Former UFC lightweight and welterweight champion B.J. Penn is set to go against Nick Diaz in the main event for UFC 137. Penn and Diaz will meet in the octagon in the main event of UFC 137 on Saturday at 9 p.m. EDT on pay-per-view at Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.
Nick Diaz is known as a fighter who thrives on bad blood matches. However, he has nothing bad to say about Penn, even calling B.J Penn one of his heroes.
“The thing is I feel the same towards Nick,” Penn said. “I love watching him fight. Of the newer guys that have came up in this era, he’s the guy that if I hear Nick Diaz has a fight, I’ll make time to go home and watch Nick Diaz fight. Not to pick him apart, I just enjoy watching him fight. It’s awesome that he has a lot of respect for me and at the same time I have tons of respect for the guy myself.”
“Facing Nick Diaz, he’s definitely one of the best guys in the sport, a Strikeforce champ, he hasn’t lost in a few years and I believe it’s going to be a fight to remember. The fans are going to win on this one.”
The fight may come down to who has the best tactical moves, as both fighters are very similar. They both have very aggressive fighting styles, so the one who changes it up may come out on top.
Both B.J. Penn and Nick Diaz are outspoken and brash, two things that have made them two of the most popular fighters in the world of MMA.
“You guys are all going to win whether you are a Nick Diaz fan or a B.J. Penn fan,” Penn said. “Everybody is going to come out on top. This is one of those fights where two fighters get into the ring and they fight each other. We’re very nice and respectful, but as soon as we get in the ring a fight is a fight. There might be some things said from both sides, but at the end of the day it ain’t personal.”
Penn, a proud Hawaiian, has been training out of the RVCA Gym in Costa Mesa to get ready for Diaz. Diaz looks ready for Penn too, so the fight should be a lot of fun.
UFC 137 Event Info
- What: UFC 137
- When: Saturday, October 29th
- Where: Mandalay Bay Events Center, Also available for purchase on Pay-Per-View
- Time: 9 p.m Eastern, 3 p.m Hawaii time.
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