How big is today's EliteXC "Uprising" mixed martial arts card for Hilo's Mike Aina?

Big enough for him to put his honeymoon on hold.

"It's a little bit of bad timing, but this is a huge opportunity for me and I didn't want to let it pass me up," Aina said. "I'll have time to catch up on things after the fight."

Aina will face California's Nick Diaz in a 160-pound bout at the Blaisdell Center Arena.

Brazil's Murilo "Ninja" Rua will defend his EliteXC middleweight championship against Iowa's Robbie Lawler in the main event.

The bouts will be televised nationally on the Showtime cable network (it will be delayed in Hawai'i, starting at 7 p.m.).

Aina is the only Hawai'i-raised fighter selected to appear in the five televised bouts.

"I had a big smile on my face," he said. "Of course, I wanted to do it."

Problem was, he had committed to something else important on Aug. 25 ... his wedding.

Aina and his bride, Ku'ulei, were married on the Big Island on that date, and he never took a break from his training. He even sparred on the morning of the wedding.

"This is his dream, so I support it," Ku'ulei said. "The only thing I asked was that he not show up for the wedding with bruises on his face."

In truth, Aina will be the home-state underdog today. He is 9-5-1, and said today will be his "first high-profile fight."

Diaz is 14-6 and the No. 7-ranked lightweight in the world according to Fight! Magazine.

Diaz upset Japan's Takanori Gomi — the No. 1-ranked lightweight — in February, but that bout was later declared a no-contest because Diaz tested positive for marijuana. Diaz served a six-month suspension, and today will be his first bout since then.

"Nick Diaz is one of the top fighters in the world," Aina said. "I have everything to gain and I'm going in with that attitude."

Aina, 26, trains in Hilo under former world champion BJ Penn.

"Representing Hilo and BJ's gym are some of my priorities," he said. "It's going to be an honor just to be a part of this, and I think it can only help me that the people of Hawai'i will be there to back me up."

As for the honeymoon?

"We decided to go on a honeymoon for our first anniversary," Ku'ulei said. "So he knows he can't have any fights this time next year."

TODAY'S CARD

PRELIMINARIES (3 TO 3:30 P.M.)

150 pounds: Chico Cantiberos vs. Elias Delos Reyes. 160: Justin Buchholz vs. Ikaika Choy-Fu.

SHOWTIME BOUTS (4 TO 6 P.M.)

175: Jake Shields vs. Renato "Charuto" Verissimo. 185: Joey Villasenor vs. Riki Fukuda. 140 (women): Gina Carano vs. Tonya Evinger. 160: Nick Diaz vs. Mike Aina. 185 (EliteXC championship): Murilo "Ninja" Rua vs. Robbie Lawler.

PROELITE.COM BOUTS (6:20 TO 7:30 P.M.)

135: Albert Manners vs. Tyson Nam. 185: Kala Kolohe Hose vs. Jeff Cox. 185: Mark Kurano vs. Jose Diaz. 135: Mark Oshiro vs. Nui Wheeler. 170: Brandon Wolff vs. Chad Klingensmith.

Reach Dayton Morinaga at dmorinaga@honoluluadvertiser.com.