The thing that pisses me off is when a fighter in the fight build up talks incessantly about being a warrior and always looking to damage and not win on points. And then come fight night he 100% looks to avoid the other guy and win via point. It was a great strategy and it won him the biggest fight of his career, but it contrasted his build-up. For the record, I thought Diaz won rounds 1 and 2 with more effective strikes and aggression. Condit won rounds 3 and 4 by just out-landing Nick. And then Diaz got my nod in the final round with the back control for the last 2 minutes. That being said, I can't argue either way. It was close. My other quick thoughts on the card: 1) Stephen Thompson will make some noise in the UFC. The guy is an amazing kickboxer, has very solid wrestling according to those in his camp, and trains BJJ with the 2nd family of BJJ in Carlos Machado. 2) Matt Brown, Matthew Riddle and Bruce Leroy are all average fighters at best. But they can be ridiculously entertaining. 3)Ed Herman showed Clifford Starks that you have to have a different level of chin, heart and all around skills in the UFC. 4) Simply, Mike Pierce beat Josh Koscheck. Terrible decision. 5) I've overrated Roy Nelson's stand-up. The dude is an average fighter that landed a couple of lucky wild right hands against Struve and Schaub. He's not very good. Sorry I just now got that. 6) Nick Diaz has some of the best hands in MMA. Unfortunately the one important boxing skill he doesn't have is good footwork. All of this time he's been able to beat guys because they move straight back. Condit exploited a huge weakness Nick's game. He didn't have the footwork to cut off the cage. On a side note, is Dana White on drugs giving 'Fight of the Night" to Nelson-Werdum??? Just because one guy gets busted up and keeps coming doesn't make it a great fight. It was a one-sided beat down. Only the myth of Roy's BIG right hand kept it remotely interesting. Riddle-Martinez was a far better fight.
Was a very dissapointing event all around. Maybe I was expecting too much from condit-diaz, but damn was it a bummer. I'm dissapointed in Condit for running as much, and Diaz was also dissapointing in how he didn't fore the pace. looked like Lewis-Tua Werdum-Nelson went how I expected it to go, as I said earlier, Werdum is superior in every facet of the game, and he's also bigger. Was an easy fight to pick. Was an allright fight, but not more than this. Pierce-Koscheck was a huge bore. Koscheck is average at best, and he seems tentative since the second GSP fight. Herman against the other guy was fairly good, but it was between 2 c level fighter, so it,s hard to get too excited about it.
Werdum vs Nelson was the best fight on the card. Werdum has never looked better IMO. Werdums clinch was looking good.
Werdum looked good. His stand up is pretty damn good I still don't get why he was so damn scared of Overeem.
I scored it the exact same, rounds 1,2, and 5 to Diaz. I have always liked Condit, but I must admit, I was sooooo disappointed. It was close, and I can understand it going each way as far as the decision goes, but I could not give rounds to a guy for just running. Koschek is just dreadful to watch most of the time for me. I was really impressed with Werdum. I would like to see him fight Mir next. Does anyone think Diaz will really hang it up?
Diaz was just bitter at the time, he's not quitting. As far as Werdum and Mir, I think Werdum will beat him.
yeah, cause beating fat ass nelson in the stand up as relevance on how you'll do against of the best kickboxer in the world
Yep. Opening up against Nelson is one thing, but opening up against Overeem is another. But Werdum didn't mindlessly open up against even Nelson. He was very calculated in his striking. I was impressed how he controlled everything. Personally I want to see Cain-Werdum with the winner getting a shot at the JDS-Reem winner. I don't think Cain has anything currently scheduled and Werdum escaped unscathed. I wouldn't mind a Mir-Werdum match-up. Mir is never boring. He's either getting his ass kicked or kicking someone elses ass.
I loved how he gave credit to Condit for 'being the man' in one breath and then said "girly leg kicks" in the next breath during the post fight interview. Hopefully Nick will learn that not everyone is going to engage him. He's going to need better footwork and learn to cut off the cage.
IF there is one thing that really irked me about the scoring it's that 2 judges gave Condit the 5th round. Just not sure about that. The back control and attempted RNC was the closest either guy came to ending the fight. I don't think Condit did near enough early in the 5th to offset the last minute and a half of having Diaz on his back.
True about Nick's footwork. He can really lay it on, with huge barrages of accurate shots if the guy is relatively stationary or moving in a straight line, but he looked downright lost agaisnt some decent movement. As a long time Diaz fan I was also disappointed he didn't take more chances. I know first hand it's not easy at all fighting a guy who is constantly moving/running like that, but you have to take more chances if you want to win, not just mindlessly plod after your opponent. I picked Diaz and I was rooting for Diaz, but I have to say Condit won and won very clearly. I can't believe some of you scored that fight for Diaz. This wasn't like Frock Vs Dirrell where Condit was only running and flopping on the canvas, and taking quite a few shots. Condit was outlanding Diaz, and landing harder punches/kicks. That's part of the reason Diaz was hesitant I think, he was receiving hard counters in every round. Ask yourself who you'd rather be in that fight? Condit did more damage by far.
Condit clearly won the fight. I was rooting for Diaz becasue I wanted to see GSP Diaz but Condit clearly and easily won. I didn't score it officialy but I would say he won 4-1
Condit did what he needed to do to win which is hit and move. Just like Frankie Edgar did to B.J Penn. True champions don't talk to the opponents to fight their fight and don't slap them and provoke them to fight their fight, they adapt and still win. Diaz has only himself to blame. He could have speed walked him down or even straight up ran up to him instead of plodding around eating shots and then crying like a baby taking his balls and going home.
