UFC fans usually look forward to the annual card on Super Bowl weekend, and this year’s event was slated to be the biggest ever as welterweight king Georges St. Pierre was due to fight Nick Diaz before an ACL tear slowed the champ. Instead, Diaz will take on Carlos Condit, who was supposed to face GSP in the first place before Diaz called out St. Pierre.

UFC 143 Odds – February 4th, 2012

Diaz (26-7, 1 NC) was the Strikeforce champion before moving over the UFC, but he really raised his profile among those that use pay per head software with a dismantling of former two-division champion B.J. Penn, who is past his best, but Diaz still took care of business. Diaz has a boxing background and uses volume punching to throw his opponents off, but if you want to go to the mat with him, Diaz is a black belt in Brazilian jiu-itsu.

Condit (27-5) was the final WEC champion at 170 pounds, and he has been impressive since moving to the UFC, going 4-1 and stopping some tough opponents. He has earned the Knockout of the Night in his last two fights thanks to his dangerous Muay Thai striking, but the “Natural Born Killer” has submitted 13 opponents.

Diaz has emerged as an early -160 favorite against Condit, who is rated at +130 and this is going to be a very tough fight to handicap. Both men have an excellent chin and can take a punch, and they’re also comfortable on the mat. In a match that could be a “Fight of the Year” contender, go with Nick Diaz to win the interim 170-pound belt while the rest of the community is doing some Super Bowl betting.