UFC 135 Preview: The Main Card

---

Lightweights
Nate Diaz (13-7, 8-5 UFC) vs. Takanori Gomi (32-7, 1 NC, 1-2 UFC)

The Matchup: Diaz’s standup style is a masterpiece of range and relentless frustration for opponents. He is consistently just a little too far away to get hit cleanly and tosses punches out with varying intensity to lull his opponent before he drops a solid combination. The development of his standup mirrors that of his brother, former Strikeforce welterweight champion Nick Diaz, and, in recent bouts, it has become an increasingly effective part of his game. His chin and conditioning are also top-notch.

Diaz is great at recovering when hurt, and nobody wants to follow him to the ground should they land a big one. Gomi’s better days are probably behind him; at his peak, he was a relentless slugger on the feet with a go-for-broke style and wicked ground-and-pound. He tended to fight with a bullying style but often could not adapt when skilled, unflappable opponents refused to break under the brunt of his initial assault. That is exactly the kind of fighter Diaz is and precisely why he gives more physically gifted opponents fits.

Diaz plays as much a mental game on opponents as he does extracting a physical toll. He likes to show them early on that he is the boss, and Gomi’s willingness to come forward and trade is a real wild card here. It is doubtful he can stand around and look to outpoint the bigger and technically sharper Diaz on the feet.

On the mat, if it goes there, Diaz’s defensive jiu-jitsu is comparable to any lightweight currently in the UFC. He simply stifles people. Diaz’s biggest challenge is that his lack of wrestling and takedown defense, coupled with being somewhere between 155 and 170 pounds in natural size, leaves him in a tough spot in terms of campaigning in either division. In this fight, he should be able to force Gomi into costly exchanges on the feet, all while wearing him down, whether it is in clinches, striking, on the ground or just yelling obscenities during the match.

The Pick: Diaz gets further inside Gomi’s head as the bout transpires, ultimately submitting him in the third round after dropping him with strikes.

Finish Reading » Next Fight: Ben Rothwell vs. Mark Hunt