Diaz To Face Sakurai For Welterweight Title At DREAM 5
- By: Kris Karkoski | May 13, 2008
Popular former-UFC fighter Nick Diaz will clash with Hayato “Mach” Sakurai for the first-ever DREAM welterweight championship at DREAM 5 on July 21st in Osaka, Japan.
Diaz (16-7) defeated Katsuya Inoue via technical knockout at DREAM 3 this past Saturday in a welterweight championship eliminator. The bout remained close throughout much of the opening frame but Diaz poured on the punishment late to force Inoue’s corner to throw in the towel. He is 4-1 with 1 no contest, a gogoplata victory over Takanori Gomi that was later ruled a no contest following a positive drug test, in his last 6 bouts.
Sakurai (32-8-2) had won five straight fights, including a win over Ultimate Fighter 6 winner Mac Danzig and a victory in the DREAM lightweight grand prix opening round, before losing to David Baron at a Shooto event earlier this month. “Mach” is 9-2 in his last 11 bouts including victories over Jens Pulver, Shinya Aoki, and Joachim Hansen.
he has the middle weight title and he is going for the WW as well awesome. is elitexc promoting diaz to other organizations. anyone have a copy of the fight this past sunday or does anyone know where to find those videos.
May 13th, 2008 at 1:28 pm
It was on live HDNet Fights. I am sure it’ll be repeated. The first 2 have been played multiple times already. He wore Elite XC t-shirt and shorts. Nate was there also. He wore all black and a cap.
May 13th, 2008 at 5:18 pm
I am hoping for Diaz to go back to the UFC and have a rematch with Diego Sanchez. Even more, I would LOVE to see Diaz vs Diaz….that would be great……100 times better than Shamrock vs Shamrock. Both of the Diaz brothers have a **** load of talent/potential and I see NO reason why they both cannot be successful in the UFC. Nick just needs a few more wins and if he is not asked back for a fight in the UFC I might pop in disbelief.
May 13th, 2008 at 5:56 pm
I bet Nick doesn’t go back to the UFC ever. He is treated extremely well by elite XC and they are becoming quite a credited organization. Nick is a top WW and has the talent to beat a LOT of people, but more importantly he has the freedom in EliteXC to do what he wants with his career. He can fight in tournaments and for titles in several organizations with his current contract. He would be giving up a LOT of freedom and probably money to go back to the UFC just to be in the big daddy organization. And then only fight 3 times a year where as now he is fighting a LOT more often. I see him staying gone for good, and I see that trend happening a lot more in the future from the UFC.
May 13th, 2008 at 9:11 pm
Brandon,
Elite XC is a joke. The vast majority of talent is in the UFC. Nick can have all the freedom he wants but he is not in the UFC right now for a reason. LOSES! He may be winning outside the octogan right now but do you really believe he could be the UFC WW champ? Even in the top 5 for contention in the UFC? I like Nick a lot and want him back in the UFC but you make it like the guy is big ****…..tough **** yes…..big no.
May 14th, 2008 at 9:27 am
what are you smokin dude,nick lost two controversy fights against dana smith brown nosers who are or once was no.1,get a education on nick more before making that comment again!
May 20th, 2008 at 2:40 pm