Nick Diaz breathed a huge sigh of relief after the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) overturned his original five-year ban from mixed martial arts (MMA) — reducing it to 18 months — for failing a post-fight drug test for his UFC 183 fight against Anderson Silva in Las Vegas, Nevada.
He also saved some coin, as his fine was also reduced to $100,000 from $165,000.
Now, Diaz could return to the Octagon as early as this August. And when he does, he tells MMA Mayhem TV he only wants to do big fights and not waste time on small ones.
“I think my brother is probably going to get a fight before me, so I am just working on the rest of the people I am training with on their camps. Then we will establish who I will be fighting next. I am only trying to go big, though, I am not trying to do no small fights. So, if we’re going to do any fights, we are going to do something big. But, for now I am focusing on my younger brother and the rest of the academy in northern California, the team I train with, Team Black.”
Speaking of his younger brother, Nate Diaz is rumored to be in negotitations to face former Lightweight champion Anthony Pettis next.
Big fights seem to be the norm for Diaz, as his last four bouts have been against the aforementioned Anderson Silva, an interim title bout against Carlos Condit, a welterweight championship fight against Georges St-Pierre and a fantasy matchup against B.J. Penn.
So when Joe Silva and Co. start sending those fight offers to Nick’s inbox, they better come correct. In the meantime, anyone care to offer up some potential matchups to the matchmaking crew over at Zuffa?