Whenever someone brings up the fact that Diaz doesn't deserve the title shot, the primary response seems to be that Diaz hyped up the fight and that he's exciting. Never mind the fact that he lost his last fight, failed a drug test, hasn't fought in a year, AND already had the opportunity to fight for the title but simply didn't show up to the press conference. Giving Diaz the shot now isn't in our best interest as fans, it's not in MMA's best interest as a sport, hell it's not even Diaz' best interest as contender.
Let's break down the fight and how Diaz is going to keep things interesting. First, does Diaz have the wrestling to keep this fight standing long enough to land his punches in bunches? Has Diaz ever submitted anyone with a ground game like GSP? Will GSP take any unnecessary risks, giving Diaz the opportunity to sink something in? If Diaz can't get a submission or land his combinations often, does he have the versatility to bring a different game plan and adjust?
Is this fight even in Diaz' best interest? He hasn't fought in a year, now he's gonna be pitted against one of the greatest fighters of all time? If he actually stands a chance at beating GSP, why not give him a top 5 fight to simultaneously have him prove he deserves the shot and help him get rid of the ring rust that could seriously hinder him in a title fight.
Meanwhile, you have Hendricks who has already beaten the perennial No. 2 WW and another contender in emphatic fashion. While Diaz has been talking, Hendricks has been garnering attention the way a fighter is supposed to, straight up knocking out his biggest opponents in the first round.
Yes, the UFC is a business and MMA is a spectator sport. But what if the NBA said "Fuck the playoffs, everyone wants to see the Lakers play the Celtics," regardless of either teams' accomplishments that year? All sports have spectators who want something, but you can't treat the athletes that way. The general reaction seems to be "Hendricks deserves it, but Diaz is exciting, so give it to him." Fuck that. he UFC has a deep enough talent pool and has created enough momentum for itself that it doesn't need to simply appease the fans for PPV buys or build up a champion with each title fight. Give the shots to the people who earn them.