Is It ‘Loser Leaves Town’ For UFC 183 Headliners?
UFC 183 pits Anderson Silva against Nick Diaz, but what’s really at stake?
January 31st 2015 will be a pretty momentous occasion for the UFC, as the former middleweight champion Anderson Silva returns at UFC 183. He squares off against former Strikeforce welterweight kingpin Nick Diaz, in a pairing that is the closest we’ve had to a superfight in years. Although there is no title at stake, there is a lot on the line for both men.
Each are coming off two straight losses, meaning this fight is absolutely crucial for their stock to stay buoyant. Although they have very marketable names, you could also make a strong case for retirement if either loses, especially if its a finish. Diaz has age on his side at 31, but has also expressed numerous times that he dislikes fighting as a career.
The last time we saw the Stockton native out, was March 2013, as he completed his second fight in over two years. He fought to a decision loss against GSP that night, and come UFC 183 will have fought an average of 0.5 times per year since 2011. That’s not the kind of recent record you want to fight anyone with, let alone Silva.
A shattered façade and a broken leg were the story for “The Spider” in 2013, and he has taken all of 2014 out to recuperate from his duo of losses to Chris Weidman. Although Silva is a far more marketable character than Diaz, you’d imagine that a hard knockout or submission loss would signal the end of a legendary career for the 39-year old ex-boss.
As much as UFC 183 has an awesome main event, the chances are that it will be the last time we see one of the headliners compete. It could be the straw that breaks the camel’s back in the case of Nick Diaz, as his obvious disdain for the job becomes more apparent in every interview. He even admitted to being on drugs against Georges St-Pierre recently.
It would be hard to imagine Silva being anything but a name if he gets bashed by Diaz, especially when he has the height/weight advantage on his side. Also the fact that “The Spider” will welcome Diaz on to his counter-striking style makes him a favorite in my books. We’ll see how things pan out at UFC 183, but don’t be at all surprised if the loser leaves town.
