[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4EbRnFn0Tg[/youtube]
Nick Diaz has been found – sort of.
The MIA welterweight, who today was pulled from the main event of October's UFC 137 event, surfaced Wednesday evening via YouTube and apologized – sort of.
In a two-and-a-half minute rant Diaz said he taped while returning from San Francisco back to his hometown of Stockton, Calif., the former Strikeforce welterweight champion apologized for not making it to the "beauty pageant" and proclaimed he's ready to fight anytime, anywhere and with anybody.
"I was out in San Francisco, last-minute, trying to get on an airplane to go to a press conference for the UFC," Diaz says in the video. "They wanted me to fight for the title against Georges St-Pierre. Now they're telling me they're going to give the fight to Carlos Condit, which I think is ridiculous. Georges thinks it's a great idea because Carlos Condit poses an even greater threat. So I guess that just leaves me out."
Of course, UFC president Dana White recounted the process a little differently at Wednesday's UFC 137 press conference. White detailed a series of missed flights and broken promises as the UFC unsuccessfully tried first to get Diaz to Toronto for a Tuesday conference and then again on Wednesday to Sin City.
Diaz declined to explain the reason for his absence from the two gatherings.
Instead, Diaz used his YouTube platform to address the paycheck he'll now miss while assuring his supporters that whether it be boxing or MMA, he's more than ready to fight now.
"It's funny," Diaz said. "One second, I'm about to come into some money and do a little bit of boxing, [expletive] probably lose some teeth. But I'm ready to get paid, you know? I'll fight whoever, whatever, anything. I'd definitely rather fight GSP, of course, but I was ready to do some boxing, so they got me out of that, and they got me in the fight with GSP for the same money or more money or whatever. But now it looks like they get to save money, and I don't get paid, and I'm locked in a new contract.
"All these deal makers making deals. All I know is I'm ready to fight. I'm sorry I didn't make it to the beauty pageant, but I've never not shown up to a fight. I've never backed out of a fight in my life. That's not what I do."
White has yet to decide Diaz's future with the promotion but today made it clear an outright release from the UFC is a distinct possibility.
Source: Diaz apologizes for missing UFC 137 "beauty pageant," proclaims he's ready to fight
If UFC let him go I wouldnt be surprised at all. Still I think they will give him a last shot, maybe offer him an undercard fight or a fight night event fight. He still draws PPV buys and audience and is marketable, maybe more now then before even. Will he show up or not? Etc... If he refuses or doesnt show up to next fight they will surely cut him. At least thats what I think.
