Strikeforce welterweight champion Nick Diaz (25-7, 1NC) will leave the Strikeforce title behind in order to fight UFC champion Georges St-Pierre on Oct. 29.
UFC President Dana White confirmed the news today with MMAWeekly.com, noting that Diaz would be leaving the Strikeforce promotion to fight for the UFC title, he would though, have the option of returning the San Jose based promotion in the future if he chose to do so.
“He will give up the title, he will give up his Strikeforce title,” White said. “He will come in and fight Georges St-Pierre, two guys will fight for the vacant belt in Strikeforce and we’ll go from there.”
Diaz and GSP are scheduled to headline the upcoming UFC 137 event which is expected to take place on Oct. 29 in Las Vegas at the Mandalay Bay Event Center.
The Stockton, California fighter won the inaugural Strikeforce 170 lbs title by defeating Marius Žaromskis by first round TKO at the Strikeforce: Miami event in January of 2010. Since then Diaz has gone on to defend that title three times, earning a unanimous decision over K.J. Noons in October of last year, submitting Evangelista Santos this past January, and most recently, stopping Paul Daley by TKO last April.