Nick Diaz spent a lot of time saying that the only way to beat him was to hold him down. Well, Georges St. Pierre did get his share of takedowns, but he also did an excellent job of beating him up on the feet. Over half of the bout was contested standing, and Diaz wasn’t able to get his usual pressure offense going in the face of GSP’s jab. He was also predictable in his attempts to get up, giving up his back and trying to use his usual kimura attack to get up. In the end, St. Pierre defended his title and picked up a unanimous decision victory. All three judges had it 50-45 for the Canadian.
GSP took about 10 seconds to get his first takedown. He worked in full guard, landing an elbow, until Diaz flopped away and GSP took his back. Diaz rolled through but got pancaked by St. Pierre and had his back taken again. Diaz rolled back to guard and ate an elbow. Diaz repeatedly gave up his back, but GSP wasn’t handing over the kimura that Diaz usually uses to get up. GSP landed a few strikes before Diaz got up. Georges dragged him back down though.
St. Pierre came out with kicks in the second while Diaz threw hooks. GSP got the takedown 40 seconds in this time. Diaz looked for a leg and gave up his back again, but Georges landed a big knee to the body. Diaz finally got up with a minute to go in the round. They both landed a few strikes in the last minute, and Diaz tried to talk some smack to GSP after the bell.
Diaz continued taunting in round three, and ate jabs in exchange. He actually stopped one GSP takedown, but a second took it to the floor within a minute. Diaz got up within 30 seconds this time though. GSP went back to the jab and had another takedown stuffed. Diaz landed a body shot, but St. Pierre responded with a nice punch. St. Pierre took over the boxing the jab and straight right. Nick handed a left, then a right in his best attack of the fight thus far. But he got taken down with 40 seconds to go. Nick took a swing after the bell, and the ref said he’d be disqualified.
GSP re-established the jab early in round four. Diaz stuffed three takedown attempts but was getting bloodied up by the jab of the champion. Diaz was able to batter GSP a bit in the clinch with knees and body work. Diaz started walking around with his hands down, which was a bit odd. St. Pierre got three takedowns over the last three minutes of the round to stifle any Diaz offense.
Diaz came out with kicks and straight lefts in the final round, but again ran into a GSP jab. Nick clinched up against the cage but couldn’t get anything going. Diaz slipped on a head kick and got his back taken with three minutes to go. Diaz tried to create some scrambles, and eventually got up. They went back into the clinch where Diaz landed a few body shots. Diaz landed a jab and go another takedown late, and that was all she wrote.