http://punch.freedomblogging.com/2008/06/16/exclusive-nick-diaz-talks-about-saturdays-melee/
Nick Diaz lives to be a fighter.
He trains non-stop.
He�??s willing to take on all comers.
He never ducks anybody.
He fights with passion.
He fights with controlled rage.
If he lived in the times of the Roman Empire, he would have volunteered to throw himself into the Colisseum.
Some people talk tough and act tough. There isn�??t anything about Diaz that isn�??t tough, from his upbringing to the lifestyle he has chosen as a professional prizefighter.
One doesn�??t have to wonder how Diaz is feeling or what he is thinking, because he wears all of his emotions on his sleeve. It�??s all there for the world to see.
Obviously, Diaz has had a lot of things on his mind after �??EliteXC: Return of the King�?? on Saturday night on Showtime from Honolulu, Hawaii.
Diaz scored a third-round TKO over Muhsin Corbbrey in the semi-main event, then jumped in the cage after EliteXC lightweight champion K.J. Noons title defense against Yves Edwards to challenge the champ to a rematch. Noons�?? father and Diaz�??s brother, Nate Diaz, were among the many people in the cage.
After some heated words were exchanaged, a melee ensued, which resulted with the Diaz brothers and their crew being escorted out of the arena.
Diaz got some things off his chest during a 20-minute phone interview with me on Monday night.
Here is what Diaz had to say:
On what happened on Saturday night:
�??Before we get started, I want to say that I know there are a lot of people and everybody is trying to protect the sport. And everybody wants to be sportsmen and that type of thing where everybody shakes hands and everybody is great friends and whatever. And that�??s great. But you know what, this sport is (expletive) established. That�??s obvious. There are people out there doing a great job making it look like a non-violent sport. That�??s not my job. My job is warfare. I�??m over here to (expletive) kill. We�??re mortal enemies until we fight and then we can shake hands and be cool. But until then, if I�??m signed to fight you I don�??t (expletive) like you and I hate you�??re (expletive) guts and we�??re fighting until we�??re cool. We�??re not cool until I win or I lose and we can settle this. So that�??s how I am about this sort of thing.
�??People are like, �??Oh, you should be professional,�?? and this and that and, �??a real fighter doesn�??t fight outside the cage.�?? That�??s fine. I don�??t. I do have a thing about defending myself be any means necessary and I ain�??t no (expletive). I�??m not going to go ahead and walk off and talk (expletive), you know. Someone is going to swing at me, I�??m going to defend myself.
�??What happened out here was like, a lot of (expletive) happened. After the fight, they brought me into the cage to talk about my rematch (with Noons). I didn�??t just jump up in there. People want to know why I still had my gloves on? No one took them off me. I had doctors looking at me and before I got out there I just never got my gloves off. What happened was the fight (between Noons and Edwards) was already happening, so I got out there to see the fight and I still had my gloves on. Then they were trying to find me to bring me up in there. So that�??s what happened. Nobody took my gloves off before I got in there.�??
On who told him to get in the cage after the Noons-Edwards fight:
�??T.J. Thompson from Icon Sport. He brought me in there. He told me, �??It�??s time to go to work. Let�??s go in there and talk about this rematch.�?? So he brought me in there. I don�??t know who was crazy enough to let my whole (expletive) crew run up in there with me, but I�??m glad because I ain�??t going to go in there and get smacked on by this old guy and a bunch of whoever he�??s got in there.
�??They came in there with me and the next thing you know his dad starts talking (expletive) to my brother (Nate) or whatever. And, you know, my brother is hardcore. So he comes in there and someone says (expletive) you or whatever and his boy (Noons) is acting all bad like he wants to fight me. I�??m like, �??Why you trying to act bad now?�?? They walked past us in the halls and they all looked at the floor. They walked past us like they are scared or something, you know what I mean. It�??s like that we�??re going to fight, but if they are going to talk (expletive), we�??re going to talk (expletive). I ain�??t going nowhere and they ain�??t going nowhere. Then they�??re fighting. So they�??re walking away and we�??re walking away, it�??s mutual. But they don�??t even (expletive) look up. I�??m not trying to fight outside the cage.
�??Then when we are in front of the cameras, they try to rush us like they are hardcore. That�??s (expletive) �?� my bottom line is he is a poser. He�??s over here trying to rush me in front of the cameras and look like hardcore in front of the cameras. He shows up in a (expletive) suit. He�??s a rich kid. I can�??t afford a suit. I got no money to spend on a suit. I can�??t retire right now if I want to. he fights every however many months.
�??I got all this (expletive) on my mind right now and I need to get it all off my chest and get it all said and done with before I go home. Because when I get home I�??m getting ready for my next fight. Automatically, I�??m ready to go. I�??m training. I�??m trying to take care of this (expletive) right now.
�??K.J. is over here capitalizing on his vacation. (Expletive), he hasn�??t even fought in �?� how long has it been since he last fought? I�??ve fought twice since then. That�??s some (expletive). I�??m a real fighter. This guy, it�??s like �?� they all want to run around and like, �??We�??re professional,�?? and, �??We�??re famous.�??
�??The thing is my family doesn�??t get to capitalize on that sort of thing. I�??m sure my dad would love it if I brought him into the mix and on Showtime and I had everybody talking about this and that at the restaurant. It�??s hard enough as it is. That causes issues. It�??s none of my business what people do. If you are going to bring your family into the ring, that�??s fine with me. But this is definitely why I don�??t. It�??s on account of all this (expletive).
�??I don�??t want some things for my family on account of how they like to watch me fight. I get (ticked) off. I have them turn that (expletive) off. No UFC, no nothing on in my house. I don�??t want to come home and see my dad on the couch next to my mom watching (expletive) fighting. When I get home, I want to be at home. I don�??t want to hear anything about fighting.�??
On how hard it is to turn off that mentality:
�??When I get home, I want to rest. I want to eat and I don�??t want to hear no fighting. If I�??m studying something on the Internet or watching a tape, that�??s what I�??m doing. I don�??t want to all of a sudden get into that mode �?� like I�??m home and that (expletive) is on TV.
�??If I have a girlfriend, I don�??t bring her to flaunt her. She doesn�??t get to reap the benefits of me being famous.
I don�??t make that much money, so I don�??t get to buy nice things. I can�??t afford new (expletive) shoes. I can�??t retire now if I wanted to. I gotta keep fighting. It�??s my job. I take it very seriously. I�??m very professional.
�??Not that it�??s un-professional to bring your family. That�??s fine, whatever. It�??s not like I�??m trying to get into a street fight. I�??m not trying to do that either. Actually, I kind of avoid one at all costs. That�??s why this (expletive) should have kept his (expletive) head down.
�??He (Noons) brought his girlfriend, and he brought his dad and his mother, who walks around, and what is he doing putting dirty looks on me? Of course, I�??m going to tell him (expletive) you, and he�??s going to have to get punked in front of his (expletive) dad.
�??Basically, I didn�??t try to fight him right there. I just said, �??Hey bro, whatcha doing buddy?�?? There was a line in the dirt and I said, �??Cross that (expletive) line?�?? He�??s on his side of the street and I�??m on my side of the street. I said, �??Wait a second. Cross that (expletive) line.�?? Step into my (expletive) range (expletive).
�??And I�??m not calling him a (expletive) and trying to make him look like a punk in front of his girl and (expletive) and all that. I�??m not like that. I�??m not going to go �?� I�??m sure he is not conscious of all this (expletive) that�??s going on right now. I�??m sure that he thinks I�??m a real big punk and that I�??m trying to start (expletive) with him in front of his girl, in front of his dad, talking (expletive) to him. But that�??s not even the case. I mean, what do you expect? You are a stupid (expletive), jeapordizing your whole family bringing them �?� this is (expletive) warfare. That�??s the way I see it. This ain�??t no joke, dude. We�??re going in there to fight. You�??re trying to hurt me. Are you (expletive) kidding me?
�??There are a lot of people trying to protect this sport and make it look like a non-violent sport. That�??s fine. Yoiu know what? That�??s not my job to do that �?� OK. I�??m a very down to earth real (expletive) type of person. The real thing is this (expletive) is coming to hurt me, so (expletive) that (expletive). If I sign to fight you, I don�??t like you. I hate you and you are my enemy until it�??s over and done with.
�??So my bottom line is I wanted to get a buynch of this stuff off my chest is �?� is that �?� you know �?� I�??m not no chump. I�??m not going to just talk (expletive) or whatever. I can�??t remember where I was really going with that.�??
On what bothers him the most about Noons is the unsatisfying way their first fight ended due to cuts:
�??That�??s what I�??m saying. That�??s what I was getting ready to say. I�??m not no chump. I ain�??t no (expletive) punk. That�??s not really his belt. That doctor stopped that fight on that cut. My brother had a bigger cut in his last fight and he still won. I�??ve had (expletive) cuts bigger than that. This (expletive) doctor just stepped in on my whole situation.
�??He (Noons) is over here trying to capitalize on it. That�??s what I�??m trying to say, this (expletive) is a poser. He�??s not fighting for money. I don�??t know what he�??s fighting for. He�??s (expletive) over here and obviously he can afford a suit. He can afford not to fight. He hasn�??t fought in forever. He�??s over here trying to capitalize on that last win. He turned the fight. I was supposed to fight him a couple of months ago. He (expletive) said no. And he�??s still trying to back out of it. We walked in the ring and they started asking him and he was asking the crowd. I said, �??Hey, why you scared, dude? Come on, what the (expletive) do I got to do? I just beat this dude and you are going to try and not fight me? We�??re going to fight and I ain�??t no (expletive).�??�??
�??He needs to finish me off if that�??s his belt. He needs to go ahead and finish me off and get this all over said and done with. Either I�??m going to whup his (butt) or he is going to whup my (butt) and we can be cool. You understand what I�??m saying? It�??s unfinished business.�??
On when he is going to get the rematch against Noons:
�??I don�??t know? Whenever we are going to do it, it�??s fine for me. I�??m trying to fight every �?� I�??m trying to fight (Hayato) Sakurai, I�??m trying to fight K.J. Noons, I�??m trying to fight Anderson Silva, I�??m trying to fight everybody. I�??m trying to fight Georges (expletive) St. (expletive) Pierre. I�??m trying to fight �?� I didn�??t mean to call Georges a (expletive), but I ain�??t got no problem getting there and fighting the best people in the world. Georges is a nice guy. I�??m trying to fight Jon Fitch, I�??m trying to fight Silva, I�??m trying to fight K.J. Noons, I�??m trying to fight everybody. I�??m trying to fight Takanori Gomi, Sakurai, I�??m trying to (expletive) everybody up. (Expletive) this (expletive). This is (expletive) gangster (expletive) warfare. I don�??t give a (expletive). You know what I mean?
�??I don�??t mean to sound like �?� this is �?� you know �?� people need to grow up and be mature enough to handle this (expletive). If they can�??t and their eyes are not old enough to handle my cuss words and to handle the reality ofo what my life is really about, then don�??t (expletive) watch. Because I�??m tired of hearing about this and that about how I�??m a (expletive) punk and I�??m this and that and I�??m (expletive) stupid because I didn�??t go to school and I don�??t know how to talk without (expletive) cussing and say the F-word every five minutes. If you can�??t handle it, then don�??t listen to me. I don�??t give a (expletive).
�??I�??m here to fight. I�??m not trying to be a movie star. I�??m not trying to wear a (expletive) suit like K.J. Noons. I�??ll save my money to buy some (expletive) weed. You know what I mean? I�??m trying to enhance the quality of my living. That�??s the same reason why I will fight people, I will get high, because that�??s a higher quality of life. You know what I mean? I don�??t (expletive) do drugs and I don�??t do no (expletive). You know what I mean? I�??m trying to enhance the quality of my living. Whatever is going to do that. I�??m not down for (expletive) chemicals. You know what I mean? I�??m down for whatever is going to do it. If fighting and whatever else I do and saying (expletive) you, and being able to do that and still make money, you know, sounding ignorant.
�??People are going to think I�??m ignorant. But you know what �?� it�??s actually �?� who is ignorant when you are not the one who understands this sarcasm? You know what I mean? You are just not up to par on how people talk these days or something. Open your eyes and look at the real (expletive) world. Look at the world I live in. That�??s all I�??m saying.
�??I have people that are around me. You know, I teach Jiu-Jitsu to kids. Moms and dads they look at me and I�??m sure they go, �??Man, you got a dirty mouth and this and that.�?? But the ones that know me, they know what I go through. Whoever is not mature enough to handle this, this rated R (expletive), then they need to look away and turn their eyes away from all the hardcore craziness. And me and my family and my people �?� you know people , my family and other people, they don�??t know what it�??s like to be a fighter. It�??s not them out there getting their face and their head smashed into the ground.
�??The people that know are my (expletive) team and everyone that wants to ride with me can jump on the (expletive) wagon and we will roll. We will go to the (expletive) fights. We�??ll go together. We�??ll go on (expletive) Showtime and blow it up big time. We�??re going to help you, you are going to help us and we are all going to go as a team. These people �?� I�??m going to flaunt my team. I�??m not going to bring my (expletive) girlfriend and enjoy life as if it is all that enjoyable. I gotta work my (butt) off. Right now, it�??s all work time. It�??s not happy life time.
�??Maybe, when my career is over or I have a good break, but I don�??t have time to take breaks for a couple of months. I�??m getting older. I�??m 24 and time is flying. When I was in the UFC I could only fight every four months. Of course, I still fought more than everyone else.
�??I�??m the most featured fighter from (UFC) 44 to what is it (UFC) 56 or (UFC) 52 or some (expletive) like that. Definitely, the most featured fighter. I get in there before everybody. I�??m the youngest American to ever step in the UFC besides Vitor Belfort. Me, Vitor and (Andre) Arlovski were the youngest people. Everybody I was fighting had at least two years on me. Can you imagine if I had two years on them and what would have happened? They would have been my little (expletive) kid in there.
�??Sean Sherk, if he was my age, would have been like a little kid and I would have slapped him around. (Expletive), if I would have pulled guard or some (expletive) and avoided the technical aspect of the whole fighting part and the UFC didn�??t (expletive) have this whole (expletive) cage thing. Fighting in the (expletive) cage with all these (expletive) wrestlers didn�??t take out the whole technical aspect of the sport, I would have won that (expletive) and been the better man there too. It�??s kind of hard to make it a situation, a wrestler, a real strong guy, holds you down and stalls the whole time. You know what I�??m saying?
�??What I�??m trying to say is that type of (expletive) doesn�??t happen in a ring. There should be a ring here in the U.S., a huge show, there should be a ring. It�??s not done in Japan. A cage is not even done in Japan. It�??s unheard of. It�??s ridiculous. It�??s so stupid that we are entertained by a cage and that they have to use a cage to get our attention to be entertained by this fighting and not understand the technical aspects of mixed martial arts. You need a cage to get your attention first, so it looks like something crazy. I know when I started the scariest (expletive) sounds they made was, �??Oh, you are a cagefighter, Ooh.�??
�??And nobody can (expletive) see anything because of the damn cage. It�??s an insult to all you people out there. It�??s an insult that people fight in a cage. You can�??t see through it. If you want to see, you can�??t see the technical things that are happening or anything that�??s going on in there. The fighters aren�??t using the ring to cut the guy off and boxing. The whole boxing part, the kickboxing part, is out the window or half it is anyways with the ring situation. You can�??t put your foot back under the rope.
�??The (expletive) cage is �?� They say a cage doesn�??t require a re-start. You�??re talking about a areal sport and they want to say it�??s non-violent, put it in the cage. These people are not animals. They can (expletive) pause for a second and move it back to the center of the ring. It�??s a sportsman type of situation. That�??s why it�??s funny that people are always trying to say it�??s too violent, it�??s in a cage. Well. get rid of the cage and, maybe, it�??s not so violent.
�??That�??s pretty much it. I didn�??t want to go on and rant and rave about everything. I just wanted you to know and this (expletive) needed to be said. I�??m not a punk. I�??m not trying to start (expletive) with this guy in front of his girl. I�??m not a little street fighter. I�??m not trying to hit this guy or assault this guy. It�??s like you are trying to antagonize me. He had his girl, his dad and his mom teasing me and (expletive). I�??m going to go over there and get an assault charge? Of course, they are going to love that because you�??ll be able to go train for the fight. I�??m sure they would love that. It�??s kind of funny how all the cops showed up, like 10 of them right away. That (expletive) is a little suspicious too, you know what I�??m saying?
�??I�??m ready to go and I�??m not afraid to lose. I can handle losing as long as I get my chance. As long as I don�??t lose because I�??m scared, and I ain�??t scared. I�??m ready to fight. I can handle losing to this guy. It�??s no big deal. It�??s like is he ready to lose? Is he really ready to fight me? Then shut the (expletive) up. Man the (expletive) up. Quit ducking me. Quit acting like a little (expletive) and get in the (expletive) ring and let�??s do this (expletive).
�??I don�??t know what this (expletive) was thinking coming to the same hotel as me. Do you think you are going to have a good time walking around with your girlfriend and dad when we�??re (expletive) around? I got these hardcore (expletives) with me. We�??re walking around and you got your girl, you know what I mean? And your whole team isn�??t out there early and these guys aren�??t (expletive), just a bunch of little white belts. These guys won�??t even look �?� if it would have been City Boxing vs. my team, nothing even has to be said. It would be a given.
�??That�??s all I want to say. That�??s pretty much it.�??