UFC 158: Underdog Nick Diaz Primed for GSP Upset?

UFC Betting Odds and Preview

Everybody loves the underdog – unless that underdog happens to be Nick Diaz. Thing is, you don’t have to like Diaz to give him a long look Saturday night against welterweight champ Georges St-Pierre.

Not many people are giving the 27-year-old Diaz much of a shot in the UFC 158 main event at the Bell Centre in Montreal. Nobody likes the guy and it’s not like he does himself any favours. He missed his first shot at GSP when he didn’t show up to news conferences ahead of UFC 137 and then was suspended a year after testing positive for marijuana. He told everyone that GSP was ducking him while the champ underwent knee surgery. Then after beating up on B.J. Penn, he called St-Pierre out and hasn’t stopped since.

Last week Diaz and St-Pierre spent more than 40 minutes verbally assaulting each other during a conference call. Then Diaz missed a scheduled workout that was supposed to be open to fans Wednesday, prompting Dana White to tell reporters that the challenger had better show up to Thursday’s press conference. Of course, White is also aware that Diaz’s unprofessionalism will become a much bigger issue if the challenger does upset St-Pierre.

“If he wins the title, he’s going to have to come to Vegas, and we’re going to have to sit down and we did this already when he signed the new deal,” White said on the Jim Rome Show. “I’m going to have to tell him, if you miss anything, I will strip you of the title. I don’t know what else to do. I really don’t know what else to do.”

Odds are White probably won’t have to go down that road. Sports Interaction has GSP set as a big -540 favorite and St-Pierre is riding a nine-bout winning streak. You can’t discount Diaz’s track record either, though. Diaz put on a striking tutorial against the legend (albeit a slower legend) B.J. Penn and followed that up with a controversial loss to Carlos Condit, a guy who nearly knocked out GSP in November. As good as GSP’s wrestling and takedowns are, Diaz’s unique striking style will test his chin.

So will Diaz really walk out of the Bell Centre with the welterweight belt? I’m not betting on it, but it certainly wouldn’t shock me. He has all the tools to make St-Pierre uncomfortable and if St-Pierre gives him an opening, Diaz can end this fight in a hurry. If you ask me, this one goes the distance, with St-Pierre winning a split decision, but I don’t blame you a bit if you take a shot with the underdog.