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Nick Diaz: Chicken-Shit Heel?
By Luke | February 5, 2006
By: Luke Nicholson
I’m sure the internet community will be a-buzz for a while, over the actions of Nick Diaz towards Joe Riggs at a Vegas hospital following his loss at UFC 57. Sucker-punching your opponent at the hospital after a fight, is one of the least sportsmanlike and classless things you can do.
Depending on your point of view, this incident can be viewed from a couple different angles. If you view UFC, and MMA in general as sport and want it treated and respected as such, this is grounds for suspension, and fines by UFC. In fact, Nick Diaz may never return to UFC again because of this.
As a wrestling fan, when I heard this news, my first thoughts were “Wow, what an angle” and “Nick Diaz is such a good heel”. So, from a Pro Wrestling perspective, this incident could be used by UFC to make Nick Diaz into a major heel, which could lead to a couple money fights down the road. Or, if the mainstream press runs with this story, it could be done for them.
From a sport perspective, this is bad, and almost downright ugly for a company thats lunging towards mainstream credibility and coverage. Sport enthusiasts would argue that you should repremand him in some way, so that you demonstrate to other fighters, and more importantly, to young aspiring fighters that attacking your opponent outside the fighting arena is unacceptable. And, that capitalizing on this incident only cements the misconceptions that some people have of UFC. Many people who are not familiar with UFC often confuse it with Pro Wrestling. This wouldn’t help that situation.
This situation puts UFC in an interesting spot. Depending on your point of view, either path can be applauded, but for different reasons. UFC can choose to harshly punish Diaz, and use good PR to diffuse the situation. Thus, coming off more as a legit sport, rather than a scripted Pro Wrestling company. Or, it could be argued that its just good business practice to take advantage of the few opportunities that are handed to you out of pure chance, as opposed to trying to manufacture this kind of interest.
It’ll be seen as classless by most hardcore fans, but I think it would be worth it for UFC to seize this opportunity to try to create a star or two out of this situation. You can never have too many stars to put on PPV, and this is a unique situation, where you could create two new stars with one match, built around this incident. Often the biggest draws in fighting are the guys people hate the most, and people are really going to hate Diaz after this.
Topics: All Topics, Luke Nicholson, MMA, Pro-Wrestling, UFC | 23 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
I think you should wait to get a real account of the story before claiming Nick sucker punched Joe. There are several accounts of what went down at the hospital. But then as you are self admitted wrestling fan, I’m sure things like facts or knowledge are probably foreign concepts to you.
If it comes out that something else actually went down, then I’ll edit the article so that its accurate, or pull it altogether.
Internet accounts of the story here, here, and here.
Luke didn’t make up the story. He’s writing an opinion piece on a web site called Fight Opinion about reported news on the Internet. That is his job. He does it very well. It’s an op-ed/commentary piece, and anyone reading the article can figure out instantly.
Luke has nothing to be defensive about, because he’s in the right here.
Chicken-Shit Heel just seemed harsh. I don’t think Nick Diaz is chicken-shit, a “heel” maybe, but trash talking a fighter like that on a biased account of the story is off base and disrespectful. I always think a good rule to go by is to not write anything on the internet about someone that you wouldn’t say to their face. Does Nick Diaz come off as someone who fears anybody? He sure dosen’t come off that way to me.
The term Luke used is one common in the wrestling business, especially in Southern-style wrestling during the 1980s in America when it was meant as a label to call a bad guy a coward. More or less a gimmick, not a real personal character assault. As in, you want to see the guy always get beat up and lose his fights and cheer for his opponents. Diaz has done that very well.
I see your point Jeff. And, I thought about it after reading your post. As Zach said, the term chicken-shit wasn’t meant literally. I’ll try to remember to better explain my terminology next time. Sometimes I forget that not everyone is a wrestling fan.
Yeah, but a chicken-shit heel would be a guy who would trash talk his opponent, then cower behind his friends when someone stepped up to him. I would say a cocky heel is a better title for Nick Diaz as he’s obviously not cowering when he gets a response from an opponent, but he is the type of guy that people generally want to see get his teeth knocked out.
Thats a good point. Cocky heel may be better.
Well I had no idea that it was a generic term, I don’t follow pro wrasslin at all so that’s why the term seemed inflamatory to me. I’d claim ignorance but I can’t bring myself to use the term for not knowing about “wrestling” 😛
Thanks for your responses.
Its no problem.
Chicken shit heel is a much better header than cocky heel–catchy headlines and all that. As soon as I saw the title, I had a Paul Boesch flashback and thought–hey there is money in that! Diaz is more of a pure, natural heel than even Tito Ortiz. It just seems to come naturally to Diaz and he has the scowl down pat. He fights hard, doesn’t quit and gets pissed when its over. Now, thats good heel work. 🙂
As far as the hospital incident, the UFC should stay out of it. It was an after hours incident that didn’t occur on UFC property or during their program. Apparently, Riggs didn’t want to press charges so thats the end of it from a punishment perspective. The question is whether the UFC can wake up their promotion department to find a way to take advantage of Diaz natural ability to piss people off. Diaz has lost his last two fights, but he definitely proved the adage that it is better to lose an exciting fight than win a boring one. And he managed to cut a heel promo after the Sanchez loss and scowled like Ole Anderson after the Riggs loss. Diaz should definitely be brought back because he gets a reaction from fans and that will keep growing. I’ll take him over a boring vanilla fighter who can’t work the stick any day of the week. As a rasslin fan from way back, I love Diaz heel work.
Hijo Del oso…hit it on the nail! Im a huge wrestling mark but still love MMA and can eaisly differentate between the two, AND this is a great opportunity for Diaz. He is quickly becoming oen of my favorite fighters, not only because he’sa dick BUT he can back it up…unlike some fighters.
If true, this event is pretty sickening and a condemning blow towards to character of Nick Diaz. I honestly don’t care that the guy is from Stockton, or that he thinks it’s neat to be tough and macho (a point Joe Rogan and UFC never miss a chance a hammer home).
Violence outside the socially accepted parameters of sport is unacceptable. Again if what has been reported is true, Diaz did something illegal and should be brought up on criminal charges. People who disagree should step up and volunteer to be assaulted in a similar fashion. Free from the grace of civil society that would normally prevent such instances.
sorry to change the subject, but is there any websites dedicated to nick diaz around. he my fave fighter n would like to no more about him.
if someone could let me know
thanx
hayley
[email protected]
I think Diaz is a great fighter, and is always exciting in the octagon. The fact they might question bringing him back, but will continue to push heavyweight slugs like Buentello down our throats is astounding. I’m all for viewing MMA as a respectable sport, but Diaz is a rare case of somebody that gets an actual crowd reaction. How many guys in UFC can say they get any reaction? Pe De Pano TKO’d the former champ to a nil reaction, Diaz came out to a packed arena booing the shit out of him, but cheering him when he fights.
From what I hear, Riggs was talking trash in the hospital and got dropped. Where I grew up guys that talked trash better be willing to fight and back it up or dont talk it. I think this serves as a lesson to keep your mouth shut no matter who you are or where you are at and have respect for the other person. Too many people walk around everywhere flippin the bird and yelling at people and talking shit until of course they get popped on the mouth. Then they want to press charges. I am sure people will think twice about talking shit to Nick in or outside of the ring and just handle their business.
Like everything there are 2 sides to this story but from what I hear about Nick from some close sources he doesnt instigate this stuff. He reacts and for some his reaction may cost them some dental work. He is not the bully he is the guy getting picked on by the bully’s and now he is fighting back because he has the skills to. I cant hate on that…….
I hate Riggs, his stupid water-cutting is verging on cheating, hope his kidneys explode. If he had of told me “go back to WEC” after getting robbed like Diaz did, I would have attacked him as well. Dana whites’ new boyfriend is obviously Riggs, I guess Chuck is getting a little paunchy..Make guys fight in a reasonbly natural weight class, or make the weigh in closer to match-time.
Billy Rush is a genius for working this system out, but was that really a fair weight difference in that fight? I thought the AC’s didn’t want David vs Goliath anymore.? Sure Nick is a wild kid, but Riggs is an unnatural piece of garbage.
I guess this sort of frames the Diaz supporters in a great light when any retort from them has to include the term “hating” like this was a stupid rap beef. The entire world is not Stockton or the ghetto, and its actually quite tragic and depressing that people not only support Diaz’s behavior but also find it superior to all other types of conduct.
Were I come from, if you assault someone, you go to jail. Sadly, if Riggs were as ghetto and worthless as Diaz, he would retaliate with a weapon and leave Diaz unable to make the same mistake in the future.
If neither party presses charges, then law enforcement is handcuffed on taking action. Perhaps the hospital could have pressed officers to file charges for disturbing the peace, but apparently they didn’t. So from a legal standpoint it is a non-issue. Fighters getting physical outside the cage/ring is nothing new as BJ Penn, Tito Ortiz, Lee Murray, Tank Abbott and others have shown. I’m not condoning it but if there are no charges filed, then the only punishement is who took the worst of it.
Regarding Riggs dropping a reported 30 lbs, that goes way over the line of cutting weight. Dropping 10 lbs is one thing but trying to shrivel up to be a giant when rehydrated is b.s. Fighters should fight at their walking around weight.
I think of Diaz as being more of a Tully Blanchard type heel.
It seems to me that because Diaz doesn’t have blonde hair and pale skin like that ex-fat ass water pill boy Riggs, people want to call him ghetto or whatever. the fact is Riggs is one of those douche bags that runs his mouth then cries foul when someone shuts it up. Carlos Gracie is hardly a liar and he says for a fact they were squared off and Riggs came all the way down the hall to outside of Diaz room to run his mouth. Diaz has a chip on his shoulder, but he is a badass period and he will fight anyone you put in front of him, if Riggs doesn’t grab the fence Diaz taps him out halfway through the third, and for a judge to give Riggs that first round when he was rocked is just blasphemous.
I know Joe Riggs personaly he is a great guy I work with his father.
Those of you talking shit are just pissed off becuase your fat ass cant
even loose 5 pounds much less 30. Did anyone see the weigh in and
during the fight who was running there mouth? After Joe won The
fight clearly he tried to embrace diaz but he wanted no part of it he just walked out like a little bitch! do you think that carried over to the hospital?.
from what I head Little Nicky got the worst of It After the cheep shoot.
Joe is now trainng with the best team in the game look out as he is only 23.
Next up Chis Leimen another shit talker.
first off I like Nick Diaz…..hes one of my favorite fighters…but he is responsible for his actions in and out of the octagon. He works for the ufc. I have no idea what went on but to say he cant or shouldnt be held acountable is bs. Other professonial athelets are fined all the time for stuff the do outside of their chosen arenas, just think about all the nfl players…..Mature men do not punch people for talking smack…little boys do. If Diaz really felt physically threatened then he had a lawful right to defend himself. If he fought over some comments that were made that he didnt like, then he should be reprimanded.
p.s what team does riggs train with now?