Diaz signs to fight Vargas, retiring from MMA?

[clovett]

Nick Diaz: "They don't have anybody else for me to fight now. I'm better than all these guys they have. The guys they have ranked above me, I'm sure they don't want to fight me. So, I don't know, I don't see much of a future in this sport for me, I honestly don't. Especially if there's not a whole shitload of money going on. I'm signed into some contract that I don't know anything about. I don't know anything about that shit, I got a manager. All I know is that my life's a living hell, full of training, grueling exercise, training everyday, cater to everybody else and not worry about myself sort of thing."

Cesar Gracie: "We're looking at a big name. We're looking at some guys that (have) name recognition. Maybe not the top guy in the world necessarily but someone that the public knows. I'd love Vargas to get in there with him, Fernando Vargas. It is (realistic), I know they've contacted him and he's very interested. We've actually signed on the dotted line for that fight ourselves, and we're waiting for him now. It's on already, we've already signed for it. We're looking at September, October for something like that and we're just waiting for their camp now. (It's official) right now. Ha. (Nick's next fight is going to be in the ring as a boxer), right."

[clovett]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0870p1Tev3M&feature=player_embedded"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0870p1Tev3M&feature=player_embedded[/ame]

[Steel Mamba]

I'm sure they gotta have a championship clause.

[EmpireWF]

Diaz's Strikeforce contract supposedly allows him to take boxing fights.

I wonder if this is a ploy to get Diaz a BIG MMA fight with one of the top UFC guys, or whether it's all out there....he's just pissed that he's not making a ton of $$$ and he doesn't see any big fights on the horizon.

Of course, Gracie and Diaz are under the assumption Shields will be the new 170 champ.

[RyanLeaf16]

I've never seen a bigger campaign of posturing than this. Diaz is trying to see how much the sport loves him and to see if he can get a bigger payday. I say call his bluff and let him move on if he wants.

Then again, I can't stand Nick Diaz.

[Warner2BruceTD]

I'm sure they gotta have a championship clause.

This is Coker we are talking about. He basically runs a zoo. I'm pretty sure these guys draw up their own contract terms, and Coker just signs anything.

Take 8 months off to fight K-1, and defend your title one time in 4 years? No problem. Quit to go boxing? OK. Take fights against dangerous opponents a month before a huge televised main event? Sure.

[Steel Mamba]

lol. Coker had to provide some leeway for his big stars to make them happy, or else most of them would have left or not signed in the first place. With Zuffa onboard Coker will run a much tighter ship now. Plus I just saw an interview, with Ariel I think, and Coker said they're protected so Diaz will take some time off and be back in the cage.

[CrimsonGhost56]

pay the man homie.

[calgaryballer]

Diaz's Strikeforce contract supposedly allows him to take boxing fights.

I wonder if this is a ploy to get Diaz a BIG MMA fight with one of the top UFC guys, or whether it's all out there....he's just pissed that he's not making a ton of $$$ and he doesn't see any big fights on the horizon.

Of course, Gracie and Diaz are under the assumption Shields will be the new 170 champ.

He made $175k for the last fight. 4th highest paid WW on the UFC roster.

Put him in there against Georges and lets watch him get smashed.

[SHOGUN]

Diaz is just chatting shit and wants to get more money.

[clovett]

Nick Diaz won't be able to box Fernando Vargas, but that hardly puts an end to his pugilistic pipe dream.

Apparently "The Aztec Warrior" is dealing with some undisclosed medical issues that will keep him out of the ring, which has fans of both mixed martial arts and "the sweet science" inundating boxing promoter Lou DiBella with requests to see Diaz instead challenge Sergio Martinez, according to Yahoo Sports.

Yes, Sergio Martinez, the former WBC Super Welterweight Champion ranked by Ring Magazine as the number three pound-for-pound boxer in the world.

Diaz is coming off one of the craziest opening rounds in MMA history, when the scrappy Stockton slugger scored an improbable come-from-behind victory via first round technical knockout over British striker Paul "Semtex" Daley.

Following his Strikeforce win, The Cesar Gracie student told HDNet he "doesn't see much of a future for himself in the sport of MMA" and "he's better than all the guys Strikeforce has."

Of course there's a marked difference between facing the best hands in MMA and facing even somewhat mediocre hands in boxing.

KJ Noons found that out before returning to Strikeforce earlier this year.



Diaz has long been known for his unorthodox but effective striking style. Prior to slugging it out with Daley last weekend in San Diego, the foul-mouthed fightmonger tore through Evangelista "Cyborg" Santos en route to a second round submission win at the last San Jose-based event back in January.

The Stockton, Calif., native is riding a 10-fight win streak and has finished all but one of his opponents in dominating fashion.

Trainer Cesar Gracie also tells HDNet that Diaz has a "re-worked" contract that allows him to dabble in the sport of boxing, where you don't have to worry about takedowns or lay 'n pray.

But does anyone really give him a shot against someone of Martinez's caliber? Or any professional boxer at any level for that matter?

[Steel Mamba]

Good info

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEgSjFVHtdU&feature=player_embedded"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEgSjFVHtdU&feature=player_embedded[/ame]

Nick Diaz can't make more money in boxing, his contract won't allow for it, and Coker isn't willing to sign-off on it. So what's all the fuss about? Does Diaz not want to fight T-Wood?