Nick Diaz vs Hayato Sakurai at DREAM 15

http://mmajunkie.com/news/18614/strikeforce-champ-nick-diaz-faces-hayato-sakurai-in-dream-15-non-title-fight.mma
Fresh off a successful bid for the Strikeforce welterweight title, Nick Diaz (21-7 MMA, 1-0 DREAM) is set to face Japanese veteran Hayato Sakurai (35-10-2 MMA, 3-1 DREAM) at DREAM. 15.

Graciefighter.com, the online home of trainer Cesar Gracie, first reported the non-title fight. MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) subsequently confirmed the matchup with a source close to the event who said Strikeforce officials have cleared the booking.

DREAM.15 is expected to take place May 30 at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. The event is expected to air in North America on HDNet.

Does this really make sense with Sakurai coming off back to back loses? One of those being to the guy Diaz just beat down.

I wish he had a better opponent but who would make more since? Maybe give whitemare a rematch in Japan for a chance to keep his belt. Nick might as well be their champ to anyway. I surprised Nick even wants to fight for them again after it took so long for him to get paid for his last fight over there.

MMAEYES wrote:

I wish he had a better opponent but who would make more since? Maybe give whitemare a rematch in Japan for a chance to keep his belt. Nick might as well be their champ to anyway. I surprised Nick even wants to fight for them again after it took so long for him to get paid for his last fight over there.

How are they on weed testing?

OUSOONERSOU wrote:

MMAEYES wrote:

I wish he had a better opponent but who would make more since? Maybe give whitemare a rematch in Japan for a chance to keep his belt. Nick might as well be their champ to anyway. I surprised Nick even wants to fight for them again after it took so long for him to get paid for his last fight over there.

How are they on weed testing?

Those bastards took his win from him vs Gomi for it!

MMAEYES wrote:

OUSOONERSOU wrote:

MMAEYES wrote:

I wish he had a better opponent but who would make more since? Maybe give whitemare a rematch in Japan for a chance to keep his belt. Nick might as well be their champ to anyway. I surprised Nick even wants to fight for them again after it took so long for him to get paid for his last fight over there.

How are they on weed testing?

Those bastards took his win from him vs Gomi for it!

oh yeah lol, maybe he just wants to be active and this is the first fight he could get? Dunno what the thought process is for this???

this is basically due to lack of opponents. SF's WW roster is well ... nonexistent.

oggy420 wrote:

this is basically due to lack of opponents. SF's WW roster is well ... nonexistent.

probably why he fought those catch weight fights. I'm sure they can find something better, atleast something more appealing.

OUSOONERSOU wrote:

oggy420 wrote:

this is basically due to lack of opponents. SF's WW roster is well ... nonexistent.

probably why he fought those catch weight fights. I'm sure they can find something better, atleast something more appealing.

Nick did express a lack of interest in fighting Heiron. and there ain't much left after that, unless Noons moved up or amoussou moves down and establishes himself there.

And with Aoki coming to fight in sf, this only seems fair.

Depends on what Sakurai shows up. A motivated and focused Sakurai could still give Diaz fits, IMO. Hopefully, his losses to Z and Gono aren't a sign that he's pretty much done. At 34 he should still have a little left to offer.

What is SF doing?

yep this just goes to show how weak the ww division is in sf. Bring diaz back to the ufc bitches.

It's a step down in comp for Diaz but it's an alliance swap and i think SF gets the better end of the deal getting Aoki over here to fight Gil.

If anything, Diaz/Mach should be an entertaining fight.

MMAEYES wrote:

OUSOONERSOU wrote:

MMAEYES wrote:

I wish he had a better opponent but who would make more since? Maybe give whitemare a rematch in Japan for a chance to keep his belt. Nick might as well be their champ to anyway. I surprised Nick even wants to fight for them again after it took so long for him to get paid for his last fight over there.

How are they on weed testing?

Those bastards took his win from him vs Gomi for it!

that fight was in las vegas, so by "they" i take it you're reffering to the nevada state athletic commision...

Jesus just a few short months ago people were still talking how Diaz ducked Mach in Dream back in 08, and how this fight needed to happen.

This is still a good fight for Diaz.

killerofchicken wrote:

MMAEYES wrote:

OUSOONERSOU wrote:

MMAEYES wrote:

I wish he had a better opponent but who would make more since? Maybe give whitemare a rematch in Japan for a chance to keep his belt. Nick might as well be their champ to anyway. I surprised Nick even wants to fight for them again after it took so long for him to get paid for his last fight over there.

How are they on weed testing?

Those bastards took his win from him vs Gomi for it!

that fight was in las vegas, so by "they" i take it you're reffering to the nevada state athletic commision...

Actually I used "those bastards" to refer to them but my bad I saw that fight online didn't even realize where they were