Despite rumors that Nick Diaz will try to make another Octagon appearance by the end of 2022 current UFC analyst and former two-division champion Daniel Cormier is convinced we’ve seen the last of the Stockton native.
Diaz, who turns 39 this coming August, made an uneventful return to the Octagon at UFC 266 after a near seven-year hiatus from the sport. The promotion booked Diaz against former rival Robbie Lawler, but Diaz ended up getting finished via third-round TKO. In hindsight, Diaz looked better in training before the fight than the fight itself.
Regardless of the loss, Diaz remains one of the most popular names in mixed martial arts (MMA) today. He has done enough in the sport to warrant another trip to the Octagon, especially if fight fans are going to pay to see it.
But after looking like a complete shell of his former self (and understandably so considering the lengthy layoff) does it make sense for Diaz to fight again?
Cormier sure doesn’t think so. After seeing how Diaz performed against Lawler this past September “DC” isn’t sure if we’ll ever see the Stockton fighter again. He may be wrong, but Cormier makes a valid point in his outlook on Diaz’s fighting future.
“My last visual of Nick Diaz, I don’t feel like we’re gonna really see him again in the Octagon,” said Cormier during a recent episode of “DC & RC.” “The pictures he looked shredded, inside the octagon he looked like a different man and it didn’t seem like he wanted to be in there.”
At this point it’s unknown what’s going to happen with Diaz. It took him nearly seven years to make his return to the Octagon so it’s anyone’s guess as to how long it will take for him to fight again. If he needs a quick buck that may be a different story, but if he’s looking to challenge himself competitively the promotion may have to take some time finding the perfect opponent.
What say you, Maniacs? Will we see Diaz fight in UFC again? If so, which opponent makes the most sense?
Let’s hear it!