Sherdog’s Top 10: Fighters Worth the Price of Admission

2. Nick Diaz

Exciting fights and Diaz go hand in hand. Whether he beats opponents to a pulp with his high-volume punching or submits them with his brilliant jiu-jitsu skills, Diaz has all the tools necessary to entertain the masses. The Stockton, California, native made himself a fan favorite through his willingness to walk through a storm of punishment for the sheer enjoyment of hurting the man standing across from him. Diaz has gone toe-to-toe with Paul Daley, K.J. Noons, B.J. Penn, Frank Shamrock and Robbie Lawler, and he has beaten them all.

Surprisingly, Diaz has been awarded just one “Fight of the Night” bonus in the UFC, though his thrilling battles with Lawler, Karo Parisyan, Diego Sanchez, Joe Riggs and Josh Neer were all deserving. The Cesar Gracie protégé has captured titles in Strikeforce and World Extreme Cagefighting while also authoring one of the greatest submissions in history: His gogoplata on Takanori Gomi at Pride 33 set a standard few have matched.

Number 1 » Wanderlei Silva