THE CANADIAN PRESS
LAS VEGAS — As far as Nick Diaz is concerned, he’s the normal one, and his UFC brethren are a little touched.
"What you see is what you get," said Diaz. "I’m not out here trying to put on an act like I’m crazy. In my opinion, everyone else is crazy. They’re the ones trying to put on an act for you."
Regardless of one’s take on fighter sanity, there’s no doubt the mercurial former Strikeforce welterweight champion has been the key actor in a multi-part drama in the UFC’s 170-pound division.
He’s been part of a triangle that includes injured Canadian champion Georges St-Pierre and former World Extreme Cagefighting titleholder Carlos Condit.
"I’m the only one being realistic," said Diaz, who meets Condit in the main event of UFC 143 Saturday night for the interim welterweight belt. "People want to paint me into a corner and call me a crazy guy, tell me I rant and rave about this and that. I’m not putting on an act."
The soap opera kicked off when Diaz was slated to meet Montreal’s St-Pierre for the title at October’s UFC 137. But Diaz was yanked from the fight after no-showing news conferences in Toronto. Condit was awarded the title shot in his place, but then St-Pierre suffered a knee injury, which caused him to pull out of the fight.
Diaz, who beat B.J. Penn at UFC 137, was then slated to meet St-Pierre this weekend, but St-Pierre tore his left anterior cruciate ligament in training, which is expected to keep him out of action until November. Condit was then given the slot against Diaz, with the winner expected to fight St-Pierre for the championship next.
Saturday’s bout pits two of the UFC’s most well-rounded fighters in something of a mirror-image battle. Diaz (26-7, one no-contest), is one of MMA’s best boxers and has superior jiu-jitsu. He’s won 11 straight since a controversial stoppage loss to K.J. Noons in 2007, a loss he later avenged.
Condit (27-5) boasts a similar skill set and has won 12-of-13 fights dating back to 2006. He has finished each of his last three foes.
Condit’s tenacious style has earned the trash-talking Diaz’s respect.
"Carlos Condit is a dangerous opponent to stand in front of," said Diaz. "A guy like Carlos, if things don’t start going your way, you go into a downward spiral, much like you’ve seen in the past, it starts to become the beginning of the end for the other guy."
The low-key Condit expects much of the same from his opponent.
"Anybody that’s seen me fight knows I like to scrap," said Condit. "I like to give the fans a show and keep it exciting. Every minute of the fight I’m trying to finish my opponent. This is a great fight for the fans because Nick does the same thing, he’s always looking to finish as well."
St-Pierre looms large over this week’s proceedings. The champion is usually image-conscious to a fault, but he has admitted Diaz is the one fighter who gets under his skin, and is openly rooting for Diaz to win Saturday so that he can face Diaz next.
Diaz continued prodding St-Pierre on Wednesday, questioning the extent of the Montreal native’s injuries.
"Who knows, maybe Georges isn’t really hurt," said Diaz. "Have any of you seen the pictures of (St-Pierre’s knee) surgery, because I haven’t. I haven’t seen them, I want to see photo or video."
