LAS VEGAS - Nick Diaz didn't want to talk about pulling off the biggest win of his UFC career Saturday night. He wanted to call out the man he was supposed to fight in the first place.
"I don't think Georges is hurt, he's scared," said Diaz of UFC welterweight champ Georges St-Pierre, just moments after dismantling former UFC lightweight and welterweight champ B.J. Penn Saturday night in the main event of UFC 137 at the Mandalay Bay casino.
St-Pierre, who had a front-row seat for the fight, just shook his head in response to Diaz's challenge and wiggled his fingers in a mocking fashion.
Diaz got his wish, as UFC president Dana White announced after the event that St-Pierre will fight Diaz on Super Bowl weekend in Las Vegas.
The 28-year-old Diaz (27-7, 1 no contest) -- who lost his opportunity to fight GSP after missing back-to-back press events in early September -- proved he could definitely show up on fight night.
Montreal's St-Pierre had to pull out of the card with a knee injury, and Diaz ironically found himself back in the main event.
After the 32-year-old Penn (16-7-2) won the first round with a series of solid punches and jiu-jitsu, Diaz came on like a prized boxer in the second round -- picking Penn apart with rabbit-quick jabs and powerfully-timed punches.
It was more of the same in the third and final round as Diaz's punch rate increased, often backing the shorter Penn into the fence where he would then unload more combinations that included stinging body shots.
"In the second round I turned it on and tried to take him out. He started going on defence in round three," said Diaz, the former Strikeforce champ who was 11-1 since he last fought in the UFC in 2006.
"Things would have been different if there were five rounds. I would have taken him out for sure in the fourth. B.J. is one of the best there is and not that many would go out there and take all those punches."
A battered and bloody Penn said he likely wouldn't do it again either, telling UFC announcer Joe Rogan that it was his last fight.
"Hats off to Nick Diaz, he's the man. This is probably the last time you'll see me," Penn said. "I want to perform at a top level. I don't want to go home looking like this."
In what very well could have been Roy Nelson's last match with the UFC because of back-to-back losses, the Las Vegas native defeated Mirko (Cro Cop) Filipovic via third-round TKO in what was the Croatian fan favourite's last match
"Like I said earlier, this is going to be my farewell fight --unfortunately it didn't end the way I wanted," said a sombre Filipovic as the fans gave him a standing ovation.
"The UFC has been so good to me over the years and it is hard to leave this company and this sport. Even though I didn't do as well in the UFC as the rest of my career, I feel like I did everything that I could to have an overall successful career."
The heavily-bearded Nelson looked to be in big trouble in the second round when Filipovic caught him with a flush shot and landed two dozen more blows, but coming back in the third with a pair of right-hands to set up his finishing punches.
Afterwards Nelson encouraged fans to applaud the former Croatian police officer.
"Everybody give it up to Cro Cop. It was awesome to beat a legend," said Nelson, who then took the microphone from Rogan and said he wanted the winner of next month's heavyweight title fight between champ Cain Velasquez and Junior dos Santos.
"I want the championship, I'm getting too old for this," said Nelson, who after his victory offered the crowd his signature belly rub from atop the Octagon.
Fans were unhappy with the co-main event as Cheick Kongo defeated Matt Mitrione by unanimous decision in a bout that never got going.
"I wasn't sure how to react to Mitrione's movements in the beginning. I was happy with my performance, especially my striking," said Kongo, who was able to control Mitrione with his takedowns and striking in the third round of his 30-27, 30-28, 29-28 win.
"I wanted to make him work. My game plan was to wait and see what he did."
Highly decorated Japanese fighter Hatsu Hioki earned a victory in his UFC debut, defeating George Roop by split decision, 29-28, 28-29, 29-28.
Canadians in attendance were denied a chance to see St-Pierre in action, but they found a fighter to cheer for in Francis Carmont. The Parisian who trains at St-Pierre's Tristar Gym scored a dominant victory over Chris Camozzi in his UFC debut.
"Chris is a tough guy, but this is what I do and I do it well," said the 30-year-old middleweight of his unanimous decision win (30-26, 30-27, 30-27). "I'm ready for my next fight in a few months."
The evening offered mixed results for a trio of UFC veterans who are normally pay-per-view draws.
Former WEC star Donald (Cowboy) Cerrone won his six straight fight by rocking Denis Siver with a slew of punches and a head kick before finishing the German with a rear-naked choke at 2:22 in the first round of the second fight that was broadcast on Spike TV.
"I want to fight one more time this year -- bring it on. I don't want to wait," he said.
Brandon Vera broke his three-fight winless streak, but unlike Cerrone's quick work the California-based fighter needed all three rounds to score a 29-28, 29-28, 29-28 victory over Eliot Marshal.
Things went just the opposite for veteran Tyson Griffin, who was finished in less than two minutes as Bart Palaszewski blasted him with 20 or so blows, including a right hook that left Griffin in a dazed state for several minutes.
Other winners included "The Ultimate Fighter" 11 finalist Ramsey Nijem, Clifford Starks and Scott Jorgensen.
