Nick Diaz vs. K.J. Noons rematch in jeopardy?
August 20, 2008 by Adam Morgan
MMA Weekly spoke with EliteXC vice president Jared Shaw and it looks like the long-awaited K.J. Noons vs. Nick Diaz title rematch could be in jeopardy. The promotion wanted to include the fight as part of their October show on CBS but it appears that Noons’ management has no interest in the bout:
According to EliteXC vice president Jared Shaw, the promotion has tried to make the fight happen and wants it to happen as part of the Oct. 4 event, but to no avail.
“Nick Diaz is the No. 1 contender. K.J. Noons should step up and be the champion that we think he is and take this fight. Nick Diaz will take this fight any place, anywhere,” Shaw told MMAWeekly.com. “(Noons’ management) won’t even return our calls.
“I don’t understand it. This fight on CBS is maximum exposure and the opportunity for maximum sponsorship dollars, way more than he could make on Showtime. At this point, I question his management.”
Take into consideration that Noon’s management is none other than Mark Dion, a guy who was fired by Brandon Vera after Dion was instrumental in Vera’s near year long absence from the UFC. Also, according to a recent interview with Fight Hype, it looks like Noons is wanting to get back into the boxing ring before he steps back inside the cage, being quoted as saying “Boxing is next unless something good comes up.”
I would think that national exposure on primetime on CBS in a high profile fight against a known commodity in Diaz would be considered as “something good,” but what do I know? I have defended Noons on several occasions because I think the stoppage in his first fight against Diaz was not only warranted but that Noons was on his way to winning that fight no matter what happened. However, if he’s legitimately dodging Diaz then he needs to be called out on it and that’s what it’s starting to look like. If Noons wants to continue to be the EliteXC lightweight champion then he’s going to have to defend against Diaz at one point or another. Why not do it on CBS?
Diaz hasn’t earned a rematch against Noons if you ask me.
I think Diaz needs to fight atleast 2 more fights before he gets a shot.
I am a former Noons fan and Diaz hater but after this I have changed my opinion. As much as it pains me to say, Noons either steps up and takes the fight or relinquishes the title and let Diaz fight Alvarez or another capable LW.
I can’t go to work and tell them which tasks I want to complete.
Diaz should be and always will be in line for a title fight, he never fights cans and is always ready to fight the best no matter what organization its in, Noons should man up and take a fight with anyone considering he is the champ. Diaz would even fight his dad if he wanted to. I am not a diaz nutthugger but lets face it he has never dodged anyone
I’m glad you included the part about Mark Dion being Noons’ manager, because I have heard nothing but sleazy things about the guy. He has a way of convincing his fighters of things that are not in their best interest. That is why most of the pros have left City Boxing, as well as most of their trainers. San Diego just has a lot better opportunities out there than getting locked into something with a sleaze like Dion.
Noons needs to step up, even if his management discourages it. After all, he is an adult capable of making his own decisions, and it is HIS career that is being affected. Noons is just starting to become a name in MMA, but he isn’t there yet. The last thing he needs attached to his name is a reputation for dodging opponents.
I think Eddie Alvarez should be next in line before Nick. Since Eddie plans to fight Hellboy for the Dream LW strap then Nick Diaz would fall in line next. Noons is the Champion and he should defend his title against one of these two guy’s.
Also, he should stick with MMA. He has a duty to defend his title until he loses it. If he loses it then KJ can go back to boxing. It seems to me that KJ isn’t very loyal to EXC or MMA for that matter. If he’s thinking about boxing now then that goes to show he is not focused enough to remain a Champion in any MMA org. I could be wrong here.
Furthermore, I’m sure money has a LITTLE something to do with what is going on here so we’ll just have to wait it out like the rest.
bitch move.
Jez said it all.
Shaw said that Diaz is the number 1 contender???? How the hell does he come up with that???? He decisioned Aina, in which MANY thought he lost and he fought a hand picked can, a 37 old Denny.
I know that Elite does whatever they want, but how is Diaz a contender?? After losing to koons…HE FOUGHT NO ONE of any name value, period.
Why not Berto or Yves fight Diaz???? why arent those 2 in line for ANOTHER shot. I know there are probably only a handful of 160 lbers….so ELite picks whoever, and whenever they want them to fight
But Diaz needs to fight others that can actually fight back before getting another immediate title shot
This is why i applaud the ufc and their exclusive contracts, so this stuff doesnt happen. Diaz shoudl get the fight, he wasnt beat (albeit he was getting beat) the fight got stopped due to a cut. When Randy got cut by Belfort he got the first title shot. Now i know that isnt the same exact thing, all i am saying is that Diaz didnt tap, get KO’d or lose a decision…Noons is a punk, of course he is afraid of Diaz.
MMAKO had an interview w/ KJ. he was crying about pay. I have read numorous reports that KJ has been offered the Diaz fight on numorous occasions and turned it down. How can people turn down fights? He should either be made to take the fight or relinquish his title. (Diaz has wanted this fight and fought every oponent in front of him all the while KJ has been ducking)
Why did Diaz leave the UFC if he wants to fight the best????? He fought the best at the UFC and came out on the losng end of that. And being Diaz, someone who CANT ever lose had to go somewhere where the competition is no where near the UFC and try and “act” liek he’s the best.
Even where there are NO WHERE near the level of fighters, Diaz still cant seem to get it right
Looks like someone is scared to fight Nick Diaz…
and Nick DOES deserve a title shot.
Wasn’t it at the end of the 1st round that it was stopped?(please correct me if I am wrong) They hadn’t completed 3 rounds… Should have been a no contest anyhow right? Need 3 rounds in a title or 2 in a non title? There was no decisive win in that fight. To be honest… if he feels he can beat his ass so decisively and win once again… what’s he have to lose?
Sounds like noons wants to box so that he run out the rest of the fights on his contract and leave for the UFC.
My mistake earlier. The fight was not a premature stoppage. No accidental fouls.
Would you take a fight if you were the champ, and they offered your opponent who you beat before more money?
KJ should stop making excuses and stop pulling a Tito. Nick Diaz is on a 3 fight win streak and has beaten some of the best in the sport guys like Chris Lytle, Robbie Lawler, Drew Fickett, Josh Neer, Gleison Tibau, and Takanori Gomi. KJ has olny 9 fights total he should prove himself if he does not he won’t get the respect from the fans.
Noons is a total punk, he sits there talks crap about Diaz for months…Confronts him in hawaii with his entourage outside some hotel, then follows it up with going on Inside MMA to talk EVEN More shit calling himself a artist…
YET he wont do it again, I mean the payday is money for these two…Noons is a dumbass and Ive lost all respect for him, not that I had much to begin with…
This is the same Noons that had contract problems with Pride. So I’m sure it’s half him and half his management. I don’t know if Diaz deserves a shot yet, but it would be a great re-match. If Noons isn’t smart, he’s going to piss off enough people in the MMA world, that he’ll be lucky to fight in some alleyway.
Diaz should have fought better competition since the loss. but the loss was due to a cut and should be a rematch.
Noons should not even have the belt in the first place. He is a HORRIBLE title holder!
Champs should not be allowed to turn down fights. STRIP THAT BITCH!
Many would argue that Noons himself is a can. After all, he did get knocked out by Charles “Krazy Horse” Bennett. IMO put up or relinquish your title.If Elite XC wants to sign the fight, SIGN IT! IT’S ON PRIMETIME NATIONAL TELEVISION for craps sake! There are no bigger endorsment opportunities than this. He’s turning down alot of $$$ and publicity. I don’t get it.
Noon’s is a bitch. I hope he gets destroyed in his next fight, regardless of who it is.
[...] to trash K.J. Noons’ management team and drag their names through the mud. Earlier today he talked to MMA Weekly regarding the matter and now he’s got more to say to MMA Junkie: “I’m sitting [...]
Noons knows Nick took him lightly in their first fight, and knows that won’t be the case next time out. Next time he gets the best Nick Diaz and he’s smart enough to know he has no shot. He will be destroyed on national television and that is something prettyboy finds scary!
whether he’s scared, dodging, or his manager is chumping him, he needs to make some calls and get in there with diaz. for one it’s a match alot of people will be hyped about, 2, you defend against who you’re told to defend against, and 3, scared or not, you should put it all on the line regardless because at least in a loss you still gain respect. ducking people just doesn’t get any respect.
“Diaz hasn’t earned a rematch against Noons if you ask me.
I think Diaz needs to fight atleast 2 more fights before he gets a shot.”
LOL are you joking? One might point out that KJ hardly “earned” his shot against Diaz, what with his 1-1 EXC record walking into that fight. And he hardly won it convincingly either, a cut stoppage is about the lamest way to win a fight. I think Diaz deserves a rematch more than Noons does frankly, Noons is dodging him because he knows Nick will beat him this time.
davey d - - love the idea of that fight - - Noons knows that he isn;t going to win the rematch - I never want to say that someone is lucky when they win a fight - but they is no way Diaz loses by a cut stoppage again - and if they can;t make that fight (diaz/noons) bring on eddie alvarez - -
fight fan, you have no clue! if you believed Noons desired the title fight initially your an idiot! Also, to win that way for a belt and not give a rematch is weak! and to say Nick left the UFC to fight weaker fighters in Elite XC is ridiculous! Nick has always fought the best competitors and never ran from a fight! He isn’t a BITCH like kj noons! kj noons is an embarassment to MMA straight up!
Lets be real people. Diaz has nowhere near the striking skills that Noons does. Thats a fact! I’m not on either side to tell you the truth. However if Noons doesnt feel like fighting him I’m sure he has a legitimate reason. Not because he’s dodging anyone. Noons has been fighting a good portion of his life. Why run now? He has no reason to because he is way above the skill level of his nemesis. Maybe not in BJJ but in MMA Noons has the advantage for sure. I dont know….call me crazy.