Former undisputed welterweight title challenger, Nick Diaz is set for his return to the Octagon for the first time in over three years in August, taking on perennial division contender, Vicente Luque in a five round co-main event bout at UFC Fight Night Abu Dhabi on August 3. from the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
Diaz, a former middleweight star and welterweight title challenger, has been sidelined since he faced off with former 170lbs champion, Robbie Lawler in an hiatus-snapping comeback fight at UFC 266 three years ago, suffering a third round TKO loss to the veteran in the pair’s rematch.
Nick Diaz makes return against Vicente Luque in August
As for Luque, the Brazilian-American himself has been out of action since he dropped a TKO loss of his own against Joaquin Buckley at UFC Fight Night Atlantic City back in March of this year. News of Nick Diaz’s return in a welterweight clash against Vicente Luque was confirmed by UFC CEO, Dana White this Wednesday afternoon.
“The main card for #UFCAbuDhabi is set!!!” White posted.
A promotional fan-favorite and elder brother of former UFC star, Nate Diaz, Stockton veteran, Nick Diaz snapped a lenghty hiatus in his return against Lawler in 2021, having remained sidelined since an official ‘No Contest’ fight against Anderson Silva back in 2015.
Without a victory since 2011, Diaz, a former WEC (World Extreme Cagefighting) and Strikeforce gold holder, most recently landed a unanimous decision victory over former two-weight champion, B.J. Penn.
As for Luque, the number fourteen ranked contender’s most recent win came in the form of a decision success against former lightweight champion, Rafael dos Anjos last August.
UFC Fight Night Abu Dhabi takes place on August 3. from the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, UAE – with a potential bantamweight title eliminator between Cory Sandhagen, and Umar Nurmagomedov set to take main event status.
Who wins at UFC Fight Night Abu Dhabi: Nick Diaz or Vicente Luque?