The most disappointed MMA executive in the business, UFC president Dana White, said UFC 137's new main event, Nick Diaz vs. B.J. Penn, will be a three-round fight.

But not so fast, said Diaz manager Cesar Gracie, who today told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that the fight can be a five-rounder – if one B.J. Penn accepts.

"We kind of want to make it a five-rounder," Gracie said.

The manager said the ball is now in Penn's court. Representatives from Penn's camp could not immediately be reached.

UFC officials announced the implementation of five-round non-title fights earlier this year for all future non-championship main events. That rule can be amended if circumstances arise that hamper the preparation time of fighters.

Gracie, however, said a five-round headliner will prove to the UFC that Diaz is well-suited to take the fight for which he was originally scheduled. The former Strikeforce champ was set to take on UFC welterweight champ Georges St-Pierre at UFC 137 but was demoted to a co-main-event bout with Penn when he no-showed two press conferences this past month. Carlos Condit, who was scheduled to fight Penn, subsequently was tapped for the title shot.

With the winner of Diaz (25-7 MMA, 6-4 UFC) vs. Penn (16-7-2 MMA, 12-6-2 UFC) on the very short list for the next shot at St-Pierre's crown, Gracie believes the new headliner presents a golden opportunity.

"This kind of proves he's ready to [fight for the title]," Gracie said. "We really want it to show that Nick is ready."

White tweeted that the champ withdrew from UFC 137 with a knee injury he suffered today in training. The full extent of his injury is unknown, though St-Pierre vs. Condit now is expected to take place in early 2012.

Gracie wants to put the best foot forward when the winner of that title bout emerges.

"If you can't go five rounds, how are you going to fight GSP?" he said.


Source: Nick Diaz camp stumps for five-rounder against B.J. Penn in new UFC 137 headliner