Sherdog MMA Pick’Em users favor Nick Diaz at UFC 143. | Photo: Silton Buendia
Since his first go-around in the Octagon, Nick Diaz has been on quite a tear, winning 12 of his last 13 fights while capturing the Strikeforce welterweight title. His return to the Las Vegas-based promotion in October sent a resounding message, as the Stockton, Calif., native overwhelmed B.J. Penn with his volume punching style en route to a clear-cut, unanimous decision win.
Players in Sherdog’s MMA Pick’Em game have taken note: 71 percent favor Diaz in his interim welterweight title clash at UFC 143 on Saturday against Carlos Condit. Before dominating Penn, Diaz defended his Strikeforce belt twice in 2011, earning a technical knockout triumph over Paul Daley in April and submitting Evangelista Santos via armbar in January.
Condit has been on a hot streak of his own, including four straight wins in the UFC. Most recently, he stopped the previously unbeaten Dong Hyun Kim with a flying knee and punches at UFC 132. The “Natural Born Killer” also owns victories over Dan Hardy, Rory MacDonald and Jake Ellenberger in his UFC career. A former World Extreme Cagefighting 170-pound titleholder, Condit has finished 26 of his 27 career wins by way of knockout, technical knockout or submission.
Pick’Em participants are having a much more difficult time choosing between Fabricio Werdum and Roy Nelson in the co-main event, as a 50-50 split in voting has developed. Out of the UFC since 2008, Werdum has beaten Mike Kyle, Antonio Silva and Fedor Emelianenko while competing for Strikeforce. He most recently was defeated by current UFC top heavyweight contender Alistair Overeem in June.
Nelson rebounded from a unanimous decision loss to Frank Mir in May to earn a third-round stoppage against Mirko Filipovic at UFC 137. He also owns notable wins over Brendan Schaub and Stefan Struve in his UFC career.
Other Pick’Em trends for the UFC 143 main card, which takes place at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas:
• A strong 87 percent of users believe Josh Koscheck will defeat Mike Pierce in their welterweight scrap. Koscheck is coming off a first-round finish of Matt Hughes at UFC 135. Pierce defeated Paul Bradley via split decision at UFC on Fox 1 in his last outing.
• Unbeaten since his mixed martial arts debut in 2005, Renan “Barao” Pegado brings an impressive winning streak and loads of talent to the cage for his bantamweight showdown with Scott Jorgensen. Users like the potential of the Brazilian, as 66 percent have chosen him to defeat the former WEC standout.
• Ninety percent of players have picked Ed Herman to top Clifford Starks in the initial main card bout. Herman has beaten Tim Credeur and Kyle Noke since returning from a serious knee injury. Starks beat Dustin Jacoby in his UFC debut in October.