How do you see Crazy Nick/GSblanketP playing out?

Just reading about Diaz' prep for his upcoming title fight on the front page. Just as i speculated, he is bringing in a boxer to spar with. The reasoning being that he needs to get used to GSPs speed. Cesar says they will also be bringing in wrestlers, but that they aren't concerned as to where the fight go so much as Nick being able to fight no matter where the fight goes.

I really want Nick to take this fight but I just can't see the fight going any other way than GSP neutralizing Diaz' standup by clinching, taking him down without putting himself in a place where he could be submitted x 5rds.

Looking back at Diaz' wins: Daley, Cyborg, Zaromskis, Sakurai, Noons, Shamrock...he was able to finish all those guys but only because they came and brought a fight to him. His loses usually come when guys are able to neutralize his striking (via wrestling at times) or just aren't aggressive enough for him to put away.

Seems like the sure fire way to lose to Nick is to try fighting him, and he will be fighting a guy that doesn't normally finish his opponents. mma math never makes sense, but Shields, the worse striker this side of Royce Gracie gave him a bum eye. Then again Koscheck, who had better striking than Shields, could not do **** either.

Diaz is better both on his feet (without a doubt, though stricly speaking a better boxer since he doesnt often kick) and in BJJ. On paper, the advantage GSP has is wrestling/gameplanning.

I'd like to say that Diaz should be doing nothing but wrestling or chop off his legs at knee level so that GSP can't take him down, but i can't even think of what Diaz can do to have the fight go any other way than what all the other GSP fights have. None of the guys Diaz has faced in the last two years have been strong wrestlers. I hope he'll bring Ben Askren in and go hard for five rounds. But not to learn how to stuff a takedown or anything like that, but how to finish a wrestler inside of 25mins.

So really, what can Diaz do to win this fight?

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Porfirio

So really, what can Diaz do to win this fight?

Not much, really. He may land a punch that puts GSP in la-la land, but I doubt it.

It will be similar to GSP-Thiago Alves. Takedown, score points, repeat.

Probably goes the distance, but that's usually the case with St. Pierre's fights.

I expect that GSP will spend the fight making Diaz look totally ineffective, which is what GSP has done for his past few fights. Diaz is most effective either when he is in the pocket and doing the 'pitter patter boxing', or when he is on the ground going for a submission. Diaz is just dangerous on the ground, and since he thows flurries of punches, counter punching him is not ideal.

Diaz will try to assert his aggressive boxing attack, and GSP will probably try to keep Diaz to the outside with kicks and maybe jabs, or keep him close with clinch / dirty boxing. The number of takedown attempts will probably be a bit greater then what we saw against Shields. Just like against Shields, GSP probably will not stay on the ground very long.

GSP will win this fight. GSP will get a decision again unless his opponent leaves a very clear opening. I think that Diaz's aggressive tactics will work against him here.

I actually think that the most optimal tactic against Diaz would be to channel Couture. We will probably see more wall and stall then lay and pray, if your inclined to be negative about GSP here.

END COMMUNICATION

If Diaz brings the fight to GSP (a huge if) he will get hurt, badly. He has nothing for GSP. GSP is better at everything than Diaz. Diaz has shown in the past a willingness to sit back and let fights go to decision when he is clearly outclassed and I predict he will do that again in this fight. Everyone will blame it on GSP and life will go on. This thread has been done too many times for anyone to really care, but I love the hate for GSP. I really like it when GSP haters claim that anyone who defends him is a nuthugger, as if anyone here is really a huge GSP fan. I don't think anyone here gives a crap one way or the other about him, but say something positive about the guy and you will get called a nutthugger.

Diaz cannot win the fight. GSP will take him down, Diaz will turtle up, and it will be boring. If Diaz starts trying for subs, he will get hurt. If he is able to keep the fight on the feet and comes at GSP with his pitter patter boxing he will get hurt.

Blanket will do what blanket does, and to steal a phrase from slippery slope guy "And there's not a damn thing you can do about it!!!"

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guilty

Blanket will do what blanket does, and to steal a phrase from slippery slope guy "And there's not a damn thing you can do about it!!!"

Wait, Fitch is fighting? When?