MMA bad boy Nick Diaz (pictured) has called out UFC middleweight champ Anderson Silva

By Joshua Molina

Nick Diaz threw himself into the center of the mixed martial arts universe again this week when he announced that he would return to the sport and that he wants to fight UFC middleweight great Anderson Silva.

A Diaz-Silva matchup would light up the MMA world for several reasons. Diaz is a legitimate thug inside the cage. Although Chael Sonnen talked about being an American “gangster,” in the buildup to his fight with Silva, Diaz is the real-life version of such a character.

He grew up tough in Stockton and because he found Cesar Gracie and the world of mixed martial arts he became one of the sport’s top stars, rather than ending up in a much more dangerous place.

Like a true “gangster,” Diaz hangs with a posse of other tough guys – brother Nate Diaz, Strikeforce lightweight champ Gilbert Melendez, Jake Shields and the boss Cesar Gracie. But most importantly, the matchup is intriguing because Diaz has never shown any fear, much less respect, for his opponents inside the cage.

Diaz attacks, taunts and baits inside the cage. He fights like the cocky kid starting a brawl in the backyard – except that Diaz is a legitimate athlete. The most intriguing part of the matchup, however, is the thought of seeing Diaz getting knocked out or submitted – a fantasy no doubt envisioned by throngs of MMA fans and fighters.

Can Silva submit Diaz, who has never tapped out? Can Silva stand up to Diaz’s relentless pressure and trade blows. Both have Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belts, so what would happen when the two get to the ground?

Silva would be considered the favorite if the two ever locked up; but a Diaz vs. Silva fight probably wouldn’t be a boring tactical battle like Diaz vs. Condit. The two would fight and somebody would likely get tapped or knocked out. And Diaz is a much better fighter as an underdog. He tends to get motivated when be believes people don’t believe in him.

UFC 150: Nick Diaz’s friend and training partner Jake Shields returns on the undercard of the Ben Henderson vs. Frankie Edgar rematch at UFC 150 on Aug. 11. Shields is still looking to prove himself as a top guy in the UFC.

Although Shields outpointed George St. Pierre for two rounds in their fight a year ago, which drew 55,724 fans – the largest live crowd ever in North America – Shields hasn’t really looked like the guy who dominated Strikeforce and EliteXC a few years ago.
Shields, who’s never been a terribly exciting fighter to watch, can’t afford anymore mediocre performances inside the cage.

Shields will battle Ed Herman. After his loss to St. Pierre, his KO at the hands of Jake Ellenberger, and lackluster victories over Martin Kampmann and Yoshihiro Akimaya, Shields can’t really afford another loss in the UFC – unless he wants to go back to Strikeforce, and battle again for the title that he so easily gave up when he ditched Strikeforce for the UFC in 2010.

Saturday night’s Invicta FC 2 all women’s card delivered, with a night of exciting matches. Although the event had some streaming problems during the first part of the show, it’s always great to watch free action. In the main event, Olympic Silver Medalist Sara McMann defeated Shayna Baszler by unanimous decision. Alexis Davis submitted Hitomi Akano and Liz Carmouche handed Kaitlin Young a submission defeat by rear naked choke.

Finally, there’s a poorly publicized buildup show on Fox today. The Road to the Octagon: Inside Shogun vs. Vera and Machida vs. Bader will be televised at 2 p.m. Est at 11 a.m. PST today.
Contact reporter Joshua Molina at jmolina@fcfighter.com