Ariel & The Unhealthy Man: Is Nate Diaz’s return vs. Pettis too powerful a job?
Nate Diaz is again. Lastly.
Diaz, one of many UFC’s hottest fighters, will probably be again within the Octagon for the primary time in three years when he faces Anthony Pettis at UFC 241 on Saturday in Anaheim, California.
However is taking a struggle with the gifted “Showtime” Pettis, who’s coming off a knockout win over former 170-pound title challenger Stephen Thompson, an excessive amount of to ask of the returning Diaz?
This was one matter mentioned on this week’s Ariel & The Unhealthy Man episode, streamed completely on ESPN+.
Chael Sonnen: Ariel, I did not even hearken to the query. Simply watching Nate proper there speaking to Brett [Okamoto], I must let you know a narrative actual quick. Did you ever see the Dave Chappelle present, and do you keep in mind when Charlie Murphy got here on and he would inform tales and he instructed a narrative about enjoying basketball with Prince, and Prince got here out, and he was all dressed all foolish, after which it turned out Prince might actually ball, and Prince simply ran circles round him? Do you keep in mind that story? They did this at Prince’s home that had a basketball court docket, then Prince takes them inside and makes all of them pancakes. Do you keep in mind this story?
Ariel Helwani: Sure, I do.
UFC 241 includes a heavyweight championship rematch and the return of one of the fashionable stars within the UFC. Daniel Cormier will defend his title towards Stipe Miocic, and Nate Diaz fights for the primary time in three years, taking over Anthony Pettis. Order UFC 241 now
UFC 241: Cormier vs. Miocic 2
• Saturday, Anaheim, California
• Early prelims: ESPN+, 6:15 p.m. ET
• Prelims: ESPN, eight p.m. ET
• Most important card: ESPN+ PPV, 10 p.m. ET
UFC 241 Content material:
• 24 hours within the firehouse with Stipe Miocic
• Breaking down Cormier-Miocic II
Order UFC 241 now
Sonnen: OK, I need to let you know, I went out to Lodi, California, one time. I went on the market, and I educated with Nate Diaz. Now, I went on the market with Matt Lindland. We had been truly on the market to assist Jake Shields. Jake had introduced us in. He was on the point of struggle Georges St.-Pierre. We find yourself in Lodi. Jake’s not even there, and now we’re within the ring sparring with Nate. OK, tremendous, however Matt and I sparred a sure means, which was much more managed. On the market in Lodi at Nate’s health club, hastily we’re combating Nate Diaz. We get finished with all of that, we go proper subsequent door, he buys us fish tacos. That is my story.
Helwani: An actual mensch. That’s the true definition of a mensch, proper there.
I’ll reply the query. I recognize the story, although, as a result of I really like story time with Chael. Fairly frankly, I do not suppose we get it sufficient, however that is a unique matter for a unique day.
Nate Diaz is returning to the Octagon on Saturday for the primary time since his two-fight sequence with Conor McGregor in 2016. Christian Petersen/Zuffa LLC/Getty Photographs
Now, the query is, is he biting off greater than he can chew? And the reply is totally not. In reality, the larger the chew, the extra excited, if you’ll, Nate Diaz is concerning the struggle. He has been ready three years to return again as a result of nothing was actually getting him excited, nothing was engaging him to return. I by no means actually felt like he was all that within the [Dustin] Poirier struggle, and also you noticed how that fizzled out. However he waited for a chance the place Anthony Pettis was red-hot, in a brand new weight class, undefeated, simply knocked out a man who had by no means been knocked out earlier than — “Wonderboy” Thompson — after which he mentioned to his workforce, let’s go after that man. And in the event you’re listening to what he is saying there, who else does he carry up in that clip? He brings up Jorge Masvidal, who’s hotter than anybody proper now on this sport.
He needs to go after the massive fish. That is what will get him going. Even in the event you’re the champion, in the event you’re a man like Kamaru Usman, who clearly is superb, who’s on a roll, who’s champion however does not have a variety of hype behind him, does not have a variety of momentum, that does not do it for him. The belt does not do it for him. There are different individuals who say, actually, ‘I would like the champion. I do not care. I simply need the belt.’ Nate Diaz, Nick Diaz have by no means been these sorts of men. They need the fights that get them amped up. This can be a struggle that will get them amped up, and in consequence, I am amped up, Chael.
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Sonnen: By the best way, rather a lot has been product of the three-year layoff, and that is particularly reasonable, notably on this sport. I’ve seen Nate. I’ve seen him backstage quite a few occasions. I’ve gone as much as him, I give him a hug, I say howdy. Each time I hug him, Ariel, I am unable to imagine how robust he is gotten. I believe the man’s lifting weights. He by no means talks about it. I am telling you, you’re going to see a bodily stronger Nate Diaz. I am going to come as much as him, I am going to say, ‘Nate, you look nice. You are not combating, why are you in such fine condition?’ ‘Chael, I am coaching on a regular basis, I bought some youngsters courses, my coaches nonetheless make me. I am doing all the identical stuff.’ He mentioned, ‘I am truly in search of a struggle. I used to be imagined to struggle Poirier a minute in the past. I used to be in coaching camp for that struggle. That is no drawback.’ And I are likely to imagine him, that once you take a look at the X’s and O’s of this struggle, actual quick for you, Ariel, Nate does not like to defend leg kicks. For no matter purpose, he does not respect leg kicks. Anthony Pettis is a leg kicker. I believe Nate goes to must take care of that. The opposite facet of the coin is if you find yourself in there and a man is throwing kicks at you, it does open up that one-two, that cross hook that Nate does so effectively.
I simply suppose we will have a enjoyable struggle right here, and may I add this for you as a fan? You need to know the place I hope this struggle goes in some unspecified time in the future, Ariel? I hope it goes on the bottom as a result of Anthony Pettis is the one most underrated floor fighter within the sport. I am going to remind you he received the championship over Benson Henderson with a submission, and I need to see these guys in that spot.
Helwani: Oh, yeah, that will be unimaginable. I ponder what number of takedown makes an attempt there will probably be, however that will probably be a enjoyable little wrinkle to the struggle.
If you have not seen it — this can be a low cost plug, however I am going to do it anyway — Duke Roufus, one of many nice guys on this sport, he is a head coach for Anthony Pettis, Ben Askren, Tyron Woodley and many others. He was on my present on Monday, Chael, and he delivered one of many all-time nice promos for this struggle, and fairly frankly, I did not anticipate it out of Duke as a result of he is a fairly mild-mannered man. However he seemed on the digicam, and he mentioned, ‘I simply need to thank Nate Diaz for bringing out the outdated Showtime.’ That man might have been gone right here and there. He might have received the belt, dipped down just a little bit, had some ups and downs. However he mentioned, and we have heard this earlier than, we have heard the cliché — ‘finest coaching camp.’ He instructed me it was one of the best coaching camp, however I believed it when he mentioned it as a result of there’s a legit rivalry right here. These guys, yow will discover the footage. Return to UFC 188 backstage in Mexico Metropolis, that they had a little bit of a run-in. There’s footage there of those two guys speaking about one another, hating one another, not liking one another, desirous to struggle one another, and now we’re attending to see it. And we’re attending to see it at 170 kilos, which I believe could be very important as a result of for Nate, he hates reducing weight. I would not be stunned if we by no means see him struggle once more at 155, and look, you’ve got bought this complete new chapter for Anthony Pettis, who seemed actually good at 170 towards a former contender in Wonderboy. That simply makes it enjoyable. I am unable to wait. I’m bought, Chael. I simply need to get to Anaheim.
Sonnen: I bought 4 seconds, however I’ll let you know, I believe that Pettis is on a little bit of a roll, even in the event you take a look at the [Tony] Ferguson struggle. I do not need to hear concerning the final result. I need to give attention to the efficiency. I believed he seemed nice.
Helwani: You talked about the 4 seconds. Did you need to say anything? Did you’re feeling like I shortchanged you? Is that why you talked about it?
Sonnen: Nah, I do not suppose you probably did. You did not shortchange me. You could have the appropriate to say your piece, however you did not depart me a lot time, and I needed to run the clock out.