Jake Shields gives another positive update on teammate Nick Diaz.
The MMA community has been excited about a potential comeback for Nick Diaz since Jake Shields teased his UFC return during an interview with Inside Fighting last month.
In a follow-up interview with MMA reporter Helen Yee (h/t MMA News), Shields provided more insight into Diaz’s comeback preparation and revealed that the former Strikeforce welterweight champion and UFC fan favorite is training hard in the gym every day and is in a “much better head space” than he was two years ago.
“He’s been out here training again, which was good, because he wasn’t really training for the last camp,” Shields said of Diaz. “So he’s back out here. Not training crazy hard, but the fact that he’s back in the gym, training every day, much better head space, is great.”
“Seeing Nick, he’s like a brother to me…it’s great to see him doing a lot better and I know all of the fans want to see him fight again. It would be great to see a comeback, but with a proper training camp.”
Diaz last fought at UFC 266, in Sept. 2021, when he suffered a TKO loss to Robbie Lawler, and since then has been on an extended hiatus. He teased a 2023 comeback against Israel Adesanya, wanting to fight him at middleweight should “The Last Stylebender” avenge his loss to Alex Pereira and reclaim his title.
Diaz isn’t currently ranked but is considered one of the most exciting fighters in MMA, generating buzz whenever he is scheduled to fight.