[Next Big Thing]

Originally Posted by Krimzon7 What am I saying wrong here? You're right, had Diaz checked the kicks the fight would've been closer! If Diaz would've cut off condits angles he would've landed more shots, if Diaz took condit down sooner and more often he could've used his BJJ skills. I agree whole heartedly.The fact is, he flat out didn't do that. the refusal to adapt to condits gameplay is a glaring hole if that becomes a pattern.

I hate to torture the point, but I think you're jumping to conclusions based on one fight that wasn't all that lopsided when you consider the fact that Condit's only advantage as a "talented" striker was in leg kicks. Diaz out struck him in every other aspect, so bringing up not cutting angles and all that other what if stuff is a bit extra.

He only attempted 3 takedowns and they were pretty half assed. It's not like Condit was stuffing them all night and Condit wasn't putting him on his back or outwrestling him either considering Condit attempted 0 takedowns, so you can't make the conclusion that Condit somehow neutralized his BJJ or presented a threat on the ground that deterred Nick from using it.

And again, it's not like Condit's game plan was so overwhelming that other fighters are going to see that as the key to success since all Condit's game plan earned him was a rematch against Diaz.

So the question is why did he have such a tough time adapting? Are leg kicks his kryptonite(like rampage)? If he's fallen in love with stalking and slap boxing, if he refuses to work on cutting off angles, if he's neglected his jits, then he has a tough road to hoe in the ww division. It has always been said that he has trouble against wrestlers (like Kos, Fitch, et all) now there should at least be some raised eyebrows as to what a talented striker can do against him.

Why are you assuming it was a matter of him not being able adapt or him having some kind of weakness in his jiu jitsu? I said it earlier, Diaz's biggest weakness isn't his skill set, it's his stubbornness. He'd rather brawl than grapple. It's why he chose to stand and trade with Paul Daley rather than take him to the ground. Same thing for his fights against one dimensional strikers like Scott Smith and K.J. Noons. He'd rather box, whereas in the case of Rampage, I don't think he ever took the time to hone his other skills. I'm not saying it's a good thing, but it's nothing really new with Diaz and not really an indictment of his abilities.

Go watch the Cyborg Santos fight where he was kicking the shit out of Nick's legs and he refused to check them. The only reason he arm barred Santos was because the opportunity was blatantly there, otherwise he'd probably have kept the fight standing.

I also don't know where it's always been said that Diaz has trouble against wrestlers. The only wrestler I know that he faced and lost to was Sherk 7 years ago and he was probably roiled up at the time so that assertion isn't accurate and there's nothing in this fight to substantiate it.