Nick Diaz defeated "Mach" Sakurai early this morning at DREAM 14 via armbar in the first round. Most people in the know understand that Sakurai's best days are behind him. However, the announcers on the DREAM card mentioned Georges St. Pierre as a potential opponent somewhere down the road like it would be compelling. Nick Diaz has openly stated he would like to fight GSP a few times. Of course we know that fights not going to happen with Diaz under the Strikeforce banner. I just have to say this though. Nick Diaz would get mauled by Georges St. Pierre.
Now, I'm a huge Nick Diaz fan and he has the skillset to beat a lot of guys. However, nothings changed with him over the years really besides developing more punching power. He still gets taken down with relative ease and anyone with a good positional top game will beat him. The proof is in the pudding, and all you have to do is go back to his UFC fights with Sean Sherk and Diego Sanchez. Look at those fights and then watch the fight with Sakurai that took place earlier this morning. Sakurai had some success standing then shot in for a double leg and took Diaz down with ease. Nothing's changed in that regard. Diaz had a good ground game, but the chances of submitting top guys like GSP off his back are minimal.
GSP would take Nick Diaz down at will and completely maul him. Diaz is as tough as they come and could probably take GSP to a judges decision, given that GSP is content with going to the judges at times. However, I could see GSP landing a couple of elbows from top position and opening Nick Diaz up as well.
The bottom line is that the skillset that Nick Diaz brings to the table is not sufficient to beat GSP. It wouldn't be compelling and it wouldn't be competitive. So it would be great if folk stopped talking like it would be.
The Diaz/Sakurai fight can be seen after the jump.
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