Why does Nick Diaz 'move the needle' but Nate Diaz not so much?

[Karelinator]

It's pretty weird when you think about it.

For most purposes, they're extremely similar fighters. Like brothers, or something. :icon_chee - with the catch that plenty of MMA brothers aren't actually all that similar (Fedor and Alex...).

Similar style, similar capabilities, similar weaknesses, and wins/losses as result.

They talk similar weird stuff, creating same '209 wat" public image.

Yet when Nate is trying to get small raise, he's getting removed from rankings, doesn't get fights and is being hardballed in general.

Then gets thrown to Dos Anjos for devouring.

Meanwhile, Nick does about the same stuff, runs away from fucking main event, tests positive for weed, get's suspended, retires about 3 times....

And now is headlining fucking PPV against Anderson Silva.



So, what's the difference?

Was being Strikeforce main draw + following media attention after going to UFC really sufficient to give him such strong position?

 

[DetachedOrchid]

Devouring?

If it went to decision you didn't devour anything.

 

[badascan]

Nick fought at UFC 44 (2003), he's been around forever. He established himself before talking which probably contributes to his popularity.

 

[countswagula]

Nick garnered a lot of attention with his Strikeforce run, won exciting fights and was thought of as potentially the best welterweight in the world for some time(although that ultimately proved false when he came to the UFC). Nate never had that kind of a run.

 

[DarthChen731]

Devouring?

If it went to decision you didn't devour anything.

Not all decisions are created equal.

 

[Drunken Irish]

Nicks a better fighter. Nick ( while not always professional ) shows up,makes weight,fights hard. Nate.....Not so much. Nate is also a cry baby.

 

[FEDORRULEZ]

nick has much better resume. strikeforce champion with many defences

 

[Trollgrappler]

Nate isn't as good.

 

[Kowboy Karl]

nick talks a lot of shit

nate talks a lot of sfhit (lisp sound :/ )

 

[Frank23]

Nick beat some legends (Shamrock, Penn) and was the Strikeforce welterweight Champion.

 

[Captain_Dammitt]

Nick fought at UFC 44 (2003), he's been around forever. He established himself before talking which probably contributes to his popularity.

There it is. He we the original Stockton bad ass.

 

[Nagorak]

Isn't part of it maybe that Nick was willing to go fight in other orgs, and thus not be held up by the UFC? Nate has spent his entire career since TUF fighting in the UFC and hasn't really had a chance to leverage his value by playing different companies against one another.

 

[JT RIPPER]

Why is coke/Pepsi so much better/popular than RC cola? It's the original, I've always seen Nate as trying to be like his brother and comes off lame since he's not the original

 

[Sigmafight]

Nick backs up his talk much more convincingly most of the time

Though both are talking above theire ability in my book

 

[Karelinator]

Nicks a better fighter. Nick ( while not always professional ) shows up,makes weight,fights hard. Nate.....Not so much. Nate is also a cry baby.

Nate isn't as good.

nick has much better resume. strikeforce champion with many defences

Can't see it as sufficient reason, honestly.

I think that Nick is better indeed, but nowhere enough for such difference...

He had plenty of decent opponents in SF, but plenty of mismatches as well.

If he was constantly fighting similar guys as Nate, he would catch few more Ls as well.


Nate won the UF and has hell of a HL in UFC... I would imagine that it would make him popular enough among fans, but apparently it doesn't work as well.

 

[BullNose]

Because Nick>Nate

 

[aModerateThreat]

Nick garnered a lot of attention with his Strikeforce run, won exciting fights and was thought of as potentially the best welterweight in the world for some time(although that ultimately proved false when he came to the UFC). Nate never had that kind of a run.

think this might be it

 

[AmericanParadox]

Because gogo Gomi.

And KO current WW Champ

 

[Ajax3006]

Devouring?

If it went to decision you didn't devour anything.

It looked more like domestic violence than a cage fight between two professionals, he got devoured.

Nick has pulled of much more heroic feats in his career than Nate. Gogo'ing Gomi, KO'ing Lawler, going toe to toe with Daley and coming out on top, etc. Nick is an enigma who tears through people, and when he's on his A game he is a treat to watch.

Nick for all intents and purposes is a lesser version of that. Extremely talented and has had some great performances himself, such as the Cerrone and Gomi bout, but none of the "god damn, what a gangster moment" that his older brother has.

 

[613]

nick has much better resume. strikeforce champion with many defences

Nate's best wins at LW over Miller and Cowboy are better then Nick's best wins at WW over old Penn and Daley. SF Champ doesn't mean shit when you look at who he beat.

Difference between Nick and Nate is Nick has been protected for years. He went something like 6 years without fighting a wrestler. Their ufc records (were nick hasn't just taken stylistically favourable match ups like in SF) are very comparable