Former welterweight title challenger, Nick Diaz is expected to make his UFC return next year following a hiatus snapping comeback last year. And the promotion have detailed the Stockton favorite’s potential road to a return in a series of photos captured at their Performance Institute in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Diaz, a former undisputed welterweight title challenger under the banner of the UFC, returned to the Octagon for the first time since 2015 in September of last year on the main card of UFC 266, suffering a third round TKO loss to two-time foe and former champion, Robbie Lawler at the middleweight limit.
The former WEC and Strikeforce gold holder has, however, maintained his intention to make another Octagon walk as soon as next year, as the 39-year-old eyes a middleweight outing against former division kingpin, Israel Adesanya.
Diaz, 39, revealed following TKO retirement loss to Lawler last year how he was surprised a rematch with the former champion had come to fruition – detailing a split in his camp and management team ahead of UFC 266.
In the time since, Nick Diaz’s teammate, Jake Shields recently claimed that the Californian veteran was looking much better – physique-wise ahead of a potential UFC return next year.
UFC details Nick Diaz’s training regimen at their Performance Institute
A long-time student of Cesar Gracie in his native Stockton, Nick Diaz recently took time to train at the UFC Performance Institute in ‘Sin City’ – with the organization posting photos of the former title challenger on their official social media accounts.
“The General taking over the @UFCPI,” UFC tweeted.
The General taking over the @UFCPI
pic.twitter.com/zdJnbs7ASY
— UFC (@ufc) December 29, 2022
Without a victory since October 2011, Diaz’s most recent win came in the form of a title-eliminator victory against former undisputed lightweight and welterweight champion, B.J. Penn – defeating the Hawaiin in a unanimous decision win at UFC 137.
Regarding as one of the most iconic fighters in the modern era of mixed martial arts, Diaz, the elder brother of former UFC lightweight title challenger, Nate Diaz, holds notable career victories over the likes of Chris Lytle, Robbie Lawler, Josh Neer, Gleison Tibau, Frank Shamrock, Marius Zaromskis, K.J. Noons, Evangelista Santos, Paul Daley, and the aforenoted, Penn.