Nick Diaz dominated a future UFC icon, who has a major regret from their fight.
In his esteemed career, the warrior proved himself to be one of the most exciting mixed martial artists of all time, entertaining fans with his all-action style.
Blessed with a remarkable engine, Diaz overwhelmed so many of his opponents with unrelenting waves of pressure.
And a man who’d eventually become world champion himself, drowned under the fearsome waves coming in his direction.
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Robbie Lawler says he exhausted himself too early against Nick Diaz
Nick Diaz went to war with Robbie Lawler at UFC 47 on April 2, 2004, inside the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.
The pair delivered a spectacular contest, in which the Stockton fighter showcased his incredible skills. In an epic moment, Diaz brutally knocked Lawler out with a devastating shot.
During an interview on The JAXXON Podcast, the loser, who eventually got his revenge at UFC 266, admitted he made the error of being too aggressive and gassing out.
He confessed: “First of all, I didn’t even know who he was the first time I fought him. Jens Pulver, who’s a training partner, ‘I remember us looking at him at the weigh-in, I’m like, ‘This guy is skinny’.
“More than anything, his boxing was pretty good. I was swinging for fences; I wasn’t refined. I remember thinking, ‘I don’t think any of those punches landed’.
“Even though you’re throwing and they’re just glancing, that zaps the energy out of you.
“Right away in that fight, he hit me with a one-two, which I didn’t expect, and it wobbled me.”
UFC legend reveals the major mistake he made against ‘Ruthless’
While Lawler fell short in his first fight with Diaz, he eventually battled his way back, conquering the UFC and cementing his legacy in stone.
During his time at the pinnacle of the sport, he had some truly epic battles.
One of which still leaves the man he beat pondering over something he should’ve done differently.
In a fascinating interview, a legend said he made an error against Lawler.