SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Dana White thought Nick Diaz wanted a rematch with Carlos Condit.
Condit was certainly ready for the fight, too.
But Stockton’s finest isn’t ready to end his self-imposed retirement just yet.
According to White, the UFC boss had a face-to-face conversation with Diaz Saturday night during UFC on FOX 9 at Sleep Train Arena, and Diaz turned the fight down.
“What I was going to do was, I was trying to make Carlos Condit vs. Nick Diaz. But he said he doesn’t want it,” White said. “You know Nick. I thought that he wanted the rematch.”
White will go back to the drawing board on finding an opponent for Condit, who figures to be the next in line after Johny Hendricks and Robbie Lawler fight for the vacant welterweight title on at UFC 171 in Dallas. White later indicated that Matt Brown is out, because of the seriousness of his herniated disc injury; and that Tyron Woodley is not yet ready to step into a fight with Condit.
As for Diaz, White said Diaz indicated he’s considering coming out of retirement in May. But he also said he won’t come to Diaz and offer him more fights, and that he won’t push anyone to fight.
“It’s about do you want to fight or do you not want to fight?” White asked. “Obviously the Diaz brothers are very unique individuals to deal with. But, you don’t pressure a guy to fight who says he’s not interested.”
Condit defeated Diaz at UFC 143 via decision to claim the UFC interim welterweight belt.