LAS VEGAS - Should the UFC 137 main event between BJ Penn as well as Nick Diaz can easily equal the actual drama this led up to Saturday night's top level, it might be Ultimate Combating Championship's match on the year.
The weeks ahead of the pay-per-view (10 p. m. EST, Mandalay Bay Activities Center) have been filled having twists as well as turns, stressful announcements plus stunning comebacks. Seeing that fight overnight has eventually arrived, however, both Diaz and Penn are usually putting all of that behind them. It's time to offer inside your cage, many people say.
"I've been recently there setting up 100 percent. I often said that's what's important. You've got folks that want to see fights, they want to see good arguements, they want to see a good fighter and also that's exactly what I'm attempting to bring on the table, " said Diaz (26-7-1), probably the most intriguing characters inside the sport.
At first, Diaz - your Strikeforce welterweight champ - was introduced to undertake UFC welterweight champ Georges St-Pierre within a dream onslaught. But any time Diaz no-showed advertising events around Toronto as well as Vegas, UFC us president Dana Light replaced him within the title round with Carlos Condit. In lieu of fire Diaz, nevertheless, White gambled as well as matched your ex boyfriend up together with Condit's original opponent with UFC 137 - Penn.
In that case, just 10 days ahead of the event, the 7steps bout somewhere between St-Pierre as well as Condit appeared to be delayed soon after St-Pierre suffered an injury in exercising camp. As a result, Penn as well as Diaz was moved into your main-event position. As in the event that that wasn't ample to chit chat about, Diaz seemed to be 45 seconds late for the media convention call the following day, saying he / she didn't even be informed on it.
Bought all that?
"It's already been a roller seacoast ride, " stated Penn (16-7-2) which includes a chuckle.
"I maintain telling these, 'When can we make the end button and head to work? ' "
Gathered This in Vegas with the pre-fight click conference with a Brooklyn Link replica outdoors New York-New York Hotel room and Online casino, Diaz seemed to be even in a position to joke related to his come back to UFC right after five several years away. UFC employees had Diaz with the event sixty minutes early, this fighter spotted.
"I have no idea of if that's an adjust of blueprints or what exactly, " said Diaz, pulling laughter out of both followers and storage devices.
Though Penn and Diaz think about the other a buddy - Diaz, in fact, calls Penn certainly one of his early on MMA idols - each knows exactly how important the actual fight can be on Wednesday. The winner are going to be at the top of the actual list for your next welterweight 7steps shot.
"I don't wish to speak too soon. I'd like to get yet another title before I step outside the game, " said Penn, who may have worn UFC gold in both the light and portable and welterweight partitions.
"But as far as everything goes, I'm just trying to take the idea one fight at any given time. If Dana feels which i look striking in my personal next combat and he wishes to grant myself that opportunity, I'd always be very gracious considering the offer. "
The match features two of the most as qualified in cooking fighters inside the sport. Each provides world-class jiu jitsu plus they are arguably the best boxers while in the welterweight scale. White considers something else the two have within common.
"The similarities are that equally these folks are nuts, " White said which includes a laugh.
Penn plus White also have their differences over time, often related to contracts, money or that both are usually incredibly outspoken. Diaz, relationship, has made news intended for incidents including a fight in a very hospital having Joe Riggs following your two retaliated at UFC 57 to his admitted using marijuana to being part of a brawl with CBS immediately after he cornered Mike Shields inside a Strikeforce top level.
"The various other thing is, these people are warriors, " continuing White. "I'm excited for this fight. This fight's going becoming a war. "
Diaz, a safe bet of 15 fights from a row dating returning to 2007, said the causes he's last UFC are usually simple.
"I came up to fight with the money. I got to fight with the title, " he said.
Penn thinks about both he / she and Diaz are usually "in some sort of must-win circumstance, " nevertheless he relishes task.
"My pressure hails from, I love to do this. I like to do ufc, I appreciate fighting for the UFC and I'd like to see to continue doing that just the summer more decades, " said Penn.
"Nick's below to prove himself, that he's here to keep and that he is a concept contender. Both among us have a great deal of pressure at us appear Saturday evening. "
Throughout other pay-per-view meets at UFC 137:
Matt Mitrione (5-0) assumes on Cheick Kongo (26-6-2) inside a heavyweight co-main function.
Mirko (Cro Cop) Filipovic (27-9-2, 1 NC) assumes on Roy Nelson (16-6) inside a heavyweight session between two veterans, both wanting to end a two-fight dropping streak
Scott Jorgensen (12-4) squares away from against Mark Curran (35-13-1) from a bantamweight session
Japanese celebrity Hatsu Hioki (24-4-2) complies with veteran George Roop (12-8-1) from a featherweight tournament.
FIGHT INFORMATION: A memorial service service has been being used Friday with the TapouT exercises centre intended for popular Canadian coach Shawn Tompkins. This Ontario indigenous, who were living in Vegas along with his wife, died Aug. 14 of an heart harm in their sleep. "Shawn touched many people in a profound approach, so it's important to celebrate having been part of his your life, " stated UFC celebrity and in close proximity friend Mark Hominick from a statement.
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