A major welterweight showdown deserves some major pre-fight hype. And with the announcement that the popular three-part Spike TV series, UFC "Primetime," will return to document the build-up to Georges St. Pierre vs. Nick Diaz, that's exactly what we'll get ... probably.
Company President Dana White informed reporters (via MMA Weekly) of the decision following last night's UFC 133 post-fight press conference:
"Yeah, (St-Pierre vs. Diaz) probably would be (the next UFC Primetime). It'd be interesting with Diaz to get a camera to follow him for more than 10 minutes. It's gonna be very unpredictable. I don't ask him to say anything special, to change who he is or whatever, but you've heard me say it a million times, give me that much. Play the game. Do what you're supposed to do professionally and this will all work out. I don't ever ask anybody to not be themselves. I don't ever tell people what to say. I don't ever do anything like that. He is who he is and he can be who he is, but you have to play by the rules."
If you're sick of seeing St. Pierre in these "Primetime" specials, your cries have fallen on deaf ears. "Rush" has previously been featured in three installments of the series; make it four for six now.
However, interest in the next "GSP" fight is boiling over thanks to the participation of his opponent, Nick Diaz. Which is most likely the reason White used the word "probably" in announcing the focus of the next special.
Because we all know how much the Stockton slugger likes cameras following him around. But if White can convince the former Strikeforce king to do it, there's a big audience to be had and one that will make both men's stars shine even brighter.
St. Pierre is fresh on the heels of one of his least inspired performances since regaining the welterweight title from Matt Serra back at UFC 83 in April 2008. "Rush" went toe-to-toe with Jake Shields for five rounds up in the Great White North and not only failed to secure a finish, but lost a couple rounds on two of the judges scorecards.
It was the first time he had failed to win every round since his Aug. 2007 fight against Josh Koscheck.
To make matters worse, the French-Canadian suffered an eye injury that could have been much worse than it ultimately was. He's already cleared and back in the training room, however, and he's got his next opponent.
Nick Diaz, who recently scored an improbable come-from-behind victory via first round technical knockout over British striker Paul "Semtex" Daley back on April 9, has been vocal about finding new challenges outside the Strikeforce promotion.
The Stockton, Calif., native is riding a 10-fight win streak and has finished all but one of his opponents in dominating fashion.
He's maintained the whole way that while he despises his "miserable" life of training and eating and training and fighting and training, he just wants to get paid.
A date with perennial pay-per-view powerhouse Georges St. Pierre is surely set to line his pockets with paper.
Now that the speculation can come to a close as to whether or not the superfight is going to happen, let the speculation begin on who will come away victorious.
This will be the first time Diaz has fought under the UFC banner since a Nov. 2006 win over Gleison Tibau. He hasn't fought in Las Vegas since Feb. 2007, a submission win over Takanori Gomi (later overturned to a no contest thanks to a failed drug test) under the Pride banner.
St. Pierre heads back to "Sin City" for the first time since his unanimous decision beatdown of Thiago Alves at UFC 100 back in July 2009.
Georges St. Pierre vs. Nick Diaz for the UFC welterweight championship of the world, Maniacs. And now, possibly, a "Primetime" special to lead into it.
Sound good?
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