The duo are battling for the interim belt with dominant champion Georges St-Pierre currently sidelined with a long-term injury and Diaz refuses to conform to expectations of him, yet also succeeds in confirming several pre-conceptions about his attitude towards the more glamorous aspects of the sport.

Indeed, he was removed from the main event of UFC 137 against GSP after missing pre-fight media appearances for the event and was fortunate that an injury to the Canadian star ensured he was reinstated in a replacement bout against BJ Penn.

Both fans and journalists have portrayed the 28-year-old as a tortured genius, a fighter who enters the Octagon reluctantly and shies away from the glory of being a celebrated star in the world's premier MMA organisation.

But his rare interviews always manage to get a reaction from fighters and Diaz has managed to shake Zen-like GSP to the point that the champion begged UFC President Dana White for a chance to take on the cocky upstart. But ahead of this encounter Diaz insists he respects his opponent, but is bemused by the notion that fighters should be friendly at public appearances in the build-up to a bout.

He said: "People say I am crazy but I think other people are crazy for acting all nice around people they are supposed to fight.

"I don't put on a show, what you see is what you get, and sorry some people can't handle that.

"With me, you get the real me, real martial arts and a real warrior mentality. I don't act friends with anyone I am going to fight. That's crazy, I don't understand that.

"Some people aren't mature enough to understand I don't want to put on an act for the cameras. I'm real. I'm acting natural, I don't want to be friends around a guy I am about to fight.

"This isn't soccer, it is fighting. I've got no problem that this is a sporting event and being respectful but it is a fight. It is what it is. It matters how I am seen by fans, sometimes I care, sometimes I don't but when I think about it I try to be real."

Favourite

Diaz is the bookies' favourite for the bout and is 8/15 with online betting company Sky Bet to win this bout, but Diaz claims he is not looking past Condit and ahead to a potential clash with GSP.

The welterweight champion may well prove a mouth-watering test for Diaz in the future, but the Alliance fighter is more concerned with his opponent at UFC 143.

"He's the next guy I need to prove myself against. We are both top level and we win by doing damage, not by trying to score points," he said.

"Carlos is a very well rounded guy. He's tough and it will be a fight. I'm cool with him, but like always I don't want to be around him because I am fighting him.

"I don't act one way in front of a camera and another way when I'm not. I'm emotional but I don't stage anything."

He concluded: "I don't have it out for people, but I know who I am supposed to fight to be the best and that's why I'm in this fight with Carlos Condit."