On February 4, 2006 in Las Vegas at the Mandalay Bay Events Center the UFC produced a show that exhibited all the action that it promised both in and out of the octagon. Enter the bout between Joe Riggs and Nick Diaz, which had all the making of an all out war and the audience and viewers were not in the least disappointed. It was a war and it was fought with heart and perseverance that is achieved through human means that surpass the surface of the individuals fighting. It came down to which athlete wanted it the most, that man that night was Joe Riggs or so it seemed. This is where it gets convoluted.

The most obvious thing about this fight was that it was apparent all that week that there was enough bad blood between these two to far surpass those of the past. The taunting of Riggs by Diaz was constant that week pre-empting the fight. Those that were there saw it and there are many that witnessed it. In the interest of getting to the core of the incident I went right to one of the sources.

MMARR spoke to Joe Riggs about the brawl after the fight, family, training and his thoughts on the departure of Randy Couture from MMA. He was on his way to the Arizona Combat Club to keep in step with the program of training and conditioning that has been impressed upon him by the Militich camp and Billy Rush.

MMARR: I want to tell you that I appreciate you taking the time to talk with us and to let you know that you fought a really good fight.

Joe Riggs: No problem, and thanks a lot for the props on the fight.

BA: How you doing Joe? What are you up to since your fight with Diaz?

JR: I’m doing awesome. I’m down here in Arizona with my family and staying on the training program that I have been on.

BA: No rest for the wicked huh?

JR: You got that right. I have some things I need to work on, like conditioning and maintaining my weight. I weighed 176 the day before the fight.

BA: Still holding on to that wrestling mentality for cutting weight?

JR: Ya, that’s a lot of it but I’ve been cutting weight for a long time. Billy’s been real good about attempting to implement some learned behavior. It’s becoming a little more subconscious instead of me really stressing about it all the time. I don’t really worry about it but it would be nice to have that not to worry about at all, gettin there.

BA: What is the bad blood between you and Diaz all about?

JR: It’s like this, the first time I ever met that guy was on the Wednesday before the fight. We’re doing some promotional thing for the fight and I’m standing there just waiting around. I turn around and there’s Diaz looking at me like two inches from my face. He says to me, "you gonna make weight this time bitch?" and I say to him, you better hope I don’t. I mean that’s how it all started and it was just on and on the rest of the week all the way to after the fight was over. I thought it was all part of the show but, what I began to realize is that he is just a straight up asshole. The guy is not too tightly wrapped. That is Nick, that’s the way he is. I mean he can throw down and I don’t take that away from him at all. He’s just a real fucker.

BA: So you were giving it right back to him?

JR: Hell yes, at the weigh in it got to the point where we were going to go at it right there on the stage and Dana had to step in between us. We had to be escorted off in different areas. I’m waiting for my music to go on before I go in the octagon and Diaz comes right up behind me saying and yelling, "where’s my fucking bitch Riggs at ?" I mean come on, I’m a nice guy but I can only take so much. I really wanted to hurt him. It was a tough fight. The first real war I have ever been in that was like that. I’ll give him that, he can throw down. he was talking smack from round two on............ I think it was because he was worried and he was trying to get in my head the way he did with Fickett. I wasn’t having any of that shit though. I was just sticking to my game plan. The weight thing was hard on me but I was determined not to let this miserable little shit beat me.

BA: You mean the weight loss was taking its toll on you?

JR: Oh man it was hurting but I was driven by an obsession to shut him up and it seemed that I did when it was over. They raised my hand.

BA: There was word that you guys had it out after the fight, is that true.

JR: Ya, it’s true it was on.

BA: How did that transpire?

JR: It happened at the hospital after the fight. We had to go there to get checked over and to submit U/A’s for the athletic commission. I went in and got looked at and did my thing. I’m walking out of an observation room and down the hall and there is Diaz right there in my face talking shit. This goes on for a little bit and then just "crack" he hits me with a haymaker right square on the jaw.

BA: He hit you?

JR: Ya, it dropped me to my knees. I snapped immediately out of it and rushed him into the wall, got him in a muay thai clinch and started puttin the boots to him. It seemed like a very long time but it probably didn’t last 30 seconds. While it was going it was on though.

BA: How did it stop?

JR: The police stepped in and broke us up. That was pretty much it. I guess the loss got in his head. (Laughs)

BA: Do you think there will be a re-match?

JR: I wouldn’t be opposed to it but I don’t think the UFC is going to let it happen anytime soon. Diaz just needs to go back to the "bush league" where they got him from and I told him that. He’s had his 15 minutes of fame. If I see him again I’ll put him down just like I did the other two times. It’s behavior like that, that gives the sport a bad name. We’re supposed to be professionals. Nick Diaz does not reinforce that quality at all or in a way personally. He could do well to aspire to be like Randy Couture in his conduct if even in a minimal scale.

BA: What are your thoughts on Randy announcing his retirement and the fight?

JR: You know, I really don’t know what to say, I am really at a loss for words. It’s good if that is what he wants. He should have what he wants. God knows he has earned it. I love that guy. I don’t know him, have never worked out with him but I would drive 20 hours to train with that man everyday for however long it took to reach a level close to his both personally and professionally.

BA: That’s a pretty good compliment Joe.

JR: That’s all from the heart man.

BA: Is Denaro Sports Management treating you good?

JR: Ya, Robert Roveta is a really sharp pencil. The thing I really like and admire about him is he is as honest as the day is long. He knows the business and the people in it. I don’t worry at all about that part of my career. It gives me time to concentrate on improvement in other important components of my fighting fundamentals.

BA: Robert is a great guy and it’s good to see that he is providing the resource to the MMA professional.

JR: I’m very fortunate to have him in my corner.

BA: Your family proud of you?

JR: My family has always been proud of me. My dad had a dream about me before I was born that he would have a son named Joe that would be a fighter. His dream has come true. I’m going up to Deming, Wa, where my older brother is to see the newborn that he and his wife just had. Gonna spend a couple of weeks up there with them.

BA: Lot’s of good ole’boys up in that neck of the woods. You know it’s only about five hours from Team Quest in Oregon. Contact Robert Follis down there and see if you could work out with them. It would beat driving 20 hours to train with Randy if he happened to be there.

JR: (Laughs) ya, it would beat the 20 hours wouldn’t it.

BA: Hey Joe we really appreciate you talking with us.

JR: No problem, anytime you need anything from me, you have my number. It’s been a pleasure.

BA: Likewise, take care and look forward to watching you in the future.

JR: Bet on it.

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