Noons eager for repeat

Three years later, Noons is fighting for a welterweight title in a new organization. His opponent, however, once again will be Diaz.

Noons says the outcome will be the same when they meet Saturday night in San Jose, Calif., for Diaz’s Strikeforce belt.

“Tell Nick to bring my belt. Same result, different day,” he said.

Noons, who won the first fight by doctor’s stoppage after he opened a cut with a knee strike, said there will only be one difference in the rematch.

“He is going to get knocked out,” Noons said.

The rematch was supposed to happen in EliteXC, but the fight was never made. After several attempts to put the bout together, the organization decided to strip Noons of the title for failure to defend it against the top contender.

“At the time with EliteXC, I had different management, and I didn’t have a great relationship with EliteXC,” Noons explained. “But what topped it off was the fact that at the time, I beat someone who was the best in the world, and they wanted an immediate rematch but wanted to pay me three times less money.”

Not long after the falling out with EliteXC, the organization folded. Noons turned his focus back to his boxing career. Between 2008 and 2009, he compiled a record of 4-1 and now stands at 11-2 as a boxer. He returned to mixed martial arts competition earlier this year and has won all three of his fights to improve to 10-2 in MMA.

The 27-year old said some of the skills translate well between the two sports, but not entirely.

“What Nick uses in an MMA ring probably wouldn’t work in a boxing ring, and that goes the same for me,” Noons said. “I change my style up as well. My hands are a little bit more down to take away the shot, and you have so many more variables. My style changes when I go from MMA to boxing and boxing to MMA. Nick doesn’t do boxing, but his style works for MMA.”

Sarah Kaufman also will defend the women’s welterweight title against Marloes Coenen on the card, which will air tape-delayed at 10 p.m. on Showtime (Cable 240).

■ TUF 12 FINALE — Two bouts have been announced for the live “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 12 finale card Dec. 4 at the Palms.

Demian Maia will meet Kendall Grove in a middleweight bout. Maia rebounded from a loss to Anderson Silva in an Ultimate Fighting Championship title fight with a decision over Mario Miranda in August.

Grove bounced back from a February loss with a decision victory over Goran Reljic in July.

Also, Las Vegan Stephan Bonnar will take on Igor Pokrajac.

The card also will feature the title bout for the current season of the reality show, which is airing on Spike (Cable 29).

■ SONNEN APPEALS — UFC middleweight title contender Chael Sonnen will appeal the penalty handed to him by the California State Athletic Commission after his positive drug test.

Sonnen tested positive for elevated levels of testosterone during a test conducted before he lost to Silva in August in Oakland.

He was fined $2,500 and suspended for one year but had 30 days to appeal the punishment. Sonnen’s appeal is likely to be heard at the next CSAC meeting Dec. 2 in Sacramento.

The UFC already has removed him from a proposed rematch with Silva, who will instead defend the belt against Vitor Belfort.

Contact reporter Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-224-5509.