Cesar Gracie: The UFC should strip Georges St. Pierre of the welterweight title

Cesar Gracie, head trainer for top welterweight contender Nick Diaz, has commented on the news breaking earlier today that UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre has suffered yet another knee injury; forcing him out of the much anticipated title fight against Diaz that was scheduled for UFC 143 over the Super Bowl weekend in Las Vegas, Nevada.

This latest injury marks the second time their clash has been scratched.

Their initial encounter was set to go down at UFC 137 back on October 29, 2011; however, Diaz was pulled from the fight due to not participating in scheduled press conferences.

"Rush" was then pegged to face Carlos Condit in the main event, but an injury forced the UFC welterweight champion out of the event and sent "The Natural Born Killer" to the sidelines without an opponent. Diaz then re-earned his title shot against the Canadian by defeating B.J. Penn in a three round war in the UFC 137 main event.

So how is the Cesar Gracie fight team taking the news of yet another GSP injury?

Make the jump to find out:

Speaking to Middle Easy, Gracie had this to say about the unfortunate turn of events.

"It's disappointing, it's the fight we have been trying to get for the last two years you know, Nick vs. GSP. Now that Nick is in the UFC we figured that for sure it would happen and the last two times you know, this time and last time, GSP keeps getting injured and events keep happening and it's kind of a weird thing so, you know were disappointed by it but we have to turn the page and we have a different fight on our hands."

On Carlos Condit as a replacement:

"I think he has better stand up actually than Georges. He kicks better, he throws better punches, he is taller. From a fans perspective, and I am a fan myself, it's actually a more intriguing matchup, and I think it's a more exciting match up because we're going to see some people throwing down in this one. In the GSP fight, I don't think we were going to have any of that to be honest with you despite what GSP said about being better everywhere than Nick. I don't think he was going to stand with Nick for very long. I don't think Condit is going to be shooting for takedowns as much as GSP would have. I really think this is going to be a rock em' sock em' fight."

On whether Nick Diaz will wait for GSP should he come out victorious against Condit or take another fight:

"They are making this an interim fight and I think it should be the championship fight because since the Jake Shields fight, by the time GSP fights again it's going to be about two years. A champion being out for a couple years, my idea is that they should actually strip him. I know these things happen and I am sure it's not his fault but, it's kind of like, Nick deserves a championship fight, and with it being an interim title there is always going to be people saying you're not the real champion. "

Nick Diaz or Georges St. Pierre have yet to comment on the injury.

What's your take Gracie's comments? Should St. Pierre be stripped of his title for lack of competing -- and is Condit vs. Diaz a better fight from a fan's perspective?

For more on St. Pierre's injury click here.