PRIME BJ Penn vs PRIME Nick Diaz.........who wins that?

[Agent Mulder's Hair]

OK Nick beat the brakes off BJ when they fought. And to us hardcores who know what we are looking at, BJ and Nick are two of THE most supremely SKILLED mixed martial artists of all time. Both guys win fights with skill, not brute force or sloppy technique....but with skill. Both are highly skilled on the feet with their striking, both were highly skilled on the ground with their BJJ. Both have some of the best chins the sport has ever seen. And both dudes are just plain crazy as shit and love to scrap. Both have that warrior spirit that is either in you or it's not.

But if Nick had fought a younger, PRIME BJ, a hungry, crazy BJ ....who would've won THAT? Sound off Sherdog.

Btw I say Nick takes that.

 

[dildos]

bj.

 

[Casanova11]

The brief time that BJ had 5 rd cardio, id take that version of him over any lw in history. over most welterweights as well.

the most naturally gifted fighter ever

 

[Lord Grey]

Tough call. I'd say their primes were at different weights, with Penn at 155 and Diaz at 170.

At 155, I'd take Penn.
At 170, I'd take Diaz.

 

[Agent Mulder's Hair]

Tough call. I'd say their primes were at different weights, with Penn at 155 and Diaz at 170.

At 155, I'd take Penn.
At 170, I'd take Diaz.

I always thought both these guys were a good case for a 160 or 165 division

 

[Ghostoftheville]

Nick relies heavily on brawling, his stance, footwork, head movement, the angles he throws at are the opposite of technique. His granite chin and cardio has always been his saving grace.

All that said, Penn that could go five rounds beats Diaz

 

[Headkicktoleg]

Post prime BJ did pretty good against Nick, especially that first round. He would destroy him in his prime

 

[FreddieRoachsVoice]

With about as much confidence as picking my own numbers for a lottery ticket, I'd take the mystical Prime Penn in this one. The ability to land offensive takedowns is the deciding factor for me for Penn as Diaz never really had great TDD.

Also (rolls up windows to prepare for incoming shitstorm), Diaz's striking is a tad overrated by many and I think Penn would edge him out there as well after the takedown was established. Sherk was also able to outstrike Diaz and Penn obviously had a huge edge on him standing as well. Penn via Dec (49-46).

 

[Agent Mulder's Hair]

Nick relies heavily on brawling, his stance, footwork, head movement, the angles he throws at are the opposite of technique. His granite chin and cardio has always been his saving grace.

All that said, Penn that could go five rounds beats Diaz

I disagree. What Nick does LOOKS like brawling....but watch closely. It's pinpoint accurate most of the time, and it's a cardio conserving style. It's also a style designed to sapp your opponent's cardio and fluster them. It's really interesting to watch. But it definitely is NOT brawling. It's designed to bait the opponent into brawling, while picking him apart.

 

[Agent Mulder's Hair]

With about as much confidence as picking my own numbers for a lottery ticket, I'd take the mystical Prime Penn in this one. The ability to land offensive takedowns is the deciding factor for me for Penn as Diaz never really had great TDD.

Also (rolls up windows to prepare for incoming shitstorm), Diaz's striking is a tad overrated by many and I think Penn would edge him out there as well after the takedown was established. Sherk was also able to outstrike Diaz and Penn obviously had a huge edge on him standing as well. Penn via Dec (49-46).

Diaz's TDD is underrated. He stuffed more GSP TD's than anyone else GSP ever fought. And he stuffed a lot of Sherk's TD's iirc. The problem always was, if Diaz was in TDD mode, then he was purely defensive and his offense was non existent. If he was in offense mode, then his TDD was non existent. It was like either one or the other with him. But he was great at both...separately. He just never could combine the two.

 

[Tdot9666]

Was "prime" BJ that good or was the game just very young?

Seems like the game passed him by more then he let himself go

 

[BoD 2.0]

A few things:
I think Nick would always be a bad matchup for Penn, especially at 170lbs. I think Penn is the better and greater fighter of the two in their prime. However, Nick is much bigger, always had much better cardio (even then a prime Penn), and has the chin and sub-defense to hang in there the entire time.

I'd favor Prime Penn at 155 over any fighter in history. But I'd favor prime Diaz over Prime Penn at 170lbs.

 

[MikeMcMann]

Tough stylistic match up for Penn.

He really does not have the power to KO or even seriously hurt prime Nick.

Nick would out work and out point prime BJ. His volume is just too high. This fight likely goes to decision and the only way I see BJ winning is via Nick getting cut real bad and the fight being stopped.

 

[Bend NvR Break]

Going downhill BJ still beat up Nick for 1 round.

Prime BJ boxes him up and eventually takes his back.

 

[thobra]

I will go With BJ Penn. Like GSP said, BJ used to have the best reflexes in all of mma, and be the fastest guy in mma. Everyone was slow in comparison. I would also bet on BJ vs Khabib, Tony and Conor.

 

[waldywaldy]

Neither guy finishes the other. So Nick by dec because of the size advantage and cardio

 

[Agent Mulder's Hair]

I would also bet on BJ vs Khabib, Tony and Conor.

Same here. Same here.

 

[Ghostoftheville]

I disagree. What Nick does LOOKS like brawling....but watch closely. It's pinpoint accurate most of the time, and it's a cardio conserving style. It's also a style designed to sapp your opponent's cardio and fluster them. It's really interesting to watch. But it definitely is NOT brawling. It's designed to bait the opponent into brawling, while picking him apart.

Respectfully disagree, Nick is accurate, and his fighting style is purely intentional, but he's wants a brawl. He doesn't want his opponent to fight technical with him and he needs that to win.

The looping punches, half hearted striking defense and being flat footed is the opposite of technical. I get every point you're making and Nick is masterful at it, but he's a brawler, just smart about it.

 

[TheIrishPsycho]

BJ,

49-46. I'll give Nick the fifth round due to inhuman cardio.

Would be a rough few rounds for Nick though. Prime Penn just boxes his face into a bloody mess - could even end by doctor stoppage due to cuts.

 

[YouKnowWhat?]

Prime BJ was a LW and Prime Diaz was a WW, the elite WW always beats the elite LW