UFC star Diaz’s surly persona no act

A three-episode series of "UFC Primetime" gave perhaps the most in-depth look to date at one of the most enigmatic figures in the Ultimate Fighting Championship today.

But it was a photo that was shown for just a matter of seconds on the program that might have given the most insight into the mind of Nick Diaz.

The program, which detailed the few weeks leading up to Diaz's main event interim welterweight title fight against Carlos Condit at UFC 143 tonight at Mandalay Bay Events Center, uncovered a class photo from Diaz's second-grade year.

It was easy to spot the future mixed martial arts superstar in the picture.

There was Diaz in his now familiar pose, mean-mugging for the camera with one fist clenched in front of him and pointing upward.

The picture made it all so clear. The 28-year-old Diaz is now what he always has been: a fighter.

"I get him. I always got him. I always understood who he was or whatever," said UFC president Dana White, who has had a tumultuous relationship with Diaz over the years. "You meet guys like that sometimes. He's made it very clear. He's not here to make any friends. He's not here to have any barbecues with anyone from the MMA world. He's here to fight. That's it."

Diaz often comes across as confrontational in interviews and at news conferences, at least when he shows up for them. He often appears uncomfortable and takes long pauses before giving answers, sometimes to questions he wasn't even asked.

"What you see is what you get," he said. "You get a real martial artist, real fighting, a real warrior mentality. Some people aren't mature enough to handle it. This isn't soccer."

A Thursday news conference that was open to the public offered fans a glimpse into the world of Diaz. A fan offered up an insightful question for Diaz based on something he said on the "Primetime" show.

He asked Diaz to elaborate on his quote that sometimes you have to love the sport so much you hate it.

Diaz paused nearly 10 seconds before finally looking back in the direction of the questioner and providing a uniquely Diaz response.

"That pretty much says it, what I said. That's what I meant. That's what that means," he said.

Later, White cited that moment as a microcosm of Diaz's mentality.

"You ask him questions, and he knows the answer, but (expletive) you. Figure the (expletive) answer out yourself," White said. "It's that kind of thing. He knows the answer to that, and that's a fan. (Expletive) you. I don't give a (expletive) what you think. I'm here to fight. I don't care if you love me or hate me. I don't even want to talk to you."

Diaz never has been one to kowtow to authority. Despite being one of the world's most talented fighters, he was away from the UFC for nearly five years because White often said Diaz needed to at least "play the game a little bit."

That never was an option for Diaz. He earned his way back instead by winning fights in such exciting fashion he no longer could be denied. He has won 11 straight fights, including a three-round pummeling of BJ Penn in his return to the UFC in October after he abandoned his Strikeforce belt to come back.

"People say I'm crazy or I act like I'm crazy like I put on an act. I'm not putting on an act," he said. "I'm just going out there trying to win fights. What do you want from me?"

Diaz is one win from becoming the interim champion and setting up a likely megafight this year against longtime champion Georges St. Pierre. The additional responsibilities that go along with that are sure to test the patience of Diaz, who missed three flights to Las Vegas this week that had been booked by the UFC.

"Nick is not crazy. Nick is a very, very smart guy," St. Pierre said. "People are like, 'Oh, Nick is crazy!' That's a persona that he has to intimidate people. He's like a guy at school, a bully. I remember people that used to bully me before; they tried to make me believe they're ready to kill people, and that's not true. He's a very, very clever guy. He's very smart at what he does."

He's not likely to change anytime soon, and that's fine with White.

"One of the things I've said since day one is I don't want Nick Diaz not to be Nick Diaz," White said.

The interim title fight headlines a pay-per-view card that includes a heavyweight bout between Fabricio Werdum and Las Vegan Roy Nelson. Josh Koscheck, who has openly campaigned for the winner of the Diaz-Condit bout, will take on Mike Pierce in a welterweight matchup. The card airs live on pay per view at 7 p.m.

The four-fight preliminary card will be shown live on FX (Cable 24) at 5. Two fights will stream live on Facebook at 4.

Contact reporter Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-224-5509. Follow him on Twitter: @adamhilllvrj.