Nate Diaz has made a few changes within his camp. Most notably dropping Cesar Gracie as his manager. With these changes, Diaz feels more changes are to follow, as he claims to be leaving 155 with a win or loss at UFC on Fox 7.
Cesar Gracie Requests Flight Upgrade For Nick Diaz
Cesar Gracie, the head trainer and manager for Nick Diaz, has requested a flight upgrade for his fighter this coming March.
Diaz is scheduled to return from a suspension to face Georges St-Pierre for the UFC welterweight title. The card, UFC 158, goes down from Montreal on March 16.
Please tweet @danawhite to upgrade @nickdiaz209 flight to Montreal from economy to business class! Not too much to ask for…
— Cesar Gracie (@CesarGracieBJJ) February 20, 2013
No word yet from the UFC or White regarding the travel arrangements for the former Strikeforce champion.
Cesar Gracie Talks About His Proudest Fighters
Nick and Nate Diaz are the obvious prodigies when Cesar Gracie’s camp is discussed, but he says he’s just as glad to work with Gil Melendez and Jake Shields.
Despite Loss, Cesar Gracie Is Proud Of Nate Diaz
Cesar talks about Nate’s performance but maintains that he thinks Nate did very well.
Cesar Gracie Talks About The UFC 154 Main And Co-main Events And What They Mean For Nick Diaz
Cesar talks about the ramifications of the two main fights of this past weekend’s event.
Cesar Gracie Discusses The Future Of Gilbert Melendez
Strikeforce lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez seems content with fighting for the promotion. At least, according to his manager Cesar Gracie.
Melendez, currently on the sidelines with an injury that knocked him out of a planned encounter with Pat Healy, will likely avoid going under the knife for the injury.
However, when Melendez was forced out, Showtime decided to not air the planned card. Strikeforce proceeded to cancel the event, and another one set for November. So, will Melendez ever fight for Strikeforce again? Gracie is unsure, as he told the Brazilian news source Tatame recently.
It seems that he will come back to Strikeforce, but with the recent history, the organization may end. To tell you the truth, we do not know what will happen. A lot is depending on Showtime. I hope Strikeforce will continue, but if not, I can see Gilbert going to the UFC sooner than expected.
Interesting words by Gracie, as he says “sooner than expected.” Most figured Melendez would already be in the UFC by now after Zuffa purchased Strikeforce. Gracie did confirm that “El Nino” has four fights left on his contract, but added, “you have to remember that the UFC owns Strikeforce, so it does not matter much. If they want him….they can do it anytime.”
Cesar Gracie Seems To Think Nate Diaz Will Not Fight Gilbert Melendez
Gracie believes that, after Melendez moves to The UFC, the pair will never face each other.
Cesar Gracie Mocks Jackson MMA For Performance At Recent Strikeforce Card
Cesar Gracie took a shot at Greg Jackson and his camp after this past Saturday’s Strikeforce: Rousey vs. Kaufman event.
On the card, four Jackson MMA fighters competed, going just 1-3 in the bouts. The lone win came by Adlan Amagov over Keith Berry.
That didn’t stop Gracie from posting the following message on his Twitter page:
Cali sends a certain team from New Mexico home winless tonight at 0-3. Dancing with the stars don’t cut it here
— Cesar Gracie (@CesarGracieBJJ) August 19, 2012
Jackson’s MMA responded via Twitter by writing, “There was some confusion that we went 0-3 (Saturday). Bad night at work, but for those of u that can’t count (Amagov) did get a win #math.”
The two gyms currently boast some of the top names in all of MMA. Ronda Rousey, who trains with Gracie and his fighters, defeated Sarah Kaufman in the main event via armbar. Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza knocked out Derek Brunson and Miesha Tate defeated Julie Kedzie.
Kaufman, Brunson and Kedzie are all students under Jackson in New Mexico.
No-Go On Super-Fight Between Anderson Silva And Nick Diaz
The man with the most to say in the matter, UFC president Dana White, has squashed those rumors of a potential super-fight between UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva and Nick Diaz.
“I can tell you this, not theoretically – Diaz/Anderson is not going to happen,” said White, in a recent interview with MMAjunkie.com. “That’s just ridiculous. (Cesar Gracie) would have a better chance of convincing me, I don’t know, to get hair plugs.”
Gracie mentioned Diaz possibly moving up to 185 pounds for a one-off fight with “The Spider.” The trainer/manager is expected to meet with White next week and is hoping to secure a fight overseas for Diaz.
Photo credit: Tracy Lee/Yahoo! Sports
With Meeting Planned, Cesar Gracie Hopes Nick Diaz Is Allowed To Fight Overseas
Cesar Gracie is planning on making a push for the UFC to give his fighter, Nick Diaz, a new contract.
At the same August 6 meeting with UFC president Dana White, Gracie is going to ask for the UFC to allow Diaz to compete overseas as he continues to try and get his suspension reduced.
Currently, Diaz is suspended from fighting in Nevada after the commission reported that he failed a post-fight drug test. He is eligible to seek his fight license again next February, but Gracie wants him back competing sooner than that, as he told The Score recently.
We want to sort out this whole situation with Nick and get him a fight overseas like other fighters have been afforded that chance. Dana has said in the past the (Nevada Athletic Commission) is the worst commission, so we want him to put his money where his mouth is and free Nick Diaz.
Diaz was defeated by Carlos Condit earlier this year in a bout for the interim UFC welterweight title. Following the loss, the Stockton fighter announced his retirement.
Photo credit: Tracy Lee/Yahoo! Sports
