Nick Diaz and his camp aren’t done complaining about his loss to Georges St. Pierre at UFC 158. Per a statement released to MMA Fighting, and an interview with Diaz camp representative Jonathan Tweedale, the Diaz camp has filed a complaint with the Quebec Athletic Commission.
“The Quebec Commission’s statement is a disappointing admission that the March 16 event was not conducted under the rules applicable to a UFC title fight – or under the rules the fighters contractually agreed to, upon which rules Mr. Diaz was entitled to rely under his bout agreement,” stated Jonathan Tweedale, a Diaz camp representative.
Later in a lengthy statement, the Diaz camp claimed it will file an official complaint regarding the administration of St-Pierre’s drug test.
“Further serious irregularities including, inter alia, the Quebec Commission’s failure to supervise fighters’ provision of samples in connection with testing for Prohibited Substances and Prohibited Methods (under sections 71.1 to 71.6 of the Regulation), will be set out in an official complaint that will be filed imminently,” the Diaz camp stated.
In an email with MMAFighting, Tweedale went on to make their case that the commission’s rules circumvented the bout agreement entered into by the fighters.
“Section 168 of the Regulation respecting combat sports provides that the maximum weight that a fighter must achieve at the official weigh-in shall be determined in advance by contract – and if the fighter does not make the contracted weight – in this case 170 pounds – then 20% of his purse or “the contestant’s remuneration” will be deducted and paid to his opponent (subsections (7) and (8)). The contracted weight for this fight was 170 pounds. 170.9 is not 170, anywhere in the world, for a title fight. There is no question what “170 pounds” means, in the bout agreement, as a matter of contractual interpretation.
“The Quebec Commission deliberately relaxed the rule in this case and, by its own admission, allowed their home-town fighter to ‘make weight’ even if he weighed more than the contracted weight.”
The UFC has held six events in Quebec since 2008. While fighters at the first event, UFC 83, had their weights rounded off to the nearest half-pound, decimals have not been used in weights for the five events held in Montreal since, all of which have been headlined by championship fights.
Still, the Diaz camp sees Quebec’s weight rules as their case for a rematch for the Stockton, Calif. fighter, who lost to St-Pierre at UFC 158 on across-the-board scores of 50-45.
“In the circumstances, Mr. St-Pierre remains legally and ethically obligated to fight Mr. Diaz at 170 pounds or else vacate the belt in favor of those prepared to fight at welterweight.”
