5 Ways to Get Nick Diaz Back in the Title Picture

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Kelvin Kuo-US PRESSWIRE

At the beginning of this year, Nick Diaz looked at his freshly minted UFC contract and saw that he was being made ready for the big time. The payday he craved and moaned about for so long and fight against welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre was just around the corner.

But thanks to a couple of missed press conferences, a loss to Carlos Condit and a suspension for marijuana use, the Stockton native is now virtually a forgotten man in the UFC.

He’s still riding out his suspension, which doesn’t expire until February 2013. Meanwhile, GSP is likely to fight Anderson Silva, putting the entire division on hold, and Johny Hendricks is now the No. 1 contender.

1. Smack Talk Your Way There

Eric Bolte-US PRESSWIRE

Nick Diaz knows how to push GSP’s buttons. He’s done it before when he leapfrogged Carlos Condit to get a title shot.

After defeating BJ Penn at UFC 137, he was quick to call out the welterweight champion, a man he was originally billed to fight after he left Strikeforce, and did it in a way that sent the Canadian into a fury.

GSP practically begged UFC president Dana White to give him Diaz when he was already scheduled to face Condit. It’s a lesson the Stockton fighter has learnt well.

The smack talk has already started. After GSP’s win against Condit at UFC 154, Diaz mocked the champion on Twitter, saying that he was not impressed with his performance. Soon after, a video surfaced with Diaz claiming he would destroy GSP if he tried to hold him down.

If Diaz keeps this up, and generates enough fan interest, he may get the fight he wants.

2. Have a Rematch with Carlos Condit

Kelvin Kuo-US PRESSWIRE

When Diaz lost to Condit at UFC 143 in February, he lost his shot at the title. When he failed the post-fight drug test, and was subsequently suspended for a year, he drifted further toward the back of the line.

Most people would say that he’s two fights away from getting another chance—both because GSP is likely to face Anderson Silva first and because the division has moved on so much since Diaz last competed.

However, there are a couple of key fights that could also shortcut him back to title contention.

The first would be against Condit. His loss to him in Vegas divided fans, and many gave the fight to Diaz.

Cesar Gracie has said that Diaz has no intentions of fighting Condit. Most fans don’t want to see that fight, either, because the first match was hardly a thrilling affair. But a rematch could be a good decision.

Diaz could settle scores and line himself back up to face GSP.

3. Defeat Johnny Hendricks

Eric Bolte-US PRESSWIRE

Johnny Hendricks, after KO’ing Martin Kampmann at UFC 154, made himself the No. 1 contender for the welterweight title.

It would seem hardly fair to make him fight Diaz before being given that shot. But consider this.

If White’s plans come to fruition, GSP will be fighting Silva sometime in May. That’s six months away. After that fight, it could be another six months, or more, before the Canadian returns to the cage. That’s a long time in the world of MMA, where things move so fast.

If the Silva/GSP fight is on, then Diaz would be a good payday for Hendricks. And that fight would produce the new No. 1 contender, which could easily be Diaz.

4. Destroy Them Both

Eric Bolte-US PRESSWIRE

Depending on fate, defeating either Condit or Hendricks may not be enough. He might have to do them both.

This could be a potential scenario, especially if either Silva or GSP gets injured. That would mean the welterweight division is put on hold even longer. In that scenario, the top fighters will have to keep fighting each other, which means Diaz would have to face two top contenders to earn a shot.