Noons Believes Diaz Hits Harder Than You Think

K.J. Noons file photo: Dave Mandel | Sherdog.com

K.J. Noons has already beaten Nick Diaz once.

He forced a doctor stoppage after the first round of their November 2007 matchup in Corpus Christi, Texas, to claim the EliteXC 160-pound title. Nearly three years later they’ll meet again Saturday in San Jose, Calif., for Diaz’s 170-pound Strikeforce title.

For Diaz it’s a shot at revenge just 75 miles from his hometown of Stockton. Noons believes such an opportunity can put certain strains on a fighter, though.

“I feel like there’s a lot of pressure on him,” Noons said Wednesday during an episode of “The Savage Dog Show” on the Sherdog Radio Network. “I don’t have any pressure. I’ve fought most of my fights in other people’s hometowns. I feel like almost all my fights, I’ve been the underdog. If not, I go into it with the mentality that I’m the underdog. I believe I am the underdog in this one and I’m in his hometown and I’m fighting for his belt and I’ve already beat him. I think all the pressure’s on him.”

Diaz didn’t agree with the doctor’s ruling that he couldn’t continue due to cuts in the first encounter. He tried to badger Noons into a rematch, baiting him at one point with a line since made somewhat famous: “Don’t be scared, homie.”

“He’s probably passed that. … I think we’re both passed that,” Noons said of the animosity that resulted from their first bout, which included a postfight melee in the cage. “I think this is just an interesting match, and all that other stuff is kind of a bonus.”

At the same time, Noons knows he put a scar on Diaz’s face. He couldn’t say whether Diaz thinks of him when he looks in the mirror, but Noons acknowledged that he remembers who gave him his own scars.

“I can point out each one on my face,” he said. “I can point out each injury, each broken bone [and] who did it and when. I can remember it like yesterday. … I don’t know about everybody else, but I remember.”

Noons defended his 160-pound title once after the Diaz fight before focusing on boxing for a while. He returned to MMA in March and has gone 3-0 this year. Most recently he stopped Jorge Gurgel in August at 155 pounds, but Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker says he began considering a Noons-Diaz rematch at welterweight when Noons struggled to hit the lightweight limit.

“When he fought [Gurgel] in Houston, he had a really hard time making 155,” Coker said Wednesday during an episode of “Beatdown”. “He said that he had tortured his body to make the weight and that he was considering fighting at 170.”

Coker doesn’t see the matchup as a lightweight versus a welterweight. He thinks Noons, who is a slight underdog according to oddsmakers despite winning the first fight, doesn’t get enough credit.

“I’m telling you right now, if he gets into a slugfest, this guy can hit hard,” Coker said. “He’s probably one of the best punchers in MMA. It could be a long night if Nick can’t take him down to the ground.”

Noons expects Diaz to fight smart and grapple. However, he also expects Diaz to spend at least some time on the feet.

“He’ll definitely mix it up, which is going to make it interesting, but I’d have to be stupid to think he’s not going to take it to the ground or try to take it to the ground,” Noons said.

Diaz is 7-0 since the loss to Noons. Five of those wins have come via stoppage and were largely aided by a volume punching style that few other MMA fighters use.

“It’s a style that stays busy,” Noons said. “He breaks people down. It’s a style that works for him and it’s a good style.”

Noons also observed that while Diaz might not throw as many power shots as other fighters, he hits harder than you think.

“I don’t think a lot of people understand how small those gloves are,” Noons said. “This isn’t boxing. Those gloves are like casts on your hands. Even though they might not look like he’s hitting very hard, they add up and they do hurt.”

Noons said he’s sure of that but doesn’t actually know because Diaz hasn’t hit him. Clearly Noons liked how the first bout against Diaz played out, and he’ll strive for a repeat performance Saturday.

“My hand will definitely be raised at the end of the fight,” Noons said. “I put in too much time, too much hard work. I’m just ready for this. I’ve never been so ready.”

Check out the full interview (beginning at 1:29:00) with K.J. Noons.