Noons on Diaz: ‘A Great Fighter But an Idiot’

K.J. Noons (right) file photo: Esther Lin/Strikeforce

K.J. Noons has no qualms rematching a fighter he’s already beaten, especially when that fighter happens to be Nick Diaz.

“That's definitely in the mix,” Noons recently told the Sherdog Radio Network's “Beatdown” show. “That's something I want to do, he wants to do it and Strikeforce wants to do it. It's just a matter of making it happen. Me getting back out there, getting my name out there and coming together with Strikeforce and Showtime. That's something that every party is interested in doing.”

The 27-year-old Noons, who earned a split decision against Conor Heun in his promotional debut for Strikeforce on June 16 in Los Angeles, battled with Diaz back in November 2007 for the now defunct EliteXC outfit. The 160-pound champion went to blows with Diaz, slicing his face open with strikes to the point where the cageside physician called the bout before it continued into the second round.

Now Strikeforce’s welterweight champion, Diaz has won all seven of his bouts since the defeat.

“The whole Nick Diaz thing, he's a great fighter,” said Noons, who sports a 12-2 record in pro boxing. “You look at everything since he first fought (and) I never took away that he's a good fighter. I just said he's an idiot. I don't like his personality. He's a good fighter. As a person, he's a dumb motherf-----.”

When asked about the latest in-cage post-fight brawl involving Diaz at an April 17 Strikeforce event in Nashville, Tenn., Noons was hardly shocked by what transpired live on CBS.

“Am I surprised that it happened again? Are you? I'm not surprised,” said Noons. “I'm taking nothing away from him. He beat Sakurai, who used to be one of my training partners for a long time. That guy is really good. As a person I just don't like him. Am I surprised? No. Actually I feel sorry for the guy. Too bad he's not better on the outside. He'd actually be a better star and people would like him better. I'm not talking s---; that's just the plain truth.”