UFC
New challenger Nate Diaz thinks Frankie Edgar, not Ben Henderson, won at UFC 150
Aug 13, 2012 - 12:40:30 PM New challenger Nate Diaz thinks Frankie Edgar, not Ben Henderson, won at UFC 150

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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

With his controversial split decision win over Frankie Edgar at UFC 150, UFC Lightweight Champion Benson Henderson will bring the division forward with a bout against Nate Diaz his next time out. That will be the first title fight in the lightweight division without Frankie Edgar since December of 2009, when B.J. Penn defeated Diego Sanchez at UFC 107.

Diaz opted to wait out a title shot following his victory over Jim Miller at UFC on Fox 3 in May, but he won't have to wait any longer than December for that fight, as UFC President Dana White said on Saturday night that the Henderson-Diaz fight will take place in 2012.

There's an interesting wrinkle thrown into this matchup, however, as Henderson's new challenger is one of the many who believe he should now be facing Edgar instead after Saturday's event.

Diaz Tweeted out question marks following the decision that was read inside the Pepsi Center, then Dana White relayed a comment from Diaz after the event with his unequivocal reaction to the fight.

"[Diaz] walked up to me and said, 'Frankie Edgar won that fight,'" White revealed to reporters following the post-fight press conference (via FoxSports.com).

That reaction could very well lead to a line of commentary for Diaz in the lead up to his matchup with Henderson, and as he's very prone to trash-talking his opponents, you better believe it's something that will come up as they enter a showdown late this fall or early winter.

Penick's Analysis: There are a couple of possible spots for this fight to take place, and one immensely exciting scenario that could make for the best UFC on Fox card to date. If Georges St-Pierre can't return as planned at UFC 154 in Montreal, I'd expect Henderson-Diaz to take place on that card. However, with GSP on that Montreal card, and Junior dos Santos vs. Cain Velasquez II ending the year on Dec. 29, Henderson-Diaz may be perfect for the UFC on Fox 5 card on Dec. 8. Fox would love to have another title fight on their network, and this one would cost the UFC much less to put on than in one in the higher weight classes. If that fight's the main event, the card also is expected to have Rory MacDonald vs. B.J. Penn, and could also get Donald Cerrone vs. Anthony Pettis. That would immediately be three of the best fights the UFC has put on Fox, and it'd be all on one card.