Nick Diaz Vs Takanori Gomi Pride 33
US fighter Nick Diaz is all over the news again these days. With his long-overdue return to fighting looking more likely by the day. We take a look back at his fight against “The Fireball Kid” Takanori Gomi at PRIDE 33
. Suffering a bad cut, we get to see why Diaz is regarded as one of the very toughest competitors in the sport. And why Gomi is regarded as one of the very best MMA fighters to ever come out of Japan.
This fight took place on home soil on the undercard for Silva vs Henderson. Diaz was already an established professional with some twenty fights under his belt. While Gomi was an even more seasoned veteran with some thirty fights to his name. Both men entered the fight well aware of the other strong points and it became a bac kand forth battle of wills.
Gomi Did Not Want To Be In There
At time Takanori looked like he did not want to be in there, often walking away and turning his back. At one point he looked to be completely exhausted before the bell rang to signal the end of the round. But Diaz as always was in great shape and continued his onslaught, not giving his Japanese opponent a moment to breathe.
And slowly but surely the pressure that Diaz put on Gomi began to bear him down. With just one minute into the second round Diaz, who was now badly cut in two spots, ended up on his back with Gomi in his guard.
After some ground and pound were exchanged, Nick managed to sneak his shin under the throat of Gomi and apply pressure by clinching him at the back of his head. Takanori quickly tapped and Nick Diaz was lifted into the air by his teammates as they celebrated the hard-fought victory.