White: Nick Diaz 'close' to losing UFC 158 fight with Georges St-Pierre

Sonnen · **Joined:** Fri Feb 22, 2013 12:02 am **Posts:** 153

ANAHEIM, Calif. – UFC President Dana White doesn't want to scrap the UFC 158 headliner of Georges St-Pierre (23-2 MMA, 17-2 UFC) vs. Nick Diaz (26-8 MMA, 7-5 UFC), but on Saturday night he said if the challenger doesn't change his ways, that may be exactly what happens.

"I hope we don't come to that," White said following Saturday night's UFC 157 post-event press conference. "I'm really close. I don't want to be. I don't want to do this. It sucks."

Diaz is currently scheduled to face welterweight champ St-Pierre at next month's UFC 158 event in Montreal. The reason for the potential change is eerily similar to the series of events that saw a planned October 2011 bout scrapped. That planned UFC 137 fight was tossed aside when Diaz failed to show for a pair of pre-event press conferences.

This time around, the former Strikeforce champ missed three separate interview sessions, leaving a video crew hoping to produce a "UFC Primetime" series without a subject to tape.

"He did not (show up) – neither did his brother Nate," White said. "And we spent over $50,000 in production costs and guys cruising around Stockton, Calif., and not interviewing people.

"It's not funny. We're very cool and very lenient in a lot of ways. Look at this company. Look how we are. We let a lot of things fly. But that's just absolute bulls---."

Diaz's attorney, Jonathan Tweedale, initially claimed his client did not, in fact, miss any scheduled appointments. However, White said he has since spoken with Tweedale and the two are now on the same page. He also said Diaz has since complied with video requests and that his brother, Nate, is also expected to do the same.

Should that all go according to the current plan, then the much-anticipated contest will not be in jeopardy. But for now, White seems a little tense, especially on the heels of the commendable media efforts of UFC 157 headliners Ronda Rousey and Liz Carmouche.

"We've treated Nate and Nick with respect," White said. "Anytime they come in and want to negotiate their contracts, we do the things, we're good to everybody. At least give us the respect to show up and not blow $50 grand on not showing up for interviews you're supposed to do.

"All the fans are like, 'Shut up, Dana. Let Nick fight.' You shut up, idiots. This is how it works. This is the job. This is what we do. Go to your f---ing job and tell your boss, 'I don't want to this or that.' That's not how it works. It's part of the job. I've shown the Diaz brothers a ton of respect. They can show some respect back. I hope I don't even have to think about that. It's the last thing on earth I want to do."

Source: MMAJunkie.com

White: Nick Diaz 'close' to losing UFC 158 fight with Georges St-Pierre

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