When the Gracie’s brought Vale Tudo fighting to the United States and helped create the Ultimate Fighting Championships the fights were all bare-knuckled.
The UFC’s bare-knuckled era wouldn’t last long, but vale tudo fights continued to happen around the world. In this video we will see Nick Diaz taking part in a bare knuckled Vale Tudo fight in what is believed to be from 2002, long after UFC fighters had put gloves on their fists.
Nick, along with brother Nate, are long time members of the Cesar Gracie camp in California, and have most likely been ingrained with a deep respect for vale tudo fighting, which more closely resembles a real fight.
Nick Diaz’s suspension is up, but a fight for the former Strikeforce Welterweight Champion still has not been scheduled. The new UFC Welterweight Champion Tyron Woodley wants to see that changed, he wants to face Diaz at UFC 202 for the championship.
Woodley of course is looking for some fights that will earn him big money rather than a fight that would solidify himself as the best in the world (that fight is against Stephen Thompson).
Nick Diaz, mainly due to the lengthy suspension he received a little over 18 months ago, has fought sparingly for the last few years. Nick has fought only 3 times since 2012, having lost all 3 of those fights (though his loss to Anderson Silva was overturned to a NC).
