Next Saturday Nick Diaz challenges for the UFC's welterweight title. But in the future, he wouldn't mind moving up to compete at middleweight – or even down a division to challenge for the 155-pound title.
"If I had that option available to me, I would be honored to be in that position, and I would be gratefully accepting of that position or fight, if you will, with the 185-pound champion or the 155-pound champion," Diaz said. "I would take either fight, and I think I could beat either guy to win a title at both weights.
"I'd like to be runner-up in the pound-for-pound rankings. That's the No. 1 goal, aside from the No. 1 ranking in the welterweight division."
While Diaz has often talked about a potential move up to 185 pounds, especially if it involved a potential bout with top pound-for-pound fighter and the long-reigning middleweight champ Anderson Silva. However, today call was the first time he mentioned a possible drop to lightweight to challenge for that title, as well.
The move wouldn't be entirely unprecedented. In the past, Diaz competed for the now-defunct PRIDE and EliteXC organizations. However, those promotions set the lightweight limit at 161 and 160 pounds, respectively. The UFC's lightweight limit is 155 pounds.
Still, Diaz said he's interested in fighting the very best fighters in the world, regardless of weight class.
Of course, he'll have exactly that in front of him at next week's "UFC 158: St-Pierre vs. Diaz" event, where Diaz (26-8 MMA, 7-5 UFC) meets UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre (23-2 MMA, 18-2 UFC), widely considered one of the sport's top three fighters. St-Pierre has held the UFC's welterweight title since 2008, and he currently boasts six straight title defenses, more than any welterweight champion in UFC history.
In short, St-Pierre is not the type of opponent to look past. But Diaz said that's simply the way he approaches his career. Sure, he's focused on the task at hand, but there are other challenges ahead. Such is the way of a top martial artist.
"Me and Georges St-Pierre, we're a lot different," Diaz said. "For me, I look past every opponent because I'm not looking at just one obstacle. I think for me, it's easier to deal with when I accept the fact that I'm never going to get out of this. It's not just a fight, it's fighters.
"I look past every opponent to get to the No. 1 spot of the welterweight division, and I look further beyond that. If it were up to me, I would take that fight with Anderson Silva. I would say, 'Yeah, of course.' I'm looking for the next best thing, and the next best thing is always the closer fight to the No. 1 fight, and that's what I've been working toward this whole time."
Source: MMAJunkie.com