After failing to show up for several media appearances and promotional tours, UFC President Dana White decided to take Nick Diaz out of the main event at UFC 137, and fill his spot as the No. 1 contender against UFC Welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre with rising star Carlos Condit. As a result, Diaz was scheduled to face former two-time champion BJ Penn, who felt that their clash had the potential to be a main event match all on its own. In the end, it turns out that this showdown will be a main event after all after it was announced that St. Pierre is not fit to defend his title after an injury to his knee while training, opening the door for Penn and Diaz to steal the sports betting spotlight.
UFC 137: Penn (-105) vs. Diaz (-115)
(16-7-2) BJ Penn vs. Nick Diaz (25-7-1)
Saturday October 29, 2011 – 9:00 PM ET
Mandalay Bay Events Center, Las Vegas, Nevada
It seems as though the more that Diaz tries to avoid the sports betting spotlight, the brighter it shines on him and in this case White had no choice but to give him a shot at the main event. The former Strikeforce champion continued to struggle to meet his promotional obligations when he dialed in for a conference call 45 minutes late on Wednesday, but as far as his supporters are concerned he will not fail to show up when it counts the most.
Diaz Penn Betting Preview: BJ Penn
After getting his shot at Diaz, Penn immediately took to Twitter and voiced his pleasure by relaying that he had been offered a fight that he simply “couldn’t refuse”. Whether or not that means there are once again title prospects on the line at UFC 137 only time will tell, but what is certain is that at 32, the Prodigy still feels as though he can compete against the best in the world. A black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Penn bounced back from consecutive losses to Frankie Edgar with the UFC Lightweight title on the line, and has scored one win and one draw since returning to the welterweight division. Penn will look for a better result this time around after scoring a draw against Jon Fitch in his last contest at UFC 127, and his ability to win could come down to his experience and sports bet patience.
Diaz Penn Betting Preview: Nick Diaz
There may not be a more enigmatic fighter in the business today than Nick Diaz, who continues to disappoint promoters with his lack of commitment, but remains among the most promising talents in the UFC. The former Strikeforce Welterweight champion has given the impression to some that he isn’t ready to fight St. Pierre by failing to complete his media obligations, but as he looks for an 11th straight win that simply isn’t the case. A solid combination of size and speed, Diaz has scored 13 of his 25 wins via knockout, and will undoubtedly look to add to that online wagering total against Penn at UFC 137.
Diaz Penn Betting Preview: Outlook & Pick
The hype for this fight was already tangible even before it got elevated to main event status, and with a potential title shot on the line neither fighter will back down. While Penn has experience on his side, Diaz is younger, faster, and stronger and should be able to take care of himself well against a more conservative and methodical Penn.
Diaz Penn Betting Pick: Nick Diaz