UFC 137 Results: Why Nick Diaz's Antics May Hurt Him More Than Help Him

Nick Diaz's erratic behavior may have made him something of an anti-hero to fans, but it may hurt him in the long run.

Diaz was always a personality, but what changed was his fortune. He was only a mediocre fighter in his first stint in the UFC and as such, his antics weren't as publicized and he wasn't as remembered.

It wasn't until he started cleaning house in Strikeforce and calling out UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre that he started to gain the attention (and affection) of the mainstream MMA community.

While many were initially turned off by Diaz's brashness, more people liked him for his honest outlook on things and his refusal to mindlessly obey authority.

As stated, he became an anti-hero. Fans lived vicariously through him. They might not be able to flip off coworkers they don't like or don't show up to their job, but Diaz can and he did, that earned Diaz their respect and awe.

At the same time, St.Pierre turned in "boring" fight after "boring" fight and constantly provided canned, heartless, PR-minded, cliché answers at interviews and press conferences, making him a hated figure.

Thus, Diaz's antics have helped him so far. They have helped him become a name fighter, they have helped him get to the UFC and they have helped him get a title shot.

The question now is, will they continue to help him?

After the fight with St.Pierre, no. What more could his antics accomplish?

He'll fight St.Pierre and if he wins he'll become MMA's darling for a brief bit and then become hated over time due to the fickleness of MMA fans. If not that, he'll commit some grievous faux pas that makes the fans and media hate him.

Either way, Diaz ends up being a hated man.

Because of his antics, Diaz must retire a hero or fight long enough to see himself become the villain again.