Is UFC President Dana White Ready to Make Nick Diaz vs. Georges St-Pierre Happen Next?

Nick Diaz and Georges St-Pierre

When the decision was read at UFC 129 and Georges St-Pierre walked out of the sold out Rogers Centre with a win over Jake Shields, it may have opened the door to another huge fight at welterweight.

While on the surface it would appear that St-Pierre has done the best job possible of cleaning out the division, there’s one very big name looming overhead that still hasn’t faced the UFC champion.

That person of course is Strikeforce welterweight champion Nick Diaz.

Diaz is a longtime friend and training partner of Jake Sheilds, and had he won those two would never face each other. But with Shields coming up short against St-Pierre, it would clear a path for Diaz to take his shot at the Canadian.

UFC President Dana White spoke about Diaz possibly stepping in to challenge St-Pierre next, and made it sound like it’s a fight that would be intriguing to quite a few people.

“I imagine I could do whatever I wanted to do if I really wanted to, but we have a contract with Showtime and he’s a Showtime fighter. I don’t know we’re going to have to see how this whole thing works out. That’s an interesting fight,” White said about Diaz coming over to face St-Pierre.

White plans to fly out to Stockton, Calif. next week to meet with Diaz and discuss his desire to try his hand at professional boxing. The UFC President did emphatically say ‘no’ when asked if he would tempt Diaz with a shot at St-Pierre if he decided not to box.

However, White did say that current contracts in place would not prevent him from bringing Diaz over from Strikeforce if that’s what they chose to do.

“I can do what I want to do,” White stated.

That said however, White still has to tackle the problem of Diaz wanted to do the professional boxing thing.
“I’ve got to go talk to him about boxing first and then we’ll see what happens there,” said White.

One person who is already lobbying for Diaz to get the title shot is his teammate and close friend Jake Shields. While the former Strikeforce champion is hopeful to earn his way back to a title shot of his own one day, Shields believes Diaz deserves a shot at St-Pierre next.

“Of course I’d love to see Nick get it,” Shield stated. “He’s one of my best friends, I think he has a good shot. I think his style matches up really good, his pressure boxing could hopefully do what I couldn’t and cut him off and put more pressure on him.

“We don’t know what happens till we see it, that’s why I would like to see it.”

Still holding his cards close to his chest, White did admit he really enjoyed watching Diaz’s last fight against Paul Daley and again had one word to describe a fight between him and St-Pierre.

“I was there live for that last fight, I was blown away by Nick Diaz’s last fight. He looked incredible,” White said about Diaz.

“Interesting.”

Damon Martin is the lead staff writer and radio host for MMAWeekly.com.
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