Breaking Down UFC 158

After what seems like an eternity of waiting, the much anticipated match between reigning welterweight champ Georges St-Pierre and former Strikeforce champ Nick Diaz is finally here. It has been impossible not to buy into the hype, the trash talking, and the absurdity that is Nick Diaz but the question is can Nick Diaz really stand toe to toe with the arguably the best fighter in the world?

I, for one, am not convinced. I will say that a small part of me is actually rooting for Diaz. He is the anti spokesperson. The villain. But he is also a real guy, and not a product of the most prominent fight camps or promotions money can buy. And more importantly, this guy is a guaranteed entertaining fight. He wants to brawl, and as he said, he does it because that's his job. This is what puts food on the table for this Stockton, CA native. He says he is not excited to fight. He is not ready. And I like that honesty. But GSP has never been more fired up. The last time he was antagonized this much, he destroyed Koschecks eye socket. If I was Nick Diaz, I wouldn't be excited either.

This card also has two other key welterweight match ups, Condit versus Hendricks for the number one contender and also Jake Ellenberger will try and continue his rise against former UFC contender Nate Marquardt. Below are my main card selections.

Mike Ricci over Colin Fletcher via decision: For the record, I could not care less about this fight and I am still perplexed how its on the main card. Ricci couldn't even win a very lackluster season of TUF where he was destroyed in the finals against Colton Smith. But this event is in his hometown and Fletcher is a striker, which is stylistically a better match than Colton was. It'll be close, and it it'll probably be boring.

Chris Camozzi over Nick Ring via TKO: I will never buy into Nick Ring, despite his record. He has the gayest nickname in all of sports, and hasn't really impressed me in any of his fights. His win over Court McGee was controversial to say the least, and Camozzi is coming off 3 straight victories. I see Ring having his hands full. The promise will be broken.

Jake Ellenberger over Nate Marquardt via decision: I used to like Marquardt, but that was a long time ago. He has a history of coming up very short in these decisive fights, and Ellenberger was on a total roll before being caught by Kampman last June. I expect the Juggernaut to regain his form in this fight, despite being undersized. Nate the Great will gas and lose the last two rounds of the fight.

Johny Hendricks over Carlos Condit via KO: I LOVE this fight. I honestly have no inkling whatsoever how it will go down, and I could see any number of things happening. Both of these guys have fought against the best of the best in the weight class, so both will be ready for this fight. The only difference I see is that Condit has had his title shot already and I think that may make the Bigg Rigg hungrier. He is also better at takedowns, which could prove pivotal in a close fight.

Georges St-Pierre over Nick Diaz via TKO/Doctors Stoppage: I actually believe GSP when he says he will deliver the biggest beating ever seen in the octagon. And Nick Diaz may be the toughest human being on the planet, so I expect him to endure an absolute barrage. Don't get me wrong, I am not counting Diaz out. His long jab may be the most formidable weapon GSP has seen in a while, but in the end I don't think he has the KO power that will be needed to surprise GSP.

2013 Record: 2-3