Team Nick supporters in attendence were quick to point out the fact that Diaz agreed over a month ago to compete against Estima is a no-gi superfight at 180-pounds, which is a weight that Estima missed by nearly 10-pounds the day before the fight (he weighed in at 189-pounds on Friday). Estima weighed-in again on Saturday (the day of the fight) at 185-pounds (still 5-pounds over), while Diaz had already rehydrated and ate after making weight the day before. He was not willing to make weight two days in a row. Estima was quick to say that at Jiu-Jitsu tournaments people weigh-in the day of the event, but this was a no-gi superfight. ADCC, which is the most presitigious no-gi competition in the world, also makes you weigh-in the day before the event. Rani Yahya was disqualified from ADCC 2011 last September, after missing weight by 9-pounds the day before the event. This is exactly the same amount of weight Estima missed weight by on Friday.
Team Nick supporters were also quick to add that in more established sports, such as MMA and Boxing, weigh-ins are the day before the fight as well. Diaz has been a professional Mixed Martial Artist for nearly 11 years and has also participated in professional Boxing. Diaz has spent most of his career fighting at 170-pounds, but he has also competed at weights as low as 160-pounds for PRIDE and the EliteXC. The most he had ever competed at was 179-pounds against Frank Shamrock and 180-pounds against Scott Smith for Strikeforce in 2009.
Team Nick supporters also noted that Estima did not just fly in from the U.K. for this match, like he said immediately after the fight was canceled. He had been part of Rashad Evans' UFC 145 training camp in Boca Raton, Florida. Stuart Cooper made a short film that documented Estima's preparations for his superfight with Diaz. The footage included Evans, Mario Sperry, and other people who were helping Estima prepare for Diaz. Estima also mentioned in the video that he wanted to see what it's like to compete at a lower weight class before making his MMA debut later this year at 170-pounds.
That being said, Team Nick supporters led by Nick's coach Cesar Gracie were not surprised that Nick was upset that Estima did not arrive anywhere near the agreed upon weight. He thought returning to no-gi competition for the first time in 2 years and going up to 180-pounds to fight the best in the world at his own game (no-gi) would be enough of a challenge. Some were saying, Estima's people were offering Diaz 10% of his purse to take the fight anyway, but that would only amount to roughly $100 in what would be going to charity anyway.
Team Nick supporters also felt that Estima may have been trying to use this match to build up his own name right before his MMA debut later this year. They say he wanted to be the first man to tap Diaz, who is one of the most talked about fighters in the world today and was just in line for a UFC title shot. Diaz has never been submitted in MMA, Jiu-Jitsu, or Submission Grappling competition. In Cooper's short film above, Estima mentions how he actively sought out the fight with Diaz, after he read online that Diaz would be competing at the World Jiu-Jitsu Expo.
Finally, when Robert Drysdale offered to take Diaz's place, many jiu-jitsu aficionados got excited at the prospect of the ADCC 2007 absolute winner (Drysdale) facing the ADCC 2009 absolute winner (Estima) in what would be the epitome of a Jiu-Jitsu (No-Gi) superfight. However, Estima said he did not want to meet a substitute despite mentioning it was only going to be a fight for charity in the first place. This only heightened the suspicion of a lot of Team Nick supporters that he was only after Diaz's name and wasn't concerned with putting on a classic superfight. If the superfight was only for charity, then why wouldn't he just fight a fellow ADCC absolute champion in Drysdale?
The fact that Braulio complained about everything and then when Drysdale stepped up he refused to compete against Drysdale shows me that Braulio is the real bitch. Drysdale called his punk card and Braulio failed. Braulio couldve easily done it for the fans. After its all said and done Drysdale is now one of my favorites for trying to step in.
Team Nick supporters were also quick to add that in more established sports, such as MMA and Boxing, weigh-ins are the day before the fight as well. Diaz has been a professional Mixed Martial Artist for nearly 11 years and has also participated in professional Boxing. Diaz has spent most of his career fighting at 170-pounds, but he has also competed at weights as low as 160-pounds for PRIDE and the EliteXC. The most he had ever competed at was 179-pounds against Frank Shamrock and 180-pounds against Scott Smith for Strikeforce in 2009.
Team Nick supporters also noted that Estima did not just fly in from the U.K. for this match, like he said immediately after the fight was canceled. He had been part of Rashad Evans' UFC 145 training camp in Boca Raton, Florida. Stuart Cooper made a short film that documented Estima's preparations for his superfight with Diaz. The footage included Evans, Mario Sperry, and other people who were helping Estima prepare for Diaz. Estima also mentioned in the video that he wanted to see what it's like to compete at a lower weight class before making his MMA debut later this year at 170-pounds.
That being said, Team Nick supporters led by Nick's coach Cesar Gracie were not surprised that Nick was upset that Estima did not arrive anywhere near the agreed upon weight. He thought returning to no-gi competition for the first time in 2 years and going up to 180-pounds to fight the best in the world at his own game (no-gi) would be enough of a challenge. Some were saying, Estima's people were offering Diaz 10% of his purse to take the fight anyway, but that would only amount to roughly $100 in what would be going to charity anyway.
Team Nick supporters also felt that Estima may have been trying to use this match to build up his own name right before his MMA debut later this year. They say he wanted to be the first man to tap Diaz, who is one of the most talked about fighters in the world today and was just in line for a UFC title shot. Diaz has never been submitted in MMA, Jiu-Jitsu, or Submission Grappling competition. In Cooper's short film above, Estima mentions how he actively sought out the fight with Diaz, after he read online that Diaz would be competing at the World Jiu-Jitsu Expo.
Finally, when Robert Drysdale offered to take Diaz's place, many jiu-jitsu aficionados got excited at the prospect of the ADCC 2007 absolute winner (Drysdale) facing the ADCC 2009 absolute winner (Estima) in what would be the epitome of a Jiu-Jitsu (No-Gi) superfight. However, Estima said he did not want to meet a substitute despite mentioning it was only going to be a fight for charity in the first place. This only heightened the suspicion of a lot of Team Nick supporters that he was only after Diaz's name and wasn't concerned with putting on a classic superfight. If the superfight was only for charity, then why wouldn't he just fight a fellow ADCC absolute champion in Drysdale?
The fact that Braulio complained about everything and then when Drysdale stepped up he refused to compete against Drysdale shows me that Braulio is the real bitch. Drysdale called his punk card and Braulio failed. Braulio couldve easily done it for the fans. After its all said and done Drysdale is now one of my favorites for trying to step in.
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Originally Posted by derrick ikwueme
