He carries a professional MMA record of 17-4-1 and is rumored to have more than 50 amateur bouts. He is also the Xtreme Kage Kombat welterweight champion.
MMA CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Josh has been fighting professionally since 2003. He fought to a draw with Joe Jordan (Pictures) at the AFA: Judgment Night and lost a decision to future teammate Spencer Fisher (Pictures) at VFC 7 in 2004. Neer submitted Kyle Jensen (Pictures) via armbar at Extreme Challenge 57, stopped UFC veteran Anthony Macias with strikes at FFC 11 and stopped David Gardner (Pictures) with strikes at XKK Des Moines that same year.
He submitted Derrick Noble (Pictures) via triangle choke at XKK Des Moines in ‘05. Neer beat Jay Jack (Pictures) by decision at Extreme Challenge 61 and submitted Forrest Petz (Pictures) via triangle choke at FFC 15 prior to his UFC debut. He was submitted via rear-choke by Nick Thompson (Pictures) at Extreme Challenge 64 last October but he has only fought once outside the Octagon since.
UFC EXPERIENCE: 2-2. Neer lost to Drew Fickett (Pictures) at Ultimate Fight Night 1 but he bounced back to submit Melvin Guillard (Pictures) via triangle choke at Ultimate Fight Night 3. He pounded Joe Stevenson (Pictures) to win a decision at Ultimate Fight Night 4 and Neer recently lost a decision to Josh Burkman (Pictures) at UFC 61.
WHAT HE BRINGS TO THE BOUT: He has a ton of experience and is still very young. Neer came in with a solid base of amateur fights and is in a premiere camp that knows how to train champions. He spent a significant amount of time on the local circuit pounding plenty of wannabes. The important thing is that he raised the level of his game and surpassed the competition to continue winning at the highest level.
DIAZ: 6’, 170 pounds, 23, Stockton, Calif.
BACKGROUND: Nick Diaz (Pictures) trains with Gil Castillo (Pictures), David Terrell (Pictures), and the rest of the Cesar Gracie (Pictures) Team. Nick is a Stockton Pankration champion; a WEC middleweight champion; an IFC U.S. and Americas welterweight champ; a Warriors Quest veteran and an Ultimate Athlete eight-man tournament finalist. Diaz has a professional record of 12-6 in MMA.
MMA CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Diaz started fighting MMA in 2000 in the IFC shows in Calif. He battled Chris Lytle (Pictures) and won a decision at IFC 17. He moved on to the short-lived Ultimate Athlete promotion, where he advanced to the finals of an eight-man tournament. Nick and Jeremy Jackson (Pictures) met for the championship and Diaz was stopped with strikes early in the first round.
A trip to the Warrior’s Quest pitted Diaz against Harris Sarmiento (Pictures). Nick defeated the Hawaiian “Hitman” with strikes in the second round. He traveled to Japan and made his SHOOTO debut in a somewhat controversial split decision loss to Kuniyoshi Hironaka (Pictures).
Nick made his World Extreme Cagefighting debut in 2003 against Lion’s Den fighter Joe Hurley (Pictures). Diaz submitted Hurley and defended his IFC title against “The Scorpion” Jackson, submitting him late in the first round. Nick and Jeremy would meet for a third time in the UFC, with Diaz winning via armbar in the third round.
In recent action Nick handed Ray Steinbeiss his only pro loss at the International Cage Fighting Organization show in May, when he beat the KOTC veteran by decision.
UFC EXPERIENCE: 4-4. The third bout with Jackson marked Diaz’s debut in the UFC. He shocked many by easily picking apart Miletich fighter Robbie Lawler (Pictures) and knocking him out in the second round. A bout at UFC 49 against judo stylist Karo Parisyan (Pictures) saw Diaz lose for the first time in the UFC (via split decision) but he returned months later to take out Drew Fickett (Pictures) in the first round.
In a match-up that had many fans scratching their head, UFC 25 veteran and Pancrase fighter Koji Oishi (Pictures) stepped into the Octagon for the first time in five years. The outcome was no mystery as Diaz stopped Oishi with strikes early in round one.
At Ultimate Fight Night 2 Diaz faced The Ultimate Fighter contract winner Diego Sanchez (Pictures) and lost a unanimous decision. Coming out on the wrong end of a decision at UFC 57, Diaz dropped his second fight in a row against “The Diesel” Joe Riggs (Pictures), who was simply too much on the feet. Nick would lose his third decision in a row — the longest losing streak of his career — this time to lightweight title contender Sean Sherk (Pictures) at UFC 59.
WHAT HE BRINGS TO THE BOUT: It should come as no surprise that Diaz, a Cesar Gracie (Pictures) student would know a thing or two about submission. Nick has won by choke and armbar in the past. The interesting thing about Diaz is that he’s a striker as well. He prefers to see what he can do standing before trapping his opponent on the mat and submitting them.
MY PICK: Diaz. As of last week Neer was preparing Thiago Alves (Pictures). “The Pitbull” is a dangerous fighter but not as experienced (in and out of the UFC) as Diaz. Nick can stand and bang with Josh but he can also take the fight to the mat and finish people. Diaz was nearly a TUF 4 cast member. He gets his shot now. Look for Nick to make the most of this opportunity.