Never before has there been an MMA fighter that creates as much buzz as Nick Diaz. Over the past week, there has been no shortage of drama in the wake of UFC 143. Mixed martial arts website message boards have been lit up with fans voicing their angry opinions. There have been media journalists who abandoned any illusions of objectivity. There have been fighters who’ve weighed in on the subject: who won the fight? And even more importantly: what makes a fighter?

Just for a moment, put aside the fact that Nick Diaz tested positive for marijuana, we’ll return to that later. Let us first examine the fight. Two men entered the octagon last week–one to fight, the other to win points. While Carlos Condit may have “won” the decision, Nick Diaz won the “fight.” If you figure in fight metric scoring for the event, you would rightfully conclude that Carlos Condit won. But fight metric statistics only tell part of the story–not all. Carlos Condit landed 68 leg kicks or as Nick Diaz says, “little baby-kicks.” It was Diaz that looked to throw punches to the body and head. For most of the five rounds, Condit did his best impression of a man trying to avoid a fight, evading, flat-out running at times, and constantly circling. For some this makes for a smart strategy, but it is more like ducking. Perhaps Condit would not be judged so harshly, if he had not promised a “dog fight.” Condit, who prior to last week, had 26 finishes as a professional, came across like a man fighting scared. Many observers have blamed his “game planning” on his trainer, Greg Jackson. There is no MMA trainer in the world as adept as Jackson at turning fighters into “point-strikers.”

After the fight, Nick Diaz–having been on the receiving end of bad judging one too many times–announced his retirement. One can understand his frustration, but one can never fully understand him. Diaz is one of the most eccentric personalities in the sport. After signing a contract for a title shot against Georges St. Pierre, Diaz missed his press obligations and was pulled from the card. He then went on to bust up BJ Penn for a unanimous decision and once again found himself offered a title shot–this time against Carlos Condit for the interim-belt. The winner of the interim-title was guaranteed a fight with the champ, once he recovered. With so much on the line, one would think Diaz–who tested positive for marijuana a few years ago–wised up. But that was not the case. Even if he had won the fight, it would have been reversed to a no-contest.

Diaz is 28 years old and in his prime. It is unfortunate he squandered so much unlimited potential.

The biggest story this week has been Chael Sonnen and his “belt.” The middleweight number one contender showed up to various press interviews with a UFC championship belt replica, much to the amusement of journalists and Dana White at the pre-fight press conference. Lately there has been concern over whether Sonnen’s antics outside of the octagon may overshadow his performances inside it.

Ever since entering the octagon, Sonnen has compiled an impressive win streak, his only losses coming from Anderson Silva and Demian Maia. Long regarded as one of the best wrestlers in MMA, Sonnen entered the cage last night as a heavy favorite over his opponent Michael Bisping. Mark Munoz, Sonnen’s original opponent, had to pull out of the fight due to injury. Bisping was offered the fight instead and a title shot, if he wins. Bisping, in a losing effort, showed just how good he is, stuffing Sonnen’s wrestling shots and out-pointing the former middleweight title challenger on the feet. In what should have been ruled a split decision, Sonnen won the fight on all the judges scorecards, even he thought the fight was closer.

This sets up one of the biggest fights in UFC history–a rematch with Anderson Silva. The fight will take place this summer in Brazil and with as many as 80,000 expected to be in attendance. Within the past six months, the UFC has staged two fight cards in Rio de Janeiro. Brazilian fans are rabid when it comes to fights, chanting in the crowds like soccer fans, and absolutely erupting when their compatriots win. In light of disparaging remarks he has made about Brazil, Chael Sonnen was asked if he is worried about his security. Sonnen answered, ”If those blowhards, with their blow darts, want to come at me, they can send anybody they want. But don’t send anybody you want back.”

Name one of the most polarizing fighters in MMA. Chael Sonnen? Sure. Nick Diaz? Yup. Jon Fitch? Definitely. The two aforementioned fighters actually look to finish fights; Jon Fitch does not. Fitch represents a class of fighters who are content “grinding” out decision victories by utilizing their wrestling skills. Fans of the sport who dislike this style of “fighting” have come up with many pejoratives to describe it: lay-n-pray, blanket, and stall.

Last night Jon Fitch was knocked out by Johny Hendricks, a wrestler with heavy hands. If you asked casual fans what they thought was going to happen in the fight, they would probably say that Fitch was going to get a decision nod. But no one ever figures Jon Fitch will get a finish, therein lies the problem. Dana White, the president and promoter of the UFC, did an interview with Ariel Helwanini, in which he says, “You hear the same thing from everybody. If I want to fall asleep and I can’t sleep at night, I’ll put on a Jon Fitch fight.” White went on to say, “Find one person that would tell you they love a Jon Fitch fight.”

Jon Fitch is aware of the criticism leveled at him and he has been on the defensive. He was interviewed in Fight! magazine recently and Sherdog. In both interviews, he basically said that if he were given enough time, he could beat anyone. Dave Camarillo, his coach, was quoted in Sherdog, saying that Fitch would beat guys if there were no time limits, or if there were ten rounds. And Fitch wonders why fans think he’s boring? Jon Fitch is a fantastic athlete, but he is no “fighter.”

Fitch isn’t the only one in MMA who is criticized for his style. GSP and Ben Askren can be just as boring to watch. One shoe has dropped and now we’ll wait and see if the other does as well.

When it comes to promoting his company, Dana White is a man known for hyperbole. But lately his hype has the ring of truth. This past year has been the biggest for the sport of mixed martial arts. The Fox deal aside, this has been a year in which we have seen the emergence of new stars, and witnessed the twilight of the old. Randy Couture? Gone. BJ Penn? Ditto. Mirko Cro Cop? Same. And after last night, even though he had a relatively short career, it appears that Brock Lesnar is gone too. But there are some big fights to look forward to in 2012.

Jon Jones has proven himself as the real deal; he dispatched a veritable murderer’s row of fighters this year–Rua, Rampage, and Machida–all by stoppage. And expect big things from those boys out of Stockton, California–the Diaz brothers. Nick and Nate have some of the best boxing in MMA; BJ Penn and Donald Cerrone can attest to that. There are so many fighters that are part of the so-called “new breed” to look out for: Rory MacDonald, Jake Ellenberger, Johny Hendricks, Anthony Pettis, Jimy Hettes. These guys put everything together so deftly, and they create so much excitement. After many years of watching MMA, this past year has been my favorite. I can only hope 2012 will surpass it.

Michael Bisping, a fighter known for his gruff personality, quickly dispatched Jason “Mayhem” Miller in a lackluster fight last night. Both men appeared to be gassed after the first round. But Bisping managed to turn it on in the third round, and finish Miller by tko. After such a poor showing, do not be surprised to see “Mayhem” cut by the UFC. Dana White said something along those lines to Megan Olivi in a post-fight interview.

There are two fighters you can bet were watching last night’s main event with great interest–Mark Munoz and Chael Sonnen. Sonnen, who gave Silva the closest fight of his UFC career, is destined to meet the champ again. The only person standing in his way is Mark Munoz. Although Munoz is a talented wrestler with great hands, he does not have what it takes to dispatch the tough-as-nails Sonnen. Michael Bisping has been steadily piling up wins in the UFC, but lacks both the talent and self-styled promotional genius of Sonnen.

If the Brits were hoping to have their first UFC champion, they have a long wait ahead of them. Michael Bisping is relegated to being a mid-tier middleweight fighter.

Last night all of the legends of the sport were on a mission; they were going to win or go out on their shields. It all started with Urijah Faber. Faber has made it known that he dislikes Dominic Cruz and wants a rubber match. In order for him to get that match, he would have to fight Brian Bowles. Bowles has serious hands and legit grappling skills. Normally a formidable opponent for anyone in the bantam weight division, Bowles was completely dismantled by Faber. Fans can expect Faber to do the same to Cruz in his next outing.

Wanderlei Silva is a fighter that has been written off by many in the media. In recent years he has been on the wrong side of some brutal knockouts. Once revered as a gladiator of the Pride organization, Wanderlei has found little success inside the octagon. He signed the contract to fight Cung Le. Le is a dangerous Sanshou striker and former Strikeforce champ. In a fight where he was rocked several times, Wanderlei came from behind to stop Le. If Wanderlei decides to retire, which is unlikely, now would be the best time to do so. Fans and Dana White alike, would enjoy nothing more than to see a legend go out with a win.

In what is easily the greatest fight in UFC history, Dan Henderson and Mauricio Rua hit each other with everything they had last night. Rua has been questioned about his heart after his defeat to Jon Jones. People also questioned his cardio and whether or not he can string together a few wins in a row. When “Shogun” is on, he’s one of the most dangerous Muay Thai stylists on the planet.

In recent years Rua has been streaky–win one and then lose one. Dan Henderson, on the other hand, has been on an incredible tear lately. Always known as a tough guy in the sport, Henderson has cemented his legacy. He has fought against a veritable murderers’ row, and seems to have peaked at 40.

Last night Rua and Henderson entered the octagon and put on an incredible show. Henderson, whose right hand is like Mjölnir, the fabled hammer of Thor, has separated many men from consciousness. Rua somehow survived Henderson’s punches and fought his heart out from bell to bell.

The UFC made its long awaited debut on network television last night. I called my cable provider yesterday to upgrade to the “sports package.” I told the sales representative that I needed Fuel TV, Fox Deportes, and the other channels that come with it. Before I could even finish speaking, he said, “I’m an mma fan and I have the package for all of the mma news.” I started to laugh and then went into a fifteen minute conversation with this complete stranger. We both talked about what a huge deal it was to have a UFC heavyweight championship on Fox.

I, like many others, was introduced to the sport by a friend. My friend Gilberto showed me a vhs tape of the UFC back in 1993. I was hooked. I’ve been watching mma, not just the UFC, for well over a decade now. I’m part of the UFC’s built-in demographic–a member of the highly coveted 18-34 market. Last night was their opportunity to pull in new viewers and casual fans. Before I go on, let me say this: I like to do a heat check. I look to see how much buzz there is on the street. I went into a store to buy some last minute items before the fights and overheard two middle-aged female customers having a conversation with an employee. The employee asked the two women what their plans were and they said, “We’re going to watch the fights.” When he asked them who was fighting, they replied, “Oh, I don’t know. It’s the UFC.” I smiled. I expected them to say that they were going to watch Marquez vs. Pacquiao. These two women were exactly what the UFC were looking for.

The title fight played out pretty much the same way I envisioned it. The biggest problem wasn’t the length of the fight–it was the production. The UFC padded their one hour network special with back story on both fighters that we’d already seen in a previous Fox special. If anything, they could have shown that again in the half hour before the show. For die-hard fans, Guida/Henderson was right up there in importance. That fight should have been broadcast on Fox. It had fight-of-the-night written all over. If you’re a betting man, you would realize that the heavyweight fight may be over in a blink of an eye. The 155 lbs. division is fast-paced and exciting to watch. If anything, the Guida/Henderson fight would at least whet the appetite for Dos Santos/ Velasquez. The UFC should have had the foresight to see this, and for whatever reason they didn’t. I can’t help thinking about those two ladies in the store. They probably watched the fight last night and thought: “So, this is the UFC?”

There is a major difference between a boxer and a fighter. Floyd Mayweather is perhaps the purest boxer that ever lived. Manny Pacquiao, on the other hand, may be one of the best fighters his sport has ever seen. If you don’t know the difference, you may not understand the nuances of combat sports. In mma such distinctions can also be made. Nick Diaz is a fighter. Georges St. Pierre is a talented athlete. If you don’t know the difference, you’d better search for the two fighters on youtube.

Nick Diaz was victorious in his UFC return. He bested former training partner BJ Penn, in what will likely be remembered as a classic. Diaz used the first round to feel out his opponent, then he turned it on in the second and third. Penn showed his gameness by answering for the third frame.

A visibly angry Diaz called out the champ with a profanity laced tirade. When the cameras panned to Georges St. Pierre, he hammed it up for the crowd. However, behind the scenes, GSP was incensed by Nick’s outburst.

Dana White said GSP wants Nick Diaz next and that’s just the person he’ll get. GSP was a fan favorite for quite sometime before his loss to Matt Serra. Fans have bemoaned the change in GSP since that loss. He went from being a flashy entertainer to a “conservative” fighter. There are GSP detractors out there that will even call him a “lay and prayer” or as Nick Diaz says, “staller.”

We should all be excited about Nick Diaz vs. GSP. Nick Diaz has the ability to knock the champ out or submit him. GSP knows this fact and will have this to worry about until February.

Nick Diaz is an antihero. He says exactly what is on his mind no matter what. For some this makes him a polarizing figure, however, there are many fans out there who enjoy his actions inside and outside of the cage. It doesn’t matter which side of the divide you are on. You should know this: Nick Diaz is a fighter.

The three fights on the top of the card are perhaps the most meaningful tonight. Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic is a legend of the sport and tonight may be his swan song. In his storied career, he has fought everywhere from the UFC, Pride, and K-1. He has had over a hundred bouts in his combat sports career and all by the age of 37. Filipovic was a bit sullen at the press conference yesterday; he showed a more introspective side to his fans. He expressed sorrow for his performances in the UFC and acknowledged the fact his best years are behind him.

Roy Nelson is an immensely talented fighter and has made recent improvements in his training and diet. He has a solid chin and devastating power in his right hand. In addition to the aforementioned attributes, he is no slouch on the ground. We can expect him to send Cro Cop into retirement.
Matt Mitrione is set to fight Cheick Kongo. Mitrione, who got his start on the Ultimate Fighter, is taking a serious step up in competition. Kongo has been in the cage with some of the best fighters in the world (he rocked Cain Velasquez numerous times). In his last outing, he had one of the most exciting come-from-behind victories in mma history. He is an elite kickboxer with ever-improving ground skills. Mitrione will fall short tonight.

Before the weigh-ins last night, many wondered whether or not BJ Penn and Nick Diaz were ready to fight. The two fighters have lately been telling the press about their ambivalence towards fighting and their mutual displeasure with the bout. It would appear that all changed last night. Diaz, in his typical fashion, acted as an agitator last night. A little scuffle broke out and the two fighters were quickly separated. But one has to wonder–does Diaz need the mind games to psych himself up? If so, it will be a great night for Penn. BJ Penn does not need to hate his opponent to go out and finish a fight. Look for Penn to win by ko or rear naked choke.