Nick Diaz Channels "Pro Wrestling"

by Michael Rome on Jun 17, 2008 11:58 AM EDT in News Comment 8 comments

For a few days now, I have watched a lot of people condemn the Diaz brothers for what they did after the show. The usual reason for attacking what happened is that it was too much like pro wrestling, and turned MMA into a spectacle. Of course, anyone who has had to go through the pain of watching wrestling over the last 6-7 years knows this is not true. The "angle" after the fight Saturday night was better than anything WWE has done in years, and it was better because of intangibles that only real people and real grudges can provide. The Diaz brothers are legitimate punks, the heat between the sides is legitimate, and it actually seemed like a chaotic scene rather than a planned joke. I can't wait to see them fight, which is a lot more than I can say for most other upcoming Elite XC fights.

Before the confrontation, Diaz/Noons would have been just another match. Frankly, most talk would have centered around how unjustified it was to do the fight given Nick's inability to make weight. Now, for the first time, Elite XC has a future match between two guys with a legitimate gripe that they can really hype up as a title fight between two guys that hate each other. It's too bad they can't do this fight in July (they should), because it has money written all over it.

Elite XC is never going to to beat the UFC at its own game. If it is going to be successful, it needs to do something different, which is what it did in May with Gina Carano and Kimbo Slice. I hate to break it to people, but 5 million people didn't tune in to see technical ground battles, they tuned in to see stars fight.

0 recs | Comment 8 comments

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

People

Also forget that Chuck Liddell and Tito and Ken all got into it after Tito beat Vitor Belfort.

by Luke Thomas on Jun 17, 2008 12:10 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I disagree

The “angle” after the fight Saturday night was better than anything WWE has done in years, and it was better because of intangibles that only real people and real grudges can provide.

It was exactly like the WWE. People who have nothing to do with the match come to ringside to yell and start a fight, in order to hype an upcoming match. Thats classic WWE.

Whether the ‘grudge’ is real life or not is irrelevant (Hi Mick Foley vs. Nature Boy!), the whole thing was McMahon, as was the Rogers-Kimbo post-fight fiasco.

by mythbuster on Jun 17, 2008 12:29 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Of course, the video footage of Ken trying to hop the fence made UFC millions of dollars. It’s always been part of the fight game and always will.

by Michael Rome on Jun 17, 2008 12:30 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Great article Michael !
I agree with you whole hartedly
Honestly it made Return of the king more exciting and made me excited for their rematch. It didn’t get too out of hand and no one got hurt. I I know some sourpuss hardcore mma fans may look down at the art of match hyping. I find it funny that everyone who’s ripping Nick Diaz had little to say when BJ Penn spent every second leading up to his fight with Sherk to insult him in interviews and taunting him mercilessly, only afterwards admitting that he was merely hyping their fight.

by willidynamite on Jun 17, 2008 12:44 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Finally

Someone else who appreciates a little legit beef between 2 fighters!

Let’s face it, we all meet people that rub us the wrong way and it’s no different in the fight game except that they actually get to duke it out without any domestic issues!

all you gotta do is...

by imapimp08 on Jun 17, 2008 3:17 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Its not about 'true beef'

I’m all for people who really don’t like each other pounding it out. Shamrock-Ortiz was great (well, the lead up). Same for Serra-Hughes.

My problem is the antics involved. Bringing people into the ring, staging fights, etc.. I can get this crap any Monday or Friday night I want in WWE

by mythbuster on Jun 17, 2008 3:44 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Come Me Out

My problem is not that this beef reflects something from WWE, my problem is that it reflects classlessness (not sure if that is a word but whatever). Listen to the Jordan Breen show today, my email will be read on how I feel about the matter, and Breen will give his opinion also, and then you will see why I wasn’t happy with what went on in the ring.

As for wanting to watch the fight now, count me out. Why should I give my money to a overweight, slow-as-molasses fighter when after the fight he is probably going to do nothing but give a profanity laced diatribe at his opponent whether win or lose, and then have the opponents father try to teach these punks a lesson. Do I like pre-fight hyping? Hell yeah, who doesn’t. But their is a big difference between what Penn did with Sherk (known steroid abuser and trying to get under his skin because of it) then what transpired Saturday. I am sorry, but I like my stars with a bit more class.

by mattwatt on Jun 17, 2008 3:26 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

KJ/Nick will end the same way again. KJ is a far superior striker with good takedown defense. Nick has a striking style that relies on cumulative strikes, and he probably won’t get to the point where they pile up and start effecting KJ. Diaz’s best shot would be on the ground, but if his takedowns aren’t vastly improved, he will have a hard time getting the fight there.

i have zero problem with Diaz talking in the media or even entering the cage to set up a rematch. What I do have a problem with, is his immature brother going in with him and flipping everyone off.

Can we get Noons father vs Nate at some point?

Sorry, but while I don’t dislike Nick, I am certainly sick of his apologists.

"They said you was hung!!"

"And they was RIGHT!"

by BJJDenver on Jun 17, 2008 3:50 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs