everyone raise your hand if you hung out with the Diaz brothers after UFC 141. If your hand is raised and your name isn't LayzieTheSavage or Zeus, then I can never believe anything you have to say for the rest of your life. A lot of people accuse MiddleEasy of granting the Diaz brothers more coverage than any other MMA site out there. Well, that's true. Nick and Nate Diaz has given us unprecedented access into their lives for the past year, access that every MMA site wishes they had. We're just utilizing our natural resources, so don't be scared to appreciate it, homie. Check out this video LayzieTheSavage cut of Nate Diaz at an autograph signing just hours after his UFC 141 win over Cowboy Cerrone.

Posted in: diaz, nate, nate diaz, diaz brothers, mma site

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Prior to round three of their co-main event showdown, Nate Diaz showed Donald Cerrone what he thought about Cowboy’s fight strategy:

Posted in: diaz, nate, nate diaz, donald cerrone, cowboy

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Nate Diaz's performance Friday night (Dec. 30, 2011) at UFC 141 from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, was a reminder of the reason(s) the Diaz brothers look often-beatable on paper, yet consistently deliver above expectations. I'm firmly in the camp that while both of them can be decisioned, it's going to take one hell of a fighter to make either of them openly admit they flat-out lost. And while Diaz' three-round, record-setting battering of Donald Cerrone doesn't erase the memories of fights he's lost because of better wrestlers, it's a reminder of how vexing and paralyzing the "Stockton Style" really is. I won't be surprised if Diaz is decisioned by the elite grapplers at lightweight, but even in the five UFC fights he's dropped -- all via decision -- a similar template was followed in three. Nate was simply held down by Joe Stevenson, Clay Guida and Dong Hyun Kim. Gray Maynard refused to even go the ground, opting to risk a razor-thin stand up match with little meaningful action. Rory MacDonald is the only guy who has risked himself enough to open up against Diaz. It speaks volumes about how stifling his game is that he can lose fights against this level of competition, while taking relatively little damage. Simply put, along with brother Nick, the Diaz style of high-volume boxing and constant, accurate punching throws virtually every opponent into a kind of operational chaos. Foes become transfixed, unable to get untracked, resembling a man trying to get out of a phone booth while being punched in the face. You know what a guy can do going into a bout against a Diaz, yet he is seemingly underwater and getting shots bounced off his head and midsection. It will be fascinating to see how the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) matches Nate next. Ideally, someone willing to strike -- say, the victor of Anthony Pettis vs. Joe Lauzon -- would make for a can't-miss match up. Bring it.

Posted in: ufc, diaz, nate, chaos foes, highvolume boxing

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Arrogant, cocky, annoying, funny or downright mean. Those are the words often used in reference to the attitude of Nick Diaz. But most recently, it's his brother Nate who has stolen the show...

Posted in: diaz, nick diaz, brother nate, nate, nate diaz

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Arrogant, cocky, annoying, funny or downright mean. Those are the words often used in reference to the attitude of Nick Diaz. But most recently, it's his brother Nate who has stolen the show...

Posted in: diaz, nick diaz, brother nate, nate, nate diaz

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Following his near picture-perfect victory over Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone at UFC 141, Nate Diaz quickly squashed all the heat between himself and the Cowboy.

Posted in: ufc, diaz, nate, cowboy, pictureperfect victory

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Alright, before I get into this article let me point out a few observations I noticed from sitting in press row at UFC 141. Brittney Palmer was nervously holding her hands throughout the entire fight. Some of you may remember that she was dating Cowboy Cerrone until something happened. We're not sure what that was, and even if we did know we wouldn't tell you. Second, the moment Nick Diaz helped stepped in his brother's corner, he did not stop starring at Cowboy Cerrone. The guy was motionless. Also, I'm not sure if you witnessed it on television but just before the third round began, Nate Diaz gave Cerrone two healthy middle fingers for an extended duration. We're talking about the entire time Cowboy Cerrone was in his corner waiting to enter the third round. Tonight, we witnessed Cesar Gracie trump over Greg Jackson. You too can learn the wonders of Nate Diaz by visiting 230 S School Street Lodi, CA 95240. That's where Cesar Gracie can teach you how to outstrike your opponent by what I'm assuming to be well over 150 punches. Congratulations Nate Diaz on your huge win, and I'm almost certain you will be spending the remainder of your night hanging out with MiddleEasy's LayzieTheSavage.

Posted in: diaz, nate, nate diaz, cerrone, cowboy

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Nate Diaz defeats Donald Cerrone by Unanimous Decision. The judges scored the fight 30-27, 30-27, and 29-28. Donald Cerrone rushed forward looking to trade with Diaz but instead was clinched against the fence. Nate Diaz landed some punches in the clinch but ate a straight right on the exit. Nate threw punches in high volume while Donald Cerrone attempted to find his range. A straight left from Diaz landed to Cerrone's chin. Diaz' punches landed with incredible accuracy. Cerrone tried to slow Diaz with leg kicks. Diaz continued his relentless attack, walking through a Donald Cerrone head kick. Diaz' accuracy looked to be incredible as the round entered the final minute. Cerrone's mouth was wide open from the volume of punches. As the round came to a close Diaz landed punches from the clinch. Donald Cerrone looked slow as the second round opened but he kicked Nate's legs out from under him. Nate Diaz picked up from where he was in the first round with incredible volume. Cerrome attempted to slow Nate down with leg kicks but Nate clinched up and threw several punches before pushing off. Huge uppercut from Nate Diaz snapped Donald Cerrone's head back. Head kick from Donald Cerrone dropped Nate Diaz but it appeared to be more of a stumble. Cerrone found success with his leg kicks but was unable to create any combinations off them. Diaz landed five unanswered jabs. Diaz was just relentless in his attacks. An uppercut from Nate Diaz rocked Donald Cerrone. The second round was more of Nate Diaz' incredible combinations. The final round opened with Nate continuing his attack. Cerrone landed a left hand but didn't follow up with anything. Nate has possibly landed the most punches in fighting history in two and a half rounds. Nate started to taunt Cerrone at the three minute mark. Cerrone kicked Diaz' feet from under him but again failed to follow him to the ground. Huge knee from Cerrone but he again didn't follow up. Diaz continued to brutalize Cerrone even though he had the fight won. Cerrone's heart was commendable but Nate Diaz continued to batter him. They trade punches until the horn sounds. Donald Cerrone entered the fight 4-0 in the UFC and 17-3 in his career. All four of his UFC victories came in 2011. Nate Diaz came in 9-5 in the UFC and an overall record of 14-7. This was the best fight of Nate Diaz' career. The sheer volume of strikes is amazing. The UFC may have a to put him on the fast track to a title shot after tonight's performance. Cerrone was a likely number one contender had he defeated Nate Diaz. He's now 4-1 in 2011. SBN coverage of UFC 141: Lesnar vs. Overeem

Posted in: diaz, nate, nate diaz, cerrone, donald

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Posted in: ufc, diaz, nate, war, weight

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In a bout that has Fight of the Night written all over it, the ever-displeased Nate Diaz squares off with accelerating WEC crossover Donald Cerrone in the co-main event of UFC 141: Lesnar vs. Overeem. The intriguing lightweight collision has captivated fans just as much (or more) than the evening's headliner, and understandably so. They're both consistent crowd-pleasers who are built for violence and extremely aggressive. They share the same type of long and lanky physique, their preferred weaponry is a smooth but vicious medley of striking and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and they're both exceptionally technical martial artists who apply their skills with the rugged mentality of a street fighter. Big-picture similarities aside, it's the finite differences that will decide the outcome. Ironically, despite engaging his opponent ceaselessly and being fully capable wherever the fight goes, Nate -- like big brother Nick -- is notorious for performances that don't sit well with judges. Of his seven losses, six are by decision; the remainder was a 2006 submission to Hermes Franca when Nate was a wee 21-years-old. This is a curious phenomenon, and I'm not exactly sure if the cause is a lack of top-shelf wrestling, physical strength or a strategy flaw that surrenders the influential element of control to his opponent. With Diaz, it seems to be all about finding his rhythm. He's typically a slow starter who is very hittable while he's gauging the pace and dialing in his striking range. Quick and assertive fighters have been able to jump on him from the get-go and never let him settle in, putting Diaz behind on the score cards early and into recovery-mode during the later rounds. Conversely, if he does get a comfortable grasp of distance and timing and starts working his hands, the tempo and angles of his unorthodox boxing are a nightmare to defend and can shift the momentum completely in his direction. Cerrone is more explosive and straightforward. His boxing is tight and crisp, his low and high kicks are crippling, he's a decent wrestler and his submission grappling is voracious. Since coming to the UFC, he seems to have drastically matured. In the WEC, he was pleasingly reckless and succumbed to his raw instincts, but has harnessed his bloodlust into a more functional approach. Cerrone has found a nice balance by taming his fiery aggression and now battles with intelligence and a steely composure. While Cesar Gracie is undoubtedly a premiere coach, there is none better than Greg Jackson when it comes to devising a concisely effective gameplan, and this along with Cerrone's recent evolution could be more of a factor than how their individual combat skills compare. Match up analysis in the full entry. SBN coverage of UFC 141: Lesnar vs. Overeem Even though they're comparable in size, Diaz will enjoy a 3" reach advantage. He'll come out in a closed southpaw stance -- and one that's dangerously flat-footed with a lot of weight on his front leg -- and paw continuously with his lead hand while looking for holes to stuff counter punches through. This "feel out" period will be crucial in assessing Cerrone's strategy and whether he's apt to shoot takedowns and lead the striking attacks or playing things more cautious and defensive. The element of surprise probably lies with Cerrone as Diaz's pace and intentions are much more predictable. In most cases, Diaz is content to walk his opponents down and throw his uniquely-angled punches from the perimeter or deep in the pocket. He will also clinch up on the fence to pressure with dirty boxing and knees to the thighs and body. Cerrone will have more options. Shooting for takedowns, even if Diaz defends them or eventually escapes back to his feet, will be key in disrupting his rhythm and for scoring purposes. While Diaz's lanky counter punching will always be a concern, Cerrone's cleaving low kicks could materialize as a game-changer in open space, especially considering Diaz's slight reach advantage and skill from a distance. Connecting on a few Thai kicks to the lead leg will force Nate to disengage and reset or lure him into closer range. Both are excellent BJJ players but I would give a distinct edge to Diaz in a straight grappling match. Since Nate is more of a volume puncher than a knockout artist, I think his proficiency in guard with sweeps and submission attempts is his most formidable asset and his best chance for a stoppage. His ground game is a seriously under-utilized tool that I don't think he exercises nearly enough, usually because he's happy to brawl on the feet. He has the type of dynamic creativity off his back that makes him very difficult to hold down and his busy hips almost always produce advantageous opportunities. His solid Judo game offers a sound avenue to ground the fight but he rarely imposes that strength and only implements it opportunistically. Again, this plays into the perils of the Diaz style: unless he's able to finish on the ground or latch on a legitimately threatening submission, interactions where he can sweep or escape back to his feet are generally scored for his opponent. Cerrone is far from a pushover on the mat and will make Diaz work hard to secure a catch or he'll be able to initiate a scramble to break free. Along with his more diverse kickboxing, Cerrone has better footwork, head movement and defense and should have the quicker hands as well. They both have rock-solid chins and are difficult to finish, so it's likely that this contest will go the distance. Even though Cerrone has more options and a better chance of winning a decision, I had initially picked Diaz for the win here. However, after further scrutinizing the positives and negatives of this match up, I find myself inclined to change it up and go with Cerrone. I think his broader set of tools, footwork and hand speed will put him in the driver's seat early, his chin and ability to shoot takedowns are viable back-up options if he takes too much heat standing, he's likely to be on top in any grappling exchanges and his BJJ acumen should be savvy enough to stay out of submissions. My Prediction: Donald Cerrone by decision. Poll Nate Diaz vs. Donald Cerrone Diaz Cerrone   13 votes | Results

Posted in: diaz, submission, nate, cerrone, he

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Nate Diaz talks to UFC.com about his early days of getting into training and eventually ending up on the Ultimate Fighter. Both events seem to have been spurred on by his brother Nick, which is kinda surprising since you'd think all the advice Nick gives out would lead to incarceration or an early grave, not wealth and success. “We were sitting at home when they started The Ultimate Fighter, and we’re like ‘this s**t is ridiculous,’” said Nate. “We were just criticizing it horribly and we’re laughing at it, saying ‘hell no, I would never do that.’ And then they called him for The Ultimate Fighter, but Nick was like ‘I’m not doing that show.’”Nick refused a spot on season four of TUF, but when the call came in for season five, it was for Nate. The younger Diaz refused, even though Cesar Gracie believed he should do it. Then Nick entered the picture.“I think you should do it,” Nick told his brother.So he did, but as soon as taping began, he wanted out.“I said I’m getting out of here,” recalled Nate. “I don’t even know why I’m here.”But then his first fight against Rob Emerson was set.“At that point I couldn’t leave, because if I left, it would be like I didn’t want to fight somebody.”Diaz beat Emerson, and again, he would lie awake at night plotting for a way to leave. He didn’t do it though, and after beating Corey Hill, Gray Maynard, and Manny Gamburyan, he won the season title and a UFC contract.“It was a good thing I stayed because it was like a shortcut and it got me right into the UFC,” he said. “It was the best thing that could have happened. I had no money, I was broke, I was a kid, and I had no direction, and at that point it kinda gave me a direction.” Nate's time on the Ultimate Fighter also solidified his reputation as 'the sane Diaz brother', with the one major spat on the show involving him being mostly Karo Parisyan's fault. Although to be fair to Karo, did Nate know who he was bro?

Posted in: diaz, nick, ’t, i ’m, nate

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Nate Diaz and Donald Cerrone got into a little scuffle at the UFC 141 press conference yesterday. According to Dana White, Cerrone said something along the lines of "I'm getting in that ass tomorrow" (some Wand-level Freudian smack) and because Nate ain't no bitch, he demanded immediate satisfaction. Other than taking a dump in their boot, I can't think of a worse thing you can do to a cowboy than disrespect the hat. Especially when Donald obviously took some serious time and effort putting together that charming little cowboy ensemble.After the jump, Nate Diaz walks us through the incident. "He shouldn't have gotten so close, put his stupid cowboy hat all up on me." read more

Posted in: nate, cowboy, hat, wandlevel freudian, ass tomorrow

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HeavyMMA writers Duane Finley and Nate Lawson go head-to-head in debating Donald Cerrone vs. Nate Diaz in our latest Face Off.

Posted in: vs, face, nate, donald, nate lawson

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Video: Why Nate Diaz flip off Donald Cerrone's "stupid-ass" cowboy hat and shove him at UFC 141 presser? Nate and his brother Nick talk (and giggle) about the incident backstage. For everything you need to know about the confrontation click here.

Posted in: nate, nate diaz, brother nick, confrontation click, stupidas

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After a brief run at welterweight, The Ultimate Fighter Season 5 winner Nate Diaz is back at lightweight to try and derail the runaway train that is Donald Cerrone at UFC 141 on Friday night.

Posted in: ufc, diaz, nate, friday, donald cerrone

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Isn't knocking off a guy's cowboy hat the equivalent of a Renaissance Frenchmen unsheathing his caliber in public? It's pretty clear that Nate Diaz watched our brief Cowboy Cerrone interview and listened to every ounce of smack-talk he threw towards him. See, we told you guys earlier today that any confrontation between these two fighters will be epic -- and we're taking full credit for it. Well, alright. Nate Diaz gets some of it. But that's it. Check out what went down minutes ago at the UFC 141 pre-fight press conference, which is also host to a pre-fight pre-weigh-in weigh-in. Confusing, but I love typing words with hyphens -- so it's cool.

Posted in: diaz, nate, nate diaz, cowboy, renaissance frenchmen

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Want to hear a cool story, bro? Apparently Donald Cerrone met up with Nate Diaz at a UFC gym that was hosting an open workout during a previous event. This about two months ago, before they were matched up to fight this Fri., Dec. 30 at UFC 141. Being a fan of his style, Cerrone had the idea to introduce himself to Diaz. You know, just a friendly hello and a handshake. But it didn't go down that way. Here's "Cowboy's" side of it: "Really the only interaction I've had with Nate is at the open workout prior to this fight. We don't even know we're fighting each other at this point. I walk over to be like, 'hey man, what's going on?' Shake his hand... he slaps my hand away and calls me a punk ass (expletive) and walks off. And I was like, 'what? Alright.'" Homie don't play that? Seems like an odd thing for Diaz to do, even if he is a tough guy from the mean streets of Stockton, California. His response: "He shouldn't try to shake my hand. We're not cool like that. He fights in my bracket, man, he's in my weight class. I'm not trying to make something that it ain't, I'm not putting on a front for you, you know. I'll probably be fighting you next, so you go your way, I'll go mine." Well, that kind of helps explain it. But not really. So, of course, Ariel Helwani got on the case and tracked Nate down to ask him outright what exactly happened and why it went down the way it did. Here's what he said: "He just tried to be my friend. Tried to come up and say hi, I just walked the other way. I wasn't trying to be a bully or anything. I think he's trying to push me in a bully's direction, making me the bad guy but I just walked the other way. I think he's just making it a little more than what it was." Indeed, Cerrone has used the slight as definite motivation and fuel for his fire so that he's an even more dangerous fighter come showtime this Friday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Diaz's point, essentially, is that he no longer wants to make friends with folks who fight in the same weight class he does, simply because he's probably going to end up fighting them somewhere down the line. And why make it even a little awkward? In fact, in the full video (see it here), Diaz details three separate incidents involving Josh Neer, Clay Guida and Joe Stevenson in which he became friends with all three and immediately after he did so, he got the call to fight them. Joe Silva's been cramping Nate's style since 2008. Diaz, of course, finally smartened up and is taking the proactive approach to the fight game. If you're a lightweight, don't try to make buddies with him. Not unless you've already thrown down with him and even then, approach at your own risk. People get slapped.

Posted in: fight, diaz, way, nate, he

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Nate Diaz was a boy among men…literally. In a gym that housed not only Cesar Gracie, but UFC standouts David Terrell and Gil Castillo, Nate’s brother Nick, and up and comers Jake Shields and Gilbert Melendez, every day was a fight for survival for the Stockton teenager.“It was really intimidating going down there,” said Diaz during an interview for the recent Countdown to UFC 141 show. “I went down to Cesar’s and it was Dave Terrell, Gil Castillo, Cesar, Nick and Jake, and Nick and Jake were just the young guys there too. Nick would be like ‘don’t get tapped out today.’ So I’d go in there with this competitive attitude and it was really hard to not get tapped out in that gym. Most likely it wasn’t gonna happen.”Yet Diaz kept showing up, which in his neighborhood was more than half the battle. His mother Melissa did her part, working long hours as a waitress while putting her two sons and their sister in various sports to keep them from straying to the streets. But there was always an imminent sense of danger.“Growing up here, there’s a lot of tension, a lot of gang activity, a lot of tough guys,” he said. “There’s just a lot going on. Like any city, it’s got good parts and bad parts, so you gotta watch out where you’re at. I wasn’t trying to be in no trouble, but it was definitely hard to stay out of trouble. But you just keep on the right path and stay going the way you need to go.”For Nate, that path was paved by his older brother, who had already started on his road into professional fighting, and one day Nick decided it was time for Nate to do the same.“As soon as I finished school, I’d be sitting around the house and I wasn’t doing much,” remembered Nate. “Nick said ‘What are you doing? Why don’t you come train with me?’ And he threw a pair of gi pants at me.”Right then and there, the die was cast, though as Nate recalls, “Back then fighting and training in jiu-jitsu wasn’t a trendy thing.”So the early days weren’t filled with interviews, photo shoots, and quick graduations to the UFC. Instead, it was a situation where a bunch of friends put that friendship aside for hours at a time in order to beat each other up and learn how to become fighters. Nate especially found a kindred spirit in future Strikeforce lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez.“I remember having wars with him,” said Diaz, who would shake off any idea of skipping practice when he knew “El Nino” was showing up that day.“That was a rush just going down there. I’d tell Nick I’m gonna hang out a bit, and he’d say ‘Gilbert’s coming.’ All right, let’s go. (Laughs) It was really good because it was a competitive thing, and at the same time they were our friends.”Eventually, Nate would join his brother, Melendez, and Shields on the pro fighting circuit, mixing in MMA bouts with boxing smokers and Toughman contests. By 2006, he was a respected prospect, but after a WEC loss to Hermes Franca, he was at a crossroads at only 21 years old. Enter The Ultimate Fighter, an avenue into the UFC that neither Diaz brother wanted any part of.“We were sitting at home when they started The Ultimate Fighter, and we’re like ‘this s**t is ridiculous,’” said Nate. “We were just criticizing it horribly and we’re laughing at it, saying ‘hell no, I would never do that.’ And then they called him for The Ultimate Fighter, but Nick was like ‘I’m not doing that show.’”Nick refused a spot on season four of TUF, but when the call came in for season five, it was for Nate. The younger Diaz refused, even though Cesar Gracie believed he should do it. Then Nick entered the picture.“I think you should do it,” Nick told his brother. So he did, but as soon as taping began, he wanted out.“I said I’m getting out of here,” recalled Nate. “I don’t even know why I’m here.”But then his first fight against Rob Emerson was set.“At that point I couldn’t leave, because if I left, it would be like I didn’t want to fight somebody.”Diaz beat Emerson, and again, he would lie awake at night plotting for a way to leave. He didn’t do it though, and after beating Corey Hill, Gray Maynard, and Manny Gamburyan, he won the season title and a UFC contract.“It was a good thing I stayed because it was like a shortcut and it got me right into the UFC,” he said. “It was the best thing that could have happened. I had no money, I was broke, I was a kid, and I had no direction, and at that point it kinda gave me a direction.”He’s kept moving since then, racking up an 8-5 record in his post-Gamburyan UFC career, and on Friday, he moves up to a Pay-Per-View co-main event slot against streaking Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone. In the lead-up to the bout, the phrase “Fight of the Night” is almost always attached to the matchup, and the way Diaz sees it, that’s with good reason.“He’s actually one of the guys who likes to fight in the UFC, compared to people who like to wrestle and jump around, point scoring and doing all that funny stuff,” said Diaz, 26, whose September submission of former PRIDE champion Takanori Gomi was his most impressive win to date, which is saying something when you’re talking about a fighter with seven post-fight awards in his 14 Octagon bouts.But Diaz isn’t about the awards or the acclaim; he’s all about the fight, an attitude some competitors lose along the way. And no matter how you feel about Diaz, you have to respect that he is always consistent and always looking to put on a show for the fans. More than a decade after he stepped into Cesar Gracie’s gym for the first time, that much will never change.“When I fight, I’m mad,” he said. “I’m starving, I had to make weight, I trained my ass off, and I’m there to entertain. I’m just trying to do what I gotta do. Some people are out there trying to be the nicest guy, but I feel like a lot of that is frontin’. I think the difference between me and other people is that they’re playing the nice guy role and they’re just really well-behaved on camera. I meet a lot of people and they’re like ‘you’re not such a bad guy.’ What does that mean? When you see me on camera I’ve got to fight another person, and I’m not gonna put on a front.”It’s a fight. Nate Diaz won’t let you forget it.  

Posted in: fight, diaz, nick, ’t, nate

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UFC 141 is this Friday. The long awaited return of Brock Lesnar and the debuting Alistair Overeem headline the night. In the co-main event Donald Cerrone and Nate Diaz will square off in what is likely to be a title eliminator for the lightweight division. If you didn't see the Countdown to UFC 141 episode don't feel too bad, there weren't a lot of people who know it was airing on Fuel TV. In fact the total viewership for the show was 15k. That's total. And not a typo. Luckily the UFC has uploaded the video to their youtube page. While the majority of the show is dedicated to the matchup between the two heavyweights and the story between the two absolutely massive men who will throw down to close out 2011 for the UFC, the best segment is for the lightweights. It's no secret that both Donald Cerrone and Nate Diaz are out of their minds. Recounting their first meeting is absolutely hilarious. The take away? Don't try and shake Nate Diaz's hand, he will slap it away and then call you some expletives. Donald Cerrone vs Nate Diaz segment after the jump... SBN coverage of UFC 141: Lesnar vs. Overeem

Posted in: ufc, diaz, nate, nate diaz, fuel tv

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Kid Nate compiles the best of MMA Nation for 2011. Enjoy.

Posted in: mma, mma nation, nation, nate, kid nate

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When the UFC announced Nate Diaz versus Donald Cerrone (aka "Battle of the Lanky Assholes") at UFC 141, you had to know these two would have some things to say about each other.  Neither one comes across as the friendliest of folks, so it took a surprisingly long time for any gossip to get around about some kind of shit-talking between them. Cowboy finally broke the silence on ESPN Radio yesterday, and CagePotato has the transcript: ”Leonard’s my best friend; he’s my brother and he was over there talkin’ to the dude — if someone doesn’t like you, you’re not gonna talk to their best friend, you know what I’m sayin’... you’re not gonna hang out with them — so Leonard’s over there talking with the dude, and I said, ‘Oh shit, I’ll go over there.’ They were laughing and joking around so when I go over and introduce myself and go, ‘What’s up Nate? I’m ‘Cowboy,’” Cerrone explained. “He fuckin’ slapped my hand away and called me a punk-ass motherfucker and told me to ‘get on.’ I was like, ‘Shit, alright.’ I don’t know what to say to the dude. I don’t know what his point... I guess he doesn’t want to be cordial. He just wanted to be a punk and... go ahead.” “I was getting ready to fight Dennis Siver and then he walked away. He just took off after that. It kind of caught me by surprise. I don’t know anything about the guy. I just know that [he and Nick] just wake up pissed off all the time for no reason. It just seems like they’re always mad. Whatever he does to get his mind ready for the fight, it must be it.” That's pretty much how I read the Brothers Diaz too... you get the impression they're not particularly affable under the best conditions, but it seems like they need to hate their opponent in order to work themselves up for the fight, so they just convince themselves to dislike the guy for no particular reason.  And if even Cowboy Cerrone thinks you're a dick, then yeah, you're very likely a rather large dick... like John Holmes size.

Posted in: diaz, ’t, nate, nate diaz, cerrone

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Finally putting the pieces of his mental game together, Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone has big plans for Nate Diaz at UFC 141 and for himself in 2012.

Posted in: diaz, nate, nate diaz, cerrone, donald

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Nate Quarry has had an incredible career inside in the octagon, with all the highs and lows you'd expect from a UFC veteran. From competing on the first Ultimate Fighter and challenging for the middleweight belt, to recovering from serious back surgery, Quarry has seen it all. He recently took the time to answer a few of our questions.  Chad: You are currently inactive with your fighting career, what have you been up to? Nate Quarry: I've been keeping very busy. The most exciting thing I've been doing is reaching out to people with back pain. When I had my surgery it was the most terrifying thing in my entire life. Now, after getting my life back and even fighting six times after it, I feel a strong passion as well as a duty to reach out to people suffering like I was. Nuvasive has teamed up with me in this endeavor by forming The Better Way Back. It's a patient support group that can help people throughout the entire process, even helping them find their local surgeon that's been trained in the XLIF procedure which is what I had. Throw in my own training and working with other fighters as well as being a single father, and I stay busy. Chad: You've yet to make to make an official announcement about your retirement. Why is that? Nate Quarry: Because I haven't decided fully on retirement. I'm weighing my options for what is best for my family. Chad: Was the facial reconstruction surgery part of the reason you've (sort of) retired? Nate Quarry: What people don't see is behind the scenes. Have my many surgeries led to perhaps retiring? Of course. What was one night's entertainment for the masses was 7 months of recovery for me. It takes six months for bones to heal. Then I immediately tear my bicep as I'm starting to get back in shape. Then most recently as I was sparring "lightly" with a green fighter, in an attempt to sweep me he instead Thai kicks me straight on the knee, severing my MCL and leading to my seventh surgery, and another year of recovery and rehab. So yes, injuries lead to the decision of do I want to live my life knowing that any training partner that isn't as concerned about my health as I am his, can put me on my couch for months. Add to the fact that I STARTED training at 24, and have for the most part been surrounded by coaches who had no idea how to bring up a fighter means it's been a very long road. My first coach after I had fought Mike Whitehead, the next time we sparred he tried to knock me out wearing 8 ounce bag gloves for over half an hour. Why would a coach do this? "Because you're no good and you never will be," was his response. And this was years before I made it to the UFC. A long road indeed. Chad. You've had some very memorable fights inside the octagon, which one stands out most to you now? Nate Quarry: My most important fight was my comeback fight against Pete Sell. I had brutally been knocked out in my previous fight, I had left Team Quest, I was undergoing a custody battle for my daughter, and had come back from a major spinal fusion from which no one had ever attempted to do so. I showed up in Vegas with all the money I had in my pocket. My credit card was maxed out, I was fighting for food money. If I would've lost I would've been cut from the UFC almost certainly. Instead, not only did I win but I won fight of the night and knock out of the night. That one day made every possible since then. Chad: For me personally, I'll never forget you chasing after Starnes and the infamous running man. What was going through your head during the fight? Nate Quarry: I was wondering, "Does anyone else see this? It seems to me like he's running away the entire time." So when the ten second bell went off I thought, "You've got ten seconds to do whatever you want to me." And still he backed away! But it is what it is, and I've never spoken badly of Caleb. Who knows what was going through his mind that night? We all have off days. Chad: The first season of the Ultimate Fighter was a very important milestone for the UFC, how does it feel knowing you were a part of it? Nate Quarry: There have been a few things in MMA that have really set the stage for everything. TUF 1 was one of those things. It finally gave the people someone to root for. Instead of just animals fighting in a cage you got to see us as people. I'm a father and I fight to make a better life for my daughter, but no one knew that until TUF. It's an incredible honor. Yes, I will always wonder, what if? But what can you do? Chad: Looking back on your time in the house, what moment stands out most? Nate Quarry: There were so many things that showed who we were as people, and they had to be edited down so much. I'd love to see an entire unedited re-release of the series. One moment that sticks out was when our team was carrying Randy through Lake Mead. We only had one legit light heavyweight. When it was obvious that we were going to lose, I looked at my team and said, "When Chuck crosses the finish line let's run out there and help them out." Leben looked disgusted, Sanford said, "I'm not helping them." Karalexis said, "We're not supposed to leave our area." So as I ran off I yelled back, "Then I'll see you in the loser house!" I wanted to win but wasn't going to sell my honor in the process. Chad: You were featured in Left4Dead2 as a guest zombie, and even have a zombie cagefighter line, so what's your favorite zombie movie? Nate Quarry: My favorite zombie movie would have to be Zombieland. I find most zombie movies to be very simple and just the same ol' same ol'. But Zombieland was able to reinvent the genre. Chad: If you could go back and start your MMA career over again, is there anything you'd do differently? Nate Quarry: So many things I would do differently. But if it meant I wouldn't be here today, then I'd do it all over again.

Posted in: fight, nate, nate quarry, quarry, chad

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In this intimate portait Nate Marquardt shares his key drivers, motivation and ambitions as he debuts at BAMMA 9 against the feared striker Yoshiyuki Yoshida.

Posted in: nate, nate marquardt, motivation, marquardt, drivers motivation

Read the full article at MMA Weekly

Former UFC contender Nate Marquardt has an opponent for his BAMMA debut, as “Nate the Great” will face Yoshiyuki Yoshida at BAMMA 9 on February 11 from the LG Arena in Birmingham, England. Marquardt was rumored to have been set to face Paul Daley, but terms could not be worked out between the two sides. Both have made mention of wanting to fight each other in numerous interviews and press events since Marquardt was released by the UFC and signed to the England-based promotion. After failing to receive medical clearance by the Pennsylvania State Athletic Commission before his UFC Live 4 main event fight with Rick Story, Marquardt was released from the UFC. It was later found out that a prescribed testosterone led to Marquardt’s positive test, but his hormone levels were higher than the commission had set for him. “Although we had planned for Nate’s first fight to be in December, we believe it is worth waiting a further eight weeks for such a great matchup,” BAMMA CEO David Green stated in a release. Marquardt is 31-10-2 in his career, including a loss to Anderson Silva for the UFC middleweight title. He also lost two eliminator bouts that would have led to rematches with Silva, dropping decisions to Yushin Okami and Chael Sonnen. Yoshida (13-6) competed for the UFC previously, as well, going 2-4. Three straight losses to Anthony Johnson, Mike Guymon, and Chris Lozano led to his release. The fight is expected to be for the BAMMA’s vacant welterweight title. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Posted in: ufc, nate, bamma, marquardt, bamma debut

Read the full article at Five Ounces of Pain

Not so "Great" news from the United Kingdom. Former UFC middleweight number one contender Nate Marquardt will no longer be making his UK debut at BAMMA 8 from the Capital FM Arena on Dec. 10, 2011, in Nottingham, England. Says BAMMA: Top ranked fighter Nate Marquardt was originally expected to make his BAMMA debut at BAMMA 8 but is now confirmed to face UFC veteran Yoshiyuki Yoshida at BAMMA 9 on February 11th at LG Arena in Birmingham. David Green, CEO at BAMMA stated, "We are very excited to announce what we believe to be a great headline fight for the fans at BAMMA 9 for the World Welterweight Title. Yoshiyuki Yoshida is a UFC, Bellator, and One FC veteran who comes with notable wins over the likes of Dan Hardy, War Machine and Phil Baroni. Both Yoshiyuki and Nate are very excited about fighting at BAMMA 9 and although we had planned for Nate's first fight to be in December, we believe it is worth waiting a further 8 weeks for such a great match up." It may indeed be worth waiting another eight weeks for -- unless of course you already bought a ticket to BAMMA 8 in hopes of seeing him compete. Marquardt failed his pre-fight medical exam prior to the UFC on Versus 4 event last June in Pittsburgh, leaving his former employer in a last-minute scramble to find a new main event after the Pennsylvania State Athletic Commission (PSAC) barred him from participating. It turns out the testosterone levels in his blood stream were too "Great" to let him compete after multiple blood tests revealed he was not within acceptable ranges for competition. The spike was blamed on Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT), which Marquardt later admitted to using to combat the combined effects of his age and history of professional fighting. UFC President Dana White booted him from the Zuffa roster after he threw the June 26 fight card into turmoil just 24 hours before it was set to air live on the Versus network. Charlie Brenneman was able to step in on super-short notice to fight Rick Story, but it didn't do anything to preserve Marquardt's employment. Nevertheless, he's served his suspension and after briefly flirting with Bellator Fighting Championships following call-outs from Ben Askren and Hector Lombard, the three-time middleweight "King of Pancrase" found his home across the pond. And the promotion couldn't be happier. "As soon as we received word that the Pennsylvania State Athletic Commission lifted Marquardt's suspension we jumped at the chance to sign him," said BAMMA's Liam Fisher. "He is a top ranked contender and an asset to any promotion. Words cannot express how excited we are that Marquardt is now fighting under the BAMMA banner." BAMMA is excited. Marquardt is excited. But what about the fans? Does today's announcement get you excited? Stay tuned to MMAmania.com for more details on BAMMA 9 as they become available.

Posted in: ufc, nate, bamma, marquardt, pennsylvania state

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Nate Marquardt will be making his first appearance in BAMMA a little later than expected, but he now has an opponent.

Posted in: nate, nate marquardt, bamma, marquardt, appearance

Read the full article at MMA Weekly

Less than 24 hours removed from his dominant first-round victory over Dennis Siver, it looks like Donald Cerrone already has his next fight planned, and it will be no easy task as he's expected to face Nate Diaz at UFC 141 on December 30th, according to Heavy.com HeavyMMA has confirmed that both fighters have verbal agreed to square off at at UFC 141 in December. MMAjunkie.com first reported the news on Sunday night. Cerrone told Joe Rogan in his post-fight interview on Saturday night, that he wanted to get another fight in before the end of the year, and it appears he'll get his wish. Riding a four-fight winning streak, with three of those coming via stoppage, Cerrone has proven to be one of the most promising lightweight prospects to emerge from the UFC-WEC merger. Diaz, on the other hand, has revitalized himself at lightweight after dropping consecutive fights at 170 lbs. Fresh off his own dominant performance against Takanori Gomi at UFC 135, Diaz brings a similarly well-rounded skill set to the cage as Cerrone, along with a similar propensity for finishing fights. Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone (17-3)Win Dennis Siver (submission - rear naked choke) - UFC 137Win Charles Oliveira (TKO - punches) - UFC on Versus 5Win Vagner Rocha (unam. decision) - UFC 131 Nate Diaz (14-7)Win Takanori Gomi (submission - armbar) - UFC 135Loss Rory MacDonald (unam. decision) - UFC 129Loss Dong Hyun Kim (unam. decision) - UFC 125 UFC 141: Lesnar vs. Overeem coverage

Posted in: ufc, fight, diaz, nate, cerrone

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Keith Jardine has always been known as the 'Dean of Mean' but now thanks to Nate Marquardt ratting his apparent culinary skills out to the world, mma fanson the UG have bestowed a whole new nickname upon him. Let us introduce you to a whole new image of Keith Jardine. This nipple tweaking, Techno Viking doppleganger we all have grown to enjoy watching as a violent human being, has been revealed to be a renaissance man of sorts. Welcome to Keith Jardine, the Dean of Cuisine. According to Nate Marquardt, Keith throws down in the kitchen and not just the cage. Nate had dinner at Keith's house this week and raved about it on his website: "He's a good cook! Baked chicken with paprika, cayenne and brown sugar rub, acorn squash baked with agave and cinnamon. Brown rice and broccoli." Pretty impressive. Maybe we can get him to do a guest spot along side Tim Kennedy for our 'Cooking with Tim Kennedy' feature one day. [source]

Posted in: keith jardine, jardine, nate, keith, marquardt

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submitted by MIstryMachine [link] [comment]

Posted in: diaz, nate, nate diaz, gif, maynard

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Kid Nate looks back at the UFC 136 pay-per-view at MMA Nation.

Posted in: ufc, mma nation, nation, nate, kid nate

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I can't be the only person that remembers when The Fight Mafia allegedly tried to stiff Nate Quarry over a sponsorship deal he had. It was a niche saga held entirely on Twitter and I'm one of only a handful of people that followed every tweet, video and response made by Nate Quarry and his former sponsor. Now it looks like The Fight Mafia will officially be coming back to the MMA clothing apparel game in 2012, but Nate Quarry will no longer need their cotton-based assistance. That's because Quarry has utilized his extreme obsession for zombies and the mildly-grotesque to make an entire clothing company that centers around undead MMA fighters. Yeah, it's sort of weird, but not as strange as the day I purchased a necklace on Venice Beach with a shotgun pendant to represent my appreciation for the double-tap zombie kill method. LayzieTheSavage caught up with Nate Quarry and he gave us somewhat of an explanation on his clothing line.

Posted in: nate, nate quarry, quarry, clothing line, fight mafia

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A middleweight bout between undefeated Derek Brunson (8-0 MMA, 2-0 SF) and veteran Nate James (13-7-1 MMA, 1-0...

Posted in: mma, nate, middleweight bout, nate james, derek

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submitted by BlackManistan [link] [comment]

Posted in: vs, takanori gomi, gomi, nate, takanori

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DENVER - UFC lightweight contender Nate Diaz's 170-pound experiment is over, at least for now. It's not that his two recent losses in the division have discouraged him from giving it another shot. It's not even that he was influenced by an incredible UFC 135 win over Japanese legend Takanori Gomi. No, the truth is Diaz (14-7 MMA, 9-5 UFC) feels like he has a duty to stay at lightweight for now. A quick survey of the division's landscape, and Diaz realized he belongs among the sport's best 155-pounders.

Posted in: ufc, pound, diaz, nate, nate diaz

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Nate Diaz dominated Takanori Gomi from the opening bell to start UFC 135′s pay-per-view main card before finishing the former PRIDE champion with an armbar late in the opening round to highlight his return to the lightweight division. MMAFrenzy.com’s play-by-play of Nate Diaz vs. Takanori Gomi is below: Round 1- Fighters both take time to feel each other out before Diaz catches Gomi but Gomi recovers. Neither fighter is cutting the ring. Gomi lands a tough body shot but Diaz retaliates with a nice right hook. Diaz is getting confident and begins to taunt the more tentative Gomi. Diaz rocks Gomi but Gomi recovers. Gomi shoots but Diaz reverses and takes Gomi’s back. Fighters work back to their feet and Diaz begins to tee off before Gomi takes him down with a body lock. Diaz sinks in a deep triangle and as Gomi is going out he switches to an armbar for a quick tap at 4:27. Best performance of Nate’s career by far. Nate Diaz def. Takanori Gomi via submission (armbar) – Round 1, 4:27 MORE: UFC 135 Results and Play-by-Play for “Jones vs. Rampage”

Posted in: diaz, takanori gomi, gomi, nate, nate diaz

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Four years after his brother defeated "The Fireball Kid," Nate Diaz did the same to kick off the UFC 135 main card.

Posted in: diaz, takanori gomi, nate, nate diaz, fireball kid

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Nate came out early pawing his jab to find his range. A jab-cross landed and momentarily dropped Gomi. Big haymaker landed for Gomi to Diaz's ribs that backs the 209 fighter back. Jab-cross again landed for Diaz and Gomi is just looking for the singular knockout punch. Another combination dropped Gomi. Gomi took Nate down but almost immediately fell into a triangle choke and then an armbar. Diaz chained his submissions together and finally forced the Fireball Kid to tap with a straight arm bar. That's BJJ 101. Nate Diaz makes a great return to the lightweight division with a decisive win over one of the greatest 155 pounders of all time. This win reestablishes him in the division and creates some interesting match ups going forward. Nate Diaz is now 9-5 in the UFC and 14-7 overall. For Gomi, this loss will get added to what is quickly becoming a a tarnished legacy. Years ago, Gomi would have run through Nate Diaz. Tonight, he look uninspired and a shell of his former self. Gomi drops to 1-3 in the UFC and his overall record is now 32-7-1. Kid Nate is running his own analysis of the fight over at MMANation, go see what he had to say about the fight.  SBN coverage of UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage

Posted in: ufc, diaz, gomi, nate, nate diaz

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Diaz bros-2 Gomi-0. Nate Diaz just put on what Joe Rogan called the performance of his career, dominating the former Pride champion Takanori Gomi all over the Octagon and submitting The Fireball Kid in the first round. Now I think MMA-Japan's Michael Hackler has to do some sort of demeaning act for LayzietheSavage, I'm not sure what, but there was a bet floating around out there, that much I do know. From the outset Nate boxed up Gomi in typical 209 fashion: stiff jabs with high volume and devastating accuracy. Gomi couldn't get anything going at all, constantly being forced to the outside with Diaz's sharp and quick strikes. Gomi attempted to do what he does best and land that one big strike but he whiffs on multiple occasions. Diaz continues to pick The Fireball Kid apart and it goes to the ground where Nate attempts a triangle (he totally had the opportunity to sink in the gogo) then he switches over to the armbar and Gomi taps quickly.

Posted in: diaz, gomi, nate, kid, fireball kid

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In an interesting battle at UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage, Ultimate Fighter winner Nate Diaz (13-7; 8-5 UFC) will take on former Pride champion "The Fireball Kid" Takanori Gomi (32-7, 1 NC; 1-1 UFC). This is a Lightweight bout, and is the second fight on the PPV portion of the card. The USA TODAY / MMA Nation Consensus MMA Rankings currently has Gomi at #19 at Lightweight, and Diaz unranked.  If you're a fan of the stories behind MMA fights, then this one has quite the history. For years, Gomi was viewed as the consensus #1 Lightweight in the world as he dominated the Japanese scene in Pride. In 2007, at one of the final Pride shows, he faced Nick Diaz, who at the time was something of a UFC washout. Gomi was the favorite, but Diaz pulled off the win using a rarely seen gogoplata submission. It was a huge victory, but was short-lived. Post-fight, Diaz tested positive for marijuana, and the bout was ruled a No Contest. Many fans still view it as a Diaz victory, but the official No Contest ruling stands. Here, Nate will look to vindicate his brother's win, while Gomi looks to gain redemption. Add hot-tempered brother Nick in Nate's corner, and you've got an interesting situation. How do these two stack up? Diaz: 26 years old | 6'0" | 76" reachGomi:  32 years old | 5'8" | 70" reach What have these two done recently? Diaz: L - Rory MacDonald (UD) | L - Dong Hyun Kim (UD) | W - Marcus Davis (Sub)Gomi: L - Clay Guida (Sub) | W - Tyson Griffin (KO) | L - Kenny Florian (Sub) How did these two get here? Diaz started his UFC career as a Lightweight after winning the 5th season of The Ultimate Fighter. After a 1-3 run in 2009/2010, Diaz decided to move up to Welterweight. There, he made a quick splash with two impressive wins, only to then drop back to back fights against Dong Hyun Kim and Rory MacDonald. He's now back at 155 for the first time since January 2010. Like big brother Nick, Nate Diaz uses a combination of Cesar Gracie black belt jiu jitsu and the Diaz trademark style of punches, though he has yet to find the consistent success of Nick. There's no denying that Gomi is an all time great at 155. But you also can't deny that his UFC run has come far past his prime. Really, that Nick Diaz fight and the subsequent closing of Pride was the end of the road for the dominant Gomi. Since then, he's 5-4, with wins over mostly lesser fighters in Japan. He did breath some life into his career with a shock KO of Tyson Griffin at UFC on Versus 2, but even his pedigree may not be enough to save his UFC career if he loses here and drops to 1-3. Why should you care? If you have any question, re-read that 2nd paragraph above. This one has the potential to be all fireworks, and even though Gomi is down, he showed against Griffin that he's still one punch away from victory. And for all my fellow Pride fans, the chances to see these guys dwindle away every card. Enjoy it while we can.

Posted in: ufc, diaz, gomi, pride, nate

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Japanese superstar Takanori Gomi was forced to tap via armbar during the first round of a main card fight against Nate Diaz at UFC 135. “I’m happy to get the win,” Diaz said after his submission win. “He’s dangerous. Takanori Gomi was a Pride champion for years and years — he was one of my favorite fighters forever, and still is.” On the feet — where Gomi once was one of the fiercest competitors — it was the younger Diaz brother able to control the fight and pepper Gomi. Nick Diaz, Nate’s older brother and training partner, submitted Gomi via gogoplata in 2007 during a PRIDE matchup. However, the decision was overturned when the Stockton fighter tested positive for THC during a post-fight drug test in Las Vegas.

Posted in: diaz, gomi, nate, nate diaz, diaz brother

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Friends, readers, countrymen: lend me your eyes.  Today, in my own back yard, Rampage Jackson will attempt to dethrone the recently crowned Jon Jones at UFC 135 in Denver, Colorado.  I've yet to decide whether I'll be fiscally irresponsible enough to blow 20% of my first check on some nosebleed seats, but either way, Mr Castillo and I have some thoughts on some questions leading up to this card. Oh, and the questions seem substantially better this week, it's because they are - I did them. Does Rampage Jackson have what it takes to pull off the upset, or does he become the most high profile victim of Jon Jones? David: Rampage has what it takes to not look as inept as Shogun did because he can stop Jones' takedowns. Wait...no he won't. I kind of waiver on this point actually: Jackson was always notorious for having some damn good takedown defense, but only against fighters with traditional approaches, like the double leg or the kneetap. "Bones" is a different beast, and he showed that by absolutely tooling Bader and Vera (both with respectable wrestling ability) with his unique arsenal. On the feet I don't favor Jackson either. He's good inside, with his money punch being the hook, but that's not how you beat Bones standing. So yea, he'll be the first high profile victim of Jon Jones, and then we'll get to hear more bloggers try to convince us that the guy who didn't put people's lives at risk in a fit of idiocy and rage is the real villain. My only real complaint will be fans asking that Jones move to HW, which is ridiculous right now. Will MMA fans ever warm up to the idea that a champion should defend his belt at least 3 times, or must an "era" be anointed for every fighter that looks good in victory winning a UFC belt if even just once? Derek:  Well, I wouldn't say that Rampage would be the "first high profile victim of Jon Jones," as you did - that would be a response to a flawed, inaccurate question, the type of which I don't bring to the front page of Head Kick Legend.  Shogun Rua was and remains Jon Jones' FIRST high profile victim.  No, if you had taken the time and talent needed to properly read and understand the question, you'd know that I'm asking if Rampage will be the MOST high profile victim.  And he will.  Bones' ability to get the fight to the ground from a standing position will be Rampage's downfall here - recall how easily Jon bearhugged and took down Shogun after the latter missed a single punch about 15 seconds into the first.  With Quinton's wild hooks swinging around, look for Jones to stick his shoulder into an armpit and explode.  Where David and I are in COMPLETE agreement in is our disgust with the impatience of MMA fans regarding champions.  Newsflash: lording over an entire weight class for years is good enough.  Let the man fight where he wants to fight.   Who would you rather see win a fight: Josh Koscheck or Matt Hughes? David: It's crazy to think two guys who fans have traditionally deplored have garnered sympathy recently. That's what makes this fight so boring on paper. You want to hate one guy, but Hughes is on his retirement tour having led a legendary career, and Koscheck may never be the same after GSP stuck his left jab into Josh's optic nerve. However, not to be wishy washy here, my answer is Matt Hughes. His book reads like an episode of Jerry Springer, and despite that, I'd love to see him pick up a dramatic win. The only way I care for this fight is if Koscheck looks completely rejuvenated and finally learns how to throw something other than an overhand right.   Derek:  Matt Hughes.  No need for ambiguity.  If you're going to be an unrepentant dick, then be the most dominant welterweight of all time so that people at least kind of understand why you are the way you are.  When you're just a solid contender that's 0-2 against the champ (I still remember the shock I felt when Georges St Pierre outwrestled Josh Koscheck for three rounds in their first bout.  I watched that fight like dogs watch people have sex - scared and confused, but unable to turn away) and coming off of a layoff by calling out aging veterans, then it looks like you've been a jerk since grade school.  There's no way Koscheck learned another strike during the layoff.   Is Takanori Gomi going to make Stockton's collective month even worse, or can Nate Diaz fix his brother's Honda for a few more months? David: I'm going with the former. It's nothing personal. It's just that the universe tends to unfold as it should. It's not that Nate's a bad guy: it's that Nick has engendered enough bad karma to put poor Nate in the way of a cosmically justified beatdown. I do think Nate is the better fighter, but I also think Gomi will catch him in the exchanges just like he did against Nick, except I don't expect Nate to respond to a broken orbital bone the way his brother did. Unfortunately Nick will have to keep driving that Honda. It's a funny thing about busted vehicles: you have to fix them instead of installing thousand dollar video cameras into them just so you can talk to fans and scream obscenities to other drivers on youtube. Derek: We disagree again, you magnificent bastard.  I have z-e-r-o faith in Gomi's wrestling, which means Nate can choose where the fight happens.  I can't fathom Gomi at 170, so I have a feeling that Nate is the larger man.  I'm also cognizant of the passage of time, which means that 2011 is later than 2007, 33 is older than 28, and Gomi's fight against Nick Diaz has absolutely zero bearing on the outcome of this bout.  I think Nate is going to be more serious about cutting to lightweight this time (now that the welterweight experiment has officially fizzled, thanks to Rory MacDonald's suplexes) and we'll see him embarrass Takanori with range and speed.    Is Travis Browne going to be a significant player in the heavyweight division, or are we kidding ourselves because we hate how the division is today? David: We're not kidding ourselves because the division sucks. Browne could get upset by his British opponent with an inverted omoplata, and still be considered a title contender with a comeback victory over Einemo or something. Just consider the fact that either Barry or Struve will still be relevant in a couple of weeks. Travis is a good fighter though: I just think we haven't seen him in the right fights (I'm curious to see how he handles a wrestler).     Derek: I'm intrigued by Browne.  He's got this bouncy, Dominick Cruz esque footwork going on, and he absolutely blasted my boy Struve his last time out.  That said, it's a conundrum - you have to get excited about new guys because the division stinks, but you can't get TOO excited about new guys because the division stinks.  Sigh.  As far as Rob Broughton goes... yeah.   Can Mark Hunt get back to .500? David: To be fair to Hunt, he's had an insane schedule. The guy has been in there with the absolute best, so there's no shame in that. Whether fighting a prime Fedor, an Overeem on the upsurge, or a blue chip prospect like McCorkle...wait....ok so Hunt's not exactly a contender, but beating Rothwell could put him on a serious comeback trail. We're talking a potential  2 wins since 2006, and the pink slip hasn't come in the mail, so yea, this is HW alright. He has a good chance too. Rothwell is a strange guy, and is liable to trade with Mark. It wouldn't be the most brilliant plan, but Big Ben isn't exactly a Wonderlic star. I'm legally bound to support fighters with a K-1 past, so yea, Hunt will get back to .500.   Derek:  I think I'm the only Ben Rothwell fan left in existence.  Of course, "left" presumes there were a number of us in the before time/the long long ago, which is probably inaccurate.  IFL Never Die, amirite?  If Rothwell does what he did against Yvel - shoot, sit and stay - then he'll be fine.  Despite my hatred of PRIDE, however, I've always had a certain affection for Hunt, probably due to some sick combo of his kiss against Ray Sefo and the Atomic Butt Drop he attempted during competition over there.  One moment... (sees Hunt's extensive kickboxing background) (checks out name of website) Hunt it is!

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Sometimes these storylines just write themselves. When Nate Diaz and Takanori Gomi lock up later on this evening (Sept. 24, 2011) at the UFC 135: "Jones vs. Rampage" event at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado, it will be the second time Gomi has went head on with a member of the Diaz family. The first time he did so produced explosive results. It was 2007 and the fall of Pride was just around the corner. The promotion held an event in Las Vegas, Nevada, and booked Gomi, who was the lightweight champion, to throw leather with controversial bad boy Nick Diaz. Despite a size advantage, "The Fireball Kid" blasted his counterpart with power shots that rocked and knocked down his foe. But he failed to finish the job and only seemed to fade as Diaz regained his footing and came storming back. This all occurred in the first round, mind you. To buy time and attempt to even things up again, Gomi took Diaz down early in the second frame, a fateful mistake that proved to be his undoing. Indeed, Diaz locked in the rarely seen gogoplata submission and quickly forced a tap. That wasn't the end of the story, however. After the bout, Diaz tested positive for marijuana and the Nevada State Athletic Commission overturned the result of the fight to a no contest. It was an unfortunate ending to an incredible battle waged by two elite fighters at the top of their games. And it left an air of unfinished business, despite the incredible result. The likelihood that Nick would ever get another shot at Takanori was slim to none and they would go their separate ways, leaving their classic battle to the history books. Once Gomi signed with the UFC, though, there was an outside chance that he could meet up with Nick's brother, Nate, at some point down the road. As luck and good timing would have it, both men have dropped two of their last three fights. After a four-fight stint in the welterweight division, where he struggled mightily, it made entirely too much sense for Diaz to come back down to the land of the lightweights to renew an old rivalry with a common family enemy. Let's hope these two wage war with the same fervor as Gomi and Nick did back in 2007. If the staredown at the weigh-ins is any indication, we're in for a doozy.

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Another salivating by-product of UFC matchmaker Joe Silva's seething cauldron is the UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage lightweight match up of Nate Diaz vs. Takanori Gomi. Diaz seems happy to cast aside his silky grappling in order to be aligned with a fellow gunslinger willing to stand up with him and empty the six-shooters until someone falls over. His wish is granted with Takanori Gomi. Shattering the Japanese stereotype, Gomi is a thunderous boxer with sound wrestling skills and arguably the heaviest handed lightweight in MMA history. After the UFC shut down their 155-pound division and the talent migrated overseas, "The Fireball Kid" emerged as the sport's elite lightweight after a storybook series of knockouts in Pride Fighting Championships. After a crippling defeat to B.J. Penn in Hawaii, "The Prodigy" proceeded to gallivant around in higher weight classes, abandoning the lightweight throne where Takanori Gomi would eventually take a seat. Setting up shop in the then-soaring Pride organization, Gomi drilled through ten consecutive adversaries with highlight reel panache to assume the mantle. Gomi finished eight of those ten opponents in the first round (six knockouts and two submissions), isolating himself atop the heap by crushing the number two and three world ranked lightweights in Tatsuya Kawajiri (rear-naked choke) and Hayato "Mach" Sakurai (KO) along with former UFC lightweight champion Jens Pulver (KO). His susceptibility to submissions was initially cloaked by his searing wrestle-boxing style, but later came to the forefront in a big way. The first sign was an arm-triangle loss to black belt Marcus Aurelio that snapped his win-streak, but the malady was somewhat salved in his following wins over Aurelio in the rematch, David Baron (eleven career sub-wins including Sakurai and Dan Hardy) and dominant wrestler Mitsuhiro Ishida. Gomi's turbulent downfall was triggered by his upset loss to Nate Diaz's older brother, Nick, in an epic and mutual massacre. Then, Pride was sold, Gomi went two and two in Sengoku and faded into obscurity. Saturday marks the prime opportunity for a reappearance of "the old Gomi" against Nate Diaz. Gifs and analysis in the full entry. Just as we were penciling Gomi in as another incomplete and over-hyped Pride fighter, he brought the apocalypse. Carelessly hanging out in the slugger's wheelhouse, Tyson Griffin was reminded of the one-shot power that put Gomi on the map. Though he's struggled with footwork and distance, Gomi proved his devastating presence inside the pocket was still afire. His overhand left is one of the best in the business, but his favorite follow up -- the right hook -- was what vanquished Griffin. Exhibiting behavior typically associated with uncoordinated teenage dancing at an all night rave, Clay Guida shucked and jived while assaulting Gomi from all angles with strikes and takedown attempts. Hitting a nice sprawl early, Gomi seemed unfazed by the whirling spectacle of curly locks and leather, but couldn't get out of defensive mode and eventually succumbed to a guillotine choke. Gomi's sprawl, (flying) knees and uppercuts have been proven takedown repellants. He uses his short, upward knee to the right when Guida charges in with his head down, but the result shows exactly why that choice is such a high-risk maneuver. This type of knee was, however, the way Gomi earned Pride FC's record for fastest knockout with a six-second snuffing of the aggressively shooting Ralph Gracie. Against the lanky Nate Diaz, Gomi will be tasked with deflecting an absurd amount of unorthodox strikes to assume his preferred range in the pocket. Despite spending most of the fight getting his head bounced back by long, stiff jabs, Gomi had a small assortment of encouraging sequences against Kenny Florian. Again, we see the distance factor here, as Gomi was a stationary target from outside but transferred his massive power well at close range. With his right hook, which is almost like a shovel punch here, Gomi adjusts for the distance by unrolling it from his waist and extending it outward. Gomi had a well earned reputation for going to the body and this was his preferred weapon to do so. Gomi's left hand lands almost immediately after his right connects. Take a second to time how quickly the left makes contact -- with plenty of heft -- after the right connects on Florian. For Nate Diaz, this fight has two divergent angles: the obvious sizzle of replicating his brother's historic clash with Gomi, yet Nate is also coming off the most convincing, one-sided defeat of his UFC career to Rory MacDonald. The sport vs. entertainment debacle rears its ugly head as Diaz's unquestionable advantage lies on the ground, but avoiding a standing brawl is just very un-Diaz. Marcus Davis, a brick-fisted southpaw boxer just like Gomi, is a nice frame of reference. Capitalizing on his condor-like wingspan was critical against Davis just as it will be versus Gomi. In the later rounds, Diaz found his range and pinged telephone-pole punches through Davis' defense. Timing his footwork and head movement to penetrate inside and pepper with strikes was what propelled Diaz to victory. In the animations above and to the left, Diaz is liquid-like in slipping punches while pelting with his high volume boxing. Things get interesting when we recall the trouble that Davis presented with his jabs and overhand left early in the fight. The pivotal change was that Diaz began by marching straight ahead while looping wide hooks -- which Davis neatly countered with tight, on-balance combinations -- but adjusted to setting up his advances with baiting punches. Once Diaz got Davis in motion, he was able to create angles and target openings with a very deliberate in and out strategy. Whenever Diaz took the primitive approach of walking forward and swinging, he was tagged consistently by Davis' textbook boxing. In these last two examples, we see Davis emulating what Takanori Gomi specializes in. He lays back, poised and ready to spring, countering Diaz's first strike with his overhand left and right jabs and hooks. If you were to create the perfect opponent for Gomi, that's what he would do. The downfall of the unusual striking of the Diaz brothers is that they have a tendency to plant their feet and absorb wayward blows in the pocket while volume-punching. Regardless if he's old, decrepit, or even past his prime, Takanori Gomi will still prey on that mentality. It's the same scenario from which he clocked Nick Diaz with the infamous Hadouken Punch in Pride (right). I'm guessing, with his back against the wall and fresh off a humiliating defeat, Nate Diaz will be too smart. In modern day MMA, it's just too hard for a limited fighter to survive at the top level. I didn't even take the time to discuss Nate's highly under-rated Judo in the clinch or his ultra-technical grappling game. Even if a significant portion of Nate Diaz's style plays into Gomi's hands, his chin is as solid as they come and there's an entire universe of alternatives he can exercise beyond trading on the feet. I really don't want to see either of these exciting fighters lose. Normally I would pick either by sheer fanboy default. The hard steer for Diaz on the betting lines is pretty accurate, as Gomi's chances boil down to that of a puncher ... but even in that facet, he hasn't looked the sharpest. Throwing all logic and reason aside, I have to throw out a prayer for Takanori Gomi to overcome the odds and actualize the impossible. I'm not ready to let go. As a highly revered wise man once said: "It's still real to me, dammit!" My Prediction: Takanori Gomi by TKO     Guida vs. Gomi gifs via Zombie Prophet of IronForgesIron.com Davis vs. Diaz gifs via Chris Nelson for BloodyElbow.com Poll Nate Diaz vs. Takanori Gomi Nate Diaz Takanori Gomi   3 votes | Results

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Two of the sports most exciting lightweights will wage war this Saturday night (September 24, 2011) on the UFC 125 main card as The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) season five winner, Nate Diaz, takes on "The Fireball Kid" Takanori Gomi. After getting tossed around in his last fight, Diaz is dropping back down to 155 pounds, a weight class in which he's balanced great success with frustration against the top wrestlers in the division. He couldn't have asked for a more ideal opponent in Takanori Gomi. Gomi's reputation as the most dangerous lightweight in the world has faded, but he sticks packs a wallop in his fists as evidenced by his incredible knockout of Tyson Griffin last year. Gomi was completely baffled by Clay Guida's funky movement in his last fight bu the shouldn't have any problems finding his opponent's head this time around. This bout also has added significance as Gomi competed against Nate Diaz's older brother Nick at Pride 33 in one of MMA's most entertaining fights of all time. Gomi would lose via gogoplata (although the result would be overturned after Diaz tested positive for marijauna.) Gomi would love an opportunity to take some vengeance out on Diaz's baby brother. Can Nate Diaz douse "The Fireball Kid" with a healthy dose of volume punches and submissions? Will Gomi be able to connect with the sledgehammers he calls fists and stop Diaz via strikes for the first time? Which lightweight will get back on track in the crowded 155 pound division? Nate Diaz Record: 13-7 overall, 8-5 in the UFC Key Wins: Melvin Guillard (UFC Fight Night 19), Marcus Davis (UFC 118), Kurt Pellegrino (UFC Fight Night 13) Key Losses: Rory MacDonald (UFC 129), Dong Hyun Kim (UFC 125), Gray Maynard (UFC Fight Night 20) How he got here: Nate Diaz didn't take the easy road. He made his MMA debut in the WEC and by his seventh professional fight, he was fighting for the promotion's lightweight title against Hermes Franca at the Brazilian's peak, losing via submission in the second round. Undeterred, Diaz tried out for season five of The Ultimate Fighter, the first season to showcase the lightweight division. The self-assured Stockton native was one of the season's stars, constantly arguing with castmates, guest coaches and the like. He defeated Rob Emerson, Corey Hill and most impressively Gray Maynard via submission to compete in the finale where he would be gifted the show's championship after fellow finalist Manny Gamburyan separated his shoulder in the main event. Diaz got off to a hot start, defeating his first five UFC opponents before being derailed by tough wrestlers Clay Guida and Joe Stevenson. After an impressive second round submission of Melvin Guillard, Diaz would lose a split decision to Gray Maynard which would fuel his decision to bump up a weight class. At welterweight, Diaz again was off to a terrific start, stopping both Rory Markham and Marcus Davis in his first two fights. This would put him in a position against some of the toughest young 170 pounders. Diaz had trouble getting outmuscled by Dong Hyun Kim in a tightly contested match and would get tossed around the cage by Rory MacDonald in a bout where he was completely physically dominated. This spurred the decision to return to lightweight, as suggested by his coach Cesar Gracie and Diaz was paired up against Takanori Gomi, a scrappy fighter with some serious history against his brother. How he gets it done: In the stand-up department, expect Diaz to probe with his jabs, pitter-pattering Gomi with volume punches in a style very similar to his brother. Nate Diaz does not have the power of his older sibling, but he possesses similar endurance and can throw just as many strikes. As evidenced by his fights against Rory Markham and Marcus Davis, he can still do some serious damage with his punches. Another key element in Diaz's attack is his use of judo techniques while scrambling in the clinch. The Cesar Gracie fighter has some fantastic trips at his disposal as well as perfectly timed throws if he ever notices that his opponent is off balance. On the ground, the TUF season five winner has some nasty submissions in his arsenal. He's just as capable of finishing a fight from his back as on top, if not moreso. He finished fighters like Kurt Pellegrino and Melvin Guillard after being put on his back and Gomi fell into a similar trap against his brother.  Diaz loves to bang but by keeping the fight standing, he's risking getting "Tyson Griffon'd" by Gomi's power. He'll be the more accurate striker, but there will be a huge risk of that flash knockout. The best plan of action would be to close the distance, work a trip takedown or even pull guard and then go to work with his lethal submission. If Diaz can get this fight to the ground, he's over halfway to victory already. Takanori Gomi Record: 32-7 (1 No Contest) overall, 1-2 in the UFC Key Wins: Tyson Griffin (UFC on Versus 2), Jens Pulver (Pride Shockwave 2004), Tatsuya Kawajiri (Pride Bushido 9) Key Losses: Clay Guida (UFC 125), Kenny Florian (UFC Fight Night 21), B.J. Penn (Rumble on the Rock 4) How he got here: At one point, Takanori Gomi was the most feared lightweight on the planet. He began his career 14-0 and primarily as a freestyle and catch wrestler. Despite his current reputation as an incredibly powerful striker, "The Fireball Kid" only scored two knockouts in his first 14 fights.  He ran into his first roadblock with consecutive losses to Joachim Hansen and B.J. Penn in late 2003 but would bounce back in impressive fashion, famously winning 10 straight in Pride including first round stoppage victories over Jens Pulver, Tatsuya Kawajiri and Hayato Sakurai. He would also win and defend the Pride lightweight championship during this period. The heavy-handed Japanese striker would famously compete in one of MMA's most legendary fights, brawling with Nick Diaz at Pride 33 and nearly knocking out the elder Diaz brother before gassing out and getting caught in a slick gogoplata. His loss to Diaz was overturned, but the memory of that fight is forever burned into the minds of hardcore fans everywhere. Gomi has gone 5-4 since the Diaz fight including a 1-2 stint in the UFC in which he was dominated by both Kenny Florian and Clay Guida but managed a knockout of the year candidate against Tyson Griffin. He could be fighting for his promotional future on Saturday night. How he gets it done: Gomi has become so obsessed with his knockout power that he's allowed his wrestling and grappling skills to deteriorate. He's no longer a threat to take Nate Diaz down and either pound on him or soften him up for submissions, that would only open up opportunities for his opponent to latch on a submission hold. Instead, Gomi needs to probe with his jab, use his footwork to cut off escape attempts and look for that knockout blow with his killer fists. Expect to see Gomi really work on finding his range before exploding with a power strike.  Nate Diaz isn't exactly known for his striking defense. He gets bloodied up or knocked down in a majority of his fights and that's something to be concerned about. Gomi has the power to not only knock Diaz down but put his lights out long enough to score a TKO victory or worse.  "The Fireball Kid" is known for his wild style and his reckless attacks in the stand-up realm. If Diaz wants a stand-up brawl, Gomi should accept the challenge and go for the knockout because at this point in his career, that's what he does best. Fight "X-Factor:" The biggest X-Factor for this fight will be the battle between Takanori Gomi's fists and Nate Diaz's chin. We all know Diaz can take a shot and keep coming, but that doesn't mean he's impossible to knock out. Diaz has a knack for getting cracked early in a fight and that's the big opportunity that Gomi needs to seize. What happens if Gomi connects early could be the deciding factor in this bout. Diaz usually recovers very quickly and not only survives, but bounces back to win the fight. He did so against both Melvin Guillard and Marcus Davis and he's capable of doing it again.  If Gomi does hurt Diaz early, he absolutely needs to rush him and try desperately for the finish because he will lose ground with every second that ticks off the clock while Diaz becomes stronger. Bottom Line: When Gomi fought Nick Diaz, it was one of the greatest fights in MMA history. While expectations are high for this bout, it won't live up to that legendary tilt, nor should we expect it to. What fans should expect is an exciting stand-up brawl with the possibilities of becoming a ground battle if Diaz sees an opportunity or begins to lose the striking exchanges. While standing, this has the potential to be as fun to watch as any fight on the card. This is my pick for "Fight of the Night" so don't miss out. Who will come out on top at UFC 135? Tell us your predictions in the comments below! Poll Which lightweight will prevail on Saturday night in the second bout of the UFC 135 main card? Nate Diaz Takanori Gomi   165 votes | Results

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