UFC 137: Penn vs. Diaz

[INDYjon22]

Main Card
B.J. Penn

vs.
Nick Diaz

Cheick Kongo

vs.
Matt Mitrione

Rest of Main Card

• Hatsu Hioki vs. George Roop
• Mirko Filipovic vs. Roy Nelson
• Jeff Curran vs. Scott Jorgensen

Preliminary Card (Spike TV)

• Dennis Siver vs. Donald Cerrone
• Bart Palaszewski vs. Tyson Griffin

Preliminary Card (Facebook)

• Brandon Vera vs. Eliot Marshall
• Daniel Downes vs. Ramsey Nijem
• Francis Carmont vs. Chris Camozzi
• Dustin Jacoby vs. Clifford Starks

Nick Diaz makes his anticipated return to the UFC tonight to take on one of the greatest champions in UFC history, BJ Penn. This fight should be entertaining, neither man is usually in boring fights. And if the scuffle yesterday wasn't just a show to get more hype around the fight, maybe we will see some true animosity between these two. They have been uncomfortably quiet going into this fight.

The co main event pits Meathead against The Dirtiest Player in the Game in what looks to be a brawl. Kongo would be smart to wrestle Mitrione and test his ground game. Hopefully we get a KO.

Hioki makes his debut against Roop. Hioki is supposed to be the man to beat Aldo, well we get our first look tonight. Hopefully the curse of Japanese fighters crossing over to the UFC won't effect him. Roop wins fights he shouldn't but he's a bum. Hioki should have little trouble winning.

CroCop takes on Big Country in what is effectively a loser leaves town fight. CC needs to keep Roy at a distance, and Nelson needs to get inside. I hope as a fan of CC that he will win tonight and finally retire on top. Don't know how likely that will be.

I have no interest in Jorgensen vs. Curran.

The undercard is alright. Siver vs. Cerrone should be a war. Hopefully Cerrone gets knocked out. Griffin vs. Bart should be another tough battle as well. And, Vera vs. Marshall will see the loser get cut most likely. Should be a fun card.

 

[The Best]

Sadly I won't be watching the event this time around. If Matt "Meathead" Mitrione can pull off a win over one of the most over-rated guys in the 265 pound division than that would be great.

 

[Fizzy]

Man, Hioki looked so good, JMT!

 

[INDYjon22]

Decent show. Sad to see CC lose again, probably for the final time, but Diaz looked fantastic tonight. I cannot wait to see him fight GSP. Anyone who thinks GSP will destroy Diaz is delusional.

 

[Fizzy]

I hear GSP is begging Dana to let him fight Diaz.

 

[INDYjon22]

Really? I'm a little surprised if GSP is really trying to get a fight. He seems like the sort of dude who just lets the UFC decide and then goes from there. I don't if he should be very eager to fight Diaz though...

 

[Fizzy]

Rogan said it on the PPV I believe. GSP was begging for the fight.

 

[klunderbunker]

I learned a lot from ESPN.com's recap of this show. There's a fighter named Crop Cop and another guy lost his fight to fall to 7-0.

 

[jmt225]

Man, Hioki looked so good, JMT!

Yeah, he looked like crap, but still got the win. He'll look much better in his next fight. He simply had trouble fighting someone taller than him, which he hasn't done yet in his MMA career.

But fuck all that... WAR Nick Diaz! I cannot wait to see him kick GSP ass.

Also, BJ better not retire. He can still compete and beat a lot of the top talent in the Welterweight and Lightweight Divisions.

 

[Slyfox696]

But fuck all that... WAR Nick Diaz! I cannot wait to see him kick GSP ass.

It amazes me how you love such a classless guy. For example:

"I don't think Georges is hurt," Diaz said. "I think he's afraid to fight anybody."

http://espn.go.com/mma/story/_/id/7163430/nick-diaz-outworks-bj-penn-earn-unanimous-decision

This coming from the same guy who got booted from the main-event because he can't make it to promotional deals he agreed to do. No class, not to mention just plain stupid.


Say what you want about how exciting GSP is (or isn't) in the cage, but at least he has class.

 

[jmt225]

It amazes me how you love such a classless guy. For example:


http://espn.go.com/mma/story/_/id/7163430/nick-diaz-outworks-bj-penn-earn-unanimous-decision

This coming from the same guy who got booted from the main-event because he can't make it to promotional deals he agreed to do. No class, not to mention just plain stupid.


Say what you want about how exciting GSP is (or isn't) in the cage, but at least he has class.

And Diaz said in the post fight presser that GSP's a great fighter, nice guy, and a great role model. Then when it was announced shortly after that Diaz was going to fight GSP, Diaz made the point that he has to act like a bad guy to get the fight he wants, and Dana basically agreed with him.

Nick Diaz isn't anywhere near as classless as people make him out to be.

 

[Fizzy]

Nick Diaz has lit a fire under GSP's ass like we've never seen. A fire bigger than Serra 2, Bj 2, and Hughes 2. GSP will be the GSP of old come Super Bowl weekend and Diaz will regret it. Mark my words, JMT GSP is going to destroy Diaz.

 

[jmt225]

Meh, I don't believe that hype at all. If GSP shows up and actually stands with Diaz, I'd put my life on it that Diaz beats the shit out of him. Did you not see what Diaz did to Penn? Nobody has even done that to BJ Penn, and Penn is a guy who fucking SLAUGHTERED the "old" GSP, and is also the guy who the new GSP was scared to stand-up against.

 

[Fizzy]

Slaughtered? Not even close. Razor thin decision in the first fight and quit on the stool in the second fight. I love BJ as much as you man, but GSP kicked his fucking ass in the second fight. This will be the most dangerous GSP we've ever seen and i'd bet my life he destroys Diaz.

 

[jmt225]

Slaughtered? Not even close. Razor thin decision in the first fight and quit on the stool in the second fight. I love BJ as much as you man, but GSP kicked his fucking ass in the second fight. This will be the most dangerous GSP we've ever seen and i'd bet my life he destroys Diaz.

That first round was a complete slaughter. I mean, did you see GSP's face? If GSP have kept standing with BJ, he would have been finished, but he went to his wrestling and got a bullshit decision. And the 2nd fight was a lay and pray fest, not an ass kicking.

If GSP beats Diaz, it'll be a lay and pray fest as well, not a destruction. And you know it, man. You also know that if Diaz wins, it'll be an ass beating or slick submission, not some point playing horseshit.

 

[Fizzy]

He beat the hell out of Penn in the second fight. Sure he stayed in his guard for a majority of the fight, but thats a credit to Penn's nasty ability to regain guard than anything else. Diaz fights best when he can outwork his opponent and get them on the defensive against the cage. This will not work against GSP. He will circle away and will put Diaz on the defensive for the entire fight whether it's threatining with takedowns or pushing forward with jabs and kicks. Diaz proved to me last might that he's a top tier fighter, but an angry GSP is on another level. This will not be another Dan Hardy type fight. GSP will come out and hurt Nick Diaz. Just wait and see.

 

[jmt225]

We'll see, Fizzy. We'll see.

The fight can't come soon enough. I'm sure we both can agree on that.

 

[INDYjon22]

All it is is talk. No one truly knows how motivated GSP is for this fight. Yes, he could be reinvigorated and be on a nasty new level, but I'll wait till I can actually see it before I believe it. GSP won't be able to handle Diaz standing and will resort to his wrestling. I would bet my life on that.

 

[The Best]

Wow, Cro Cop retired. Two retirements in one night, that's pretty sad. Both guys were legends in the sport.

 

[jmt225]

I don't see BJ staying retired for long. He'll take some time off and probably be ready to make a comeback by next summer. At least, I deeply hope that turns out to be the case.

 

[INDYjon22]

BJ said something similar after the Fitch fight. I think it is just his emotions at the time coming out. Hopefully he goes back to Lightweight though, I think he could dominate just about anyone in that division not named Frankie Edgar.

 

[The Best]

He's still young; he's only 32. I could see what JMT said happening, I think he just wants to take time off and spend time with his family. He has a 3 year old daughter, who he probably hasn't spent a lot of time with, so I do see this as just being a short break for his family.

Also, if he does drop down to 155, I would really like to a BJ vs. Gray Maynard fight. Huge clash in styles, and that would be fun to watch somewhere down the road. I have a feeling that he'll probably stay at 170 though if and when he decides to come back to the octagon.

 

[Turd Ferguson]

Quick thoughts:

1.) Tyson Griffin is SO released. 1-4 in his last 5, couldn't make weight. I always thought he was real overrated, although his fight with Edgar was a classic.

2.) Donald Cerrone vs. Ben Henderson for the UFC Lightweight Title could happen by end of 2012. Can't get over how Cerrone has been the second best WEC import to the Lightweight Division. In the meantime, if Melendez gets past Masvidal, him vs. Cerrone for #1 Contender would be insane.

3.) I don't see Hioki having much success in the US just based on the fact that he lost two rounds to George Roop.

4.) Damn you Elliot Marshall for allowing Brandon Vera to get a win and continue his run in the UFC.

5.) Nick Diaz is going to beat GSP.

 

[Fizzy]

I hear BJ said he wasnt retired. He has a young baby and another on the way and ge wants to spend time with them. He can still be top 2 in the lightweight division if he wants.