Nick Diaz is the no. 1 UFC welterweight contender. Photo by Kristyn Adamakis for ProMMAnow.com

“Nasty” Nick Diaz out-struck future UFC Hall of Famer B.J. Penn Saturday night in Las Vegas, according to CompuStrike, by landing 239 strikes compared to Penn landing just 76. Diaz landed 140 power shots compared to Penn landing just 43. The percentage of strikes landed was 65% for Diaz compared to only 41% from Penn.

Diaz, who was originally scheduled to fight UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre for the title, was pulled from the bout after failing to make a pre-fight press conference to help promote it. A day later it was announced he would remain on the card but would fight B.J. Penn in the co-main event, and Penn’s original opponent, Carlos Condit, would fight St-Pierre.

The bout with Penn of course turned into tonight’s main event after St-Pierre was forced out of the Condit bout due to a knee injury.

Diaz said after the fight tonight that he was not able to train for the bout the way he wanted. He talked about not having enough sparring partners. The fact that he and Penn were at the very least close acquaintances made it harder for him to “get up” and get motivated for the bout.

As good as he looked, he did look a little off, maybe not quite as accurate, especially if you recall the pounding he put on knockout artist Paul Daley. If Diaz had fought like he did against Daley, he likely would have finished Penn as some rather smart folk at ProMMAnow.com predicted in their UFC 137 staff picks.

After Diaz was officially awarded the unanimous decision Saturday night he called out St-Pierre, “Where you at George, where you at mother-[expletive]?” Then, “I don’t think George is hurt, I think he’s scared.”

Apparently that lit a fire under the champ who color commentator Joe Rogan said then told UFC President Dana White he no longer wanted to fight Condit and instead wanted Diaz as had been originally planned. Rogan said St-Pierre actually “begged” to fight Diaz instead of Condit.

What the champ wants, the champ gets. And what the fans want, the fans usually get. And there is no doubt, especially after tonight, the fans want Diaz vs. GSP. Diaz wants Diaz vs. GSP. And GSP wants Diaz vs. GSP.

According to UFC President Dana White, who confirmed at the UFC 137 post-fight presser that St-Pierre would now fight Diaz and Condit agreed to it, they are wanting to make the fight for Super Bowl weekend which would put the date at Saturday, Feb. 4, 2012. Stay close to ProMMAnow.com  (www.prommanow.com) for an official confirmation on the date and location of the next UFC welterweight title bout.

See more ProMMAnow.com exclusive UFC 137 coverage.

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