Nick Diaz gets Strikeforce Clauses Amended, Boxing Match Next

Friday, 15 April 2011 10:15

by Dallas Winston

Interesting news comes in from Cesar Gracie on the contract specifications and fighting future for Stockton star Nick Diaz.

In the video above from HD Net's "Inside MMA", Gracie confirms that Nick Diaz's next fight will be "in the ring, as a boxer" after Diaz vents on some issues with his MMA career. The UFC purchased Strikeforce, so how can Diaz just waltz off and start signing boxing contracts? The adamant objections from the UFC regarding Fedor Emelianenko's Combat Sambo career when those two parties were negotiating might come to mind.

More on Nick Diaz's contract boundaries after the jump.

MMAJunkie reveals that Diaz did not sign the newly proposed contract being offered to Strikeforce fighters, and instead, retained the contractual flexibility of the Strikeforce deal he constructed with Scott Coker.

Although Gracie said this past Thursday that Diaz won't sign a new contract bearing the name of Forza, the Zuffa-owned limited-liability company to which Strikeforce fighters will belong moving forward, the principle clauses of his previous contract with the California-based promotion have been worked into the new agreement.

"We didn't sign it," Gracie said of the proposed Forza deal.

But he did get Diaz's original deal amended.

"We got it changed, so we're good," Gracie said

That, Gracie said, clears the way for boxing.

This past December, Diaz signed a multi-fight agreement with Strikeforce, which Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker previously said contained a clause that allowed him a boxing fight (though the executive believed Showtime had the right to promote it).

It's fascinating that Diaz and Team Gracie were able to avoid signing the Forza contract and get their "original deal amended", along with the principle freedoms associated with it. This somewhat reinforces the oft-maligned "business as usual" theme that emerged from the purchase, and shows that the original obligations are being honored to some degree.

Most of the post-merger clamor pertained to which Strikeforce fighters were at the UFC level and should be integrated, and Nick Diaz was probably the name that fans mentioned the most. He's a natural born fighter through and through, an exciting performer on the ground and on the feet, willing to take on all comers and has been a force at both 170 and 185 pounds.

Dana White was interviewed by MMAFighting.com's Ariel Helwani (video below) before the "Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Daley" event, and White issues some key comments on Nick Diaz's exemplary talent, but adds the disclaimer that his antics can occasionally cross the line.

"You know, Nick has this talent, and he talks about the big money, and all the other things. He could make this big money, he could do that. He could be that guy. He could fight GSP, he could have all these opportunities. He's got to tone it down a little bit. You know? And I don't that think that uh, I don't think that many people out there would disagree with me.

And I'm not asking Nick Diaz not to be Nick Diaz. I like Nick Diaz and I like the way he is, and it's part of the appeal of him. But you've got to tone it down just a little bit."

It seems reasonable that Nick's decision not to sign the Forza contract, retain the breathing room of his original Strikeforce deal and announce a boxing match would indicate that he's not quite ready to tone it down just yet. Diaz also voiced his considerable disgust at the thought of fighting teammates, and Cesar Gracie mentions the concern of longtime training partner Jake Shields taking on welterweight champ Georges St. Pierre as another hesitation.

Counter to the general consensus, and again likened to the Fedor Emelianenko situation, this might end up being another case where the business side of MMA scores a TKO over what's best for the sport and its fans.

Comments

#1 Guest 2011-04-15 12:04

Diaz is gonna need at least 2 years of SOLID Boxing training before he can even THINK about hanging in a pro boxing ring. His stand up is decent for MMA standards...dog shit for pro boxing. I give Diaz 1 fight in Boxing before he comes crawling back to MMA. LOL

#2 Guest 2011-04-15 12:09

Unless he fights washed up boxers

#3 Guest 2011-04-15 12:17

This is great for both Diaz and MMA. If he gets a big pay day off of a pro boxing match he can really press for a higher pay rate when he returns to MMA as a reigning Champion. This will give other big names in the sport a chance to make some big Zuffa-bucks as well.

#4 Guest 2011-04-15 15:54

Nobody in the Boxing world is going to know who Diaz is. He won't get THAT big of a pay day. And most washed up Boxers should be able to handle Diaz's sub-par hands. Again...by sub-par, I mean for Boxing standards.

#5 Guest 2011-04-15 21:40

I could just imagine what Pac would do to him with his hands open facing pac. I predict he wouldn't last the first barage of punches.

#6 Guest 2011-04-16 09:00

True. And Anderson Silva wouldn't last a round with RJJ.

#7 Guest 2011-04-16 14:43

LOL Silva would look like a baby seal in there with RJJ. It would be a clubbing!

#8 Dallas Winston 2011-04-16 16:11

I'm not so sure I would write Diaz off so quickly.

He's literally made a career out of proving everyone wrong, he's a freakish athlete (see: Triathlons), and he would still have good power with the same height/reach advantage and awkward style.

I remember everyone saying how MMA guys would get clowned in K-1 in the old days. There's something to be said for the raw bully-like aggression of MMA that everyone thought would be a big weakness.

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