Cagewriter - UFC

Fight fans may not think it's a big deal. Clearly Nick Diaz didn't think it was big deal when he forced Strikeforce/Showtime to dump him from Saturday's card because he refused to show for a California State Athletic Commission administered prefight drug test. But the promotion and the network sounded like they were livid with Diaz and his flaky ways.

Showtime's VP of Sports Ken Hershman pulled no punches in saying Diaz is close to making himself a non-factor as a main event fighter with the network (2:30 mark):

"You gotta be able to show up and if you can't and you're not reliable then who can count on you and where are you going to go with your career?"

Hershman says this needs to be a wakeup call for Diaz and his camp:

"Either you're going to do it right or not do it at all. You only get one or two shots at that and then it's done. I don't see how I can promote and spends hundreds of thousands, if not millions of dollars promoting somebody who's not going to show up. It's just bad business."

Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker didn't pull any punches either (0:50 mark):

"We can support him and get him licensed but if Showtime gets to that point where they're done, then it might be a tough road."

Coker also said don't get too worked about Diaz signing a boxing promotional deal. It's simply an option to box after his MMA career or Strikeforce is done. Diaz's contract runs through next December and Strikeforce holds on the deal as well.

During the postfight press conference, Coker openly spoke about his desire to matchup Jay Hieron against Diaz for the Strikeforce welterweight title. He sounded optomistic that Diaz fights were still promotable but it may be all over with Showtime if another stunt arises.

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39 Comments

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  1. suck_it_eazy
    1. Posted by suck_it_eazy Mon Aug 17, 2009 6:53 pm EDT

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    1st suck it easy
  2. suck_it_eazy
    2. Posted by suck_it_eazy Mon Aug 17, 2009 6:54 pm EDT

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    really tho diaz brothers are great fighters and who care if the smoke....ill smoke to that
  3. Frank M
    3. Posted by Frank M Mon Aug 17, 2009 7:08 pm EDT

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    Diaz needs to fight some real competition , Hieron is a joke
  4. jayyolf1
    4. Posted by jayyolf1 Mon Aug 17, 2009 7:19 pm EDT

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    Let him smoke weed, who cares - as long as it's not performance enhancing drugs; and then when he gets his ass beat down, we can all blame it on pot and use it as an anti-drug material!!!
  5. Robert C
    5. Posted by Robert C Mon Aug 17, 2009 7:19 pm EDT

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    This guy gets a lot of chances....guess it does pay to be a dick.
  6. Brian
    6. Posted by Brian Mon Aug 17, 2009 7:21 pm EDT

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    he just needs to show up and pass the damn drug tests like he said he could.. jay hieron might beat him also.. might pull a decision
  7. croyler
    7. Posted by croyler Mon Aug 17, 2009 7:23 pm EDT

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    Weed is more important than MMA in the mind of Diaz. Whether they should or should not test is not the point. That is the way it is, and he is not responsible enough to put his career ahead of a drug. Pathetic.
  8. Steven W
    8. Posted by Steven W Mon Aug 17, 2009 7:23 pm EDT

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    truth is you don't really know if hieron is a joke.....hasn't had quality opposition in awhile but it seems he's improved quite a bit. but, there's always his chin, gsp and blackburn put him to sleep.
  9. Chuck n
    9. Posted by Chuck n Mon Aug 17, 2009 8:44 pm EDT

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    who cares about Diaz..he's a friggin loser that got the boot from UFC anyway...i wouldnt pay anything to see his lame fights ... he is pathetic to blow off a drug test because he cant stop smoking weed for a couple weeks.......his brother sucks too...
  10. Jerichon
    10. Posted by Jerichon Mon Aug 17, 2009 10:00 pm EDT

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    The Diaz brothers are overrated dirty ghetto punks.
  11. Jerichon
    11. Posted by Jerichon Mon Aug 17, 2009 10:01 pm EDT

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    who has diaz even beaten? he wasn't good enough for the UFC and got pwned by the likes of KJ Noons.
  12. Michael
    12. Posted by Michael Mon Aug 17, 2009 10:16 pm EDT

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    Hieron is a joke? you [profane]tards obviously have only been watching TUFers all of your lives. Jay is definitely not an easy fight and "no chin"? he lasted with GSP a lot longer than most and rogan even stated that he was tough when he was getting beat on by GSp and not going down. seriously you people need to watch more MMA and not just suck dana's balls....
  13. BOW
    13. Posted by BOW Mon Aug 17, 2009 10:52 pm EDT

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    The Diaz bros are thugs! Why is any organization giving them air time? I could care less about the two!
  14. Ajan
    14. Posted by Ajan Mon Aug 17, 2009 11:18 pm EDT

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    Diaz made his choice - MMA or dope. Its smoking dope. Goodbye. Good riddance. He'll wake up one day and and wonder what could have been.
  15. Nel
    15. Posted by Nel Mon Aug 17, 2009 11:56 pm EDT

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    Just watch all this critics a few months ago kissing nicks ass after beating shamrock
  16. kilroy
    16. Posted by kilroy Tue Aug 18, 2009 12:04 am EDT

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    Ill give it to him, he beat Gomi in his prime and lost to D.Q. for weed. its what is important to you i guess
  17. MJ
    17. Posted by MJ Tue Aug 18, 2009 12:39 am EDT

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    I look at the news every day hoping to see "Diaz brothers found dead in murder/suicide scene"
  18. Jerry
    18. Posted by Jerry Tue Aug 18, 2009 1:42 am EDT

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    Nick is a punk that got worked by Diego... He a second rate fighter that beat up a old Shamerock. He wouldnt last with Any welterweight in the UFC and he was probably high when he fought Gomi he could feel himself get hit........ F'n Loser!!!
  19. swrestler
    19. Posted by swrestler Tue Aug 18, 2009 1:50 am EDT

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    Nick probably uses weed to train, so his fighting/training and weed go hand and hand. Bruce Lee did the same thing. So do a lot of others. Weed can also be a meditation drug, and some fighters train and meditate. Some believe training is pure meditation. I do not support weed, I am just saying that you would be surprised at the boost weed gives you on the meditation/training levels. This is probably why Nick has this problem.
  20. SteveB
    20. Posted by SteveB Tue Aug 18, 2009 2:03 am EDT

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    Nick is a punk that got worked by Diego... He a second rate fighter that beat up a old Shamerock. He wouldnt last with Any welterweight in the UFC and he was probably high when he fought Gomi he could feel himself get hit........ F'n Loser!!!
    Jerry...He was high when he fought Gomi, he tested positive for dope post fight...his victory was changed to a no contest. Diaz's fight with Diego was close but I'll go with you in that Diego did outwork him like he outworked Karo. I think if Nick went cold turkey on Pot and dedicated himself to being a world champion, he might move from 2nd to 1st rate. He's one of the few guys outside of the UFC who could give GSP a good match up...at least on paper
  21. dame
    21. Posted by dame Tue Aug 18, 2009 2:50 am EDT

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    Diaz giving GSP a good match up? I was with you until you went there. Diaz is tricky, slick, and seems to snake himself into good postions, but GSP is faster, stronger, a better striker, his wrestling is better than 99% of the welterweight and maybe other weight classes as well. GPS could go up a class and still be one of the larger guys in the weight class, where Diaz looks like he should go down a weight class, based on his lack of tone and overall muscle.
    Diaz could be and sometimes is a fun guy to watch, but lets us not get carried away. He has not won a belt. He has failed drug tests, for whatever his personal reasons, it is not allowed in combat sports and he knows it. He did not show up because he knew he would fail the test and get suspended. The he could be and should be, means nothing until he does something of note other than beating tomato cans and over the hill fighters.
  22. Jeff C
    22. Posted by Jeff C Tue Aug 18, 2009 3:09 am EDT

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    The Diaz Bros. are Gangstas. I like to watch them fight but they act to ghetto.seriously
  23. matt
    23. Posted by matt Tue Aug 18, 2009 4:19 am EDT

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    Look I dont care about smoking a couple joint or blunts I think Its way safer than
    alcholo but he is a professional fighter the man could of stopped for 3 weeks tested
    or stop a month and a half before fight.... this is what he does for a living and has done
    he is no role modle....... See what it looks like is that he wasnt prepared and thought Riggs
    would beat him after talking cchit.....he has been doing this for years he's not a lil boy....is a
    MAN...?....so the only conclusion is he was scared....I mean what are we to think....DUMB ASS
    or SCARED!!!!!! is what it is.....................
  24. jeremy r
    24. Posted by jeremy r Tue Aug 18, 2009 7:05 am EDT

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    i think this is pitiful. he is a professional fighter, he knows he is going to be tested as a requirement to his fight, and he doesn't go to the drug test. this is his livelyhood. freaking pitiful, he can't give it up for a month to pass a test and finish his training. what a freaking amatuer!!

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