Former Strikeforce welterweight champion Nick Diaz was offered a chance to come out of retirement at UFC 171 and face Carlos Condit.
A source close to the fight informed Bleacher Report that UFC president Dana White was in contact with the Diaz camp throughout Friday afternoon and Saturday morning. But Diaz ultimately turned down the fight in a personal conversation with White on Saturday evening, White revealed to Ariel Helwani on the UFC on Fox 9 post-fight show.
The bout was expected to serve as the co-main event of UFC 171. The main event features Johny Hendricks and Robbie Lawler doing battle in a fight to determine the next UFC welterweight champion after the leave of absence taken by Georges St-Pierre on Friday afternoon.
Diaz, 30, has been retired from the sport since a loss to St-Pierre in a title fight on March 16, 2013. It was his second loss in a row; he’d originally lost an interim title fight to Condit on February 4, 2012. The fight was controversial with Diaz fans, who believe he’d won the fight (though Diaz fans seemingly always believe he won any fight, no matter the scenario), but Condit was awarded the unanimous decision.
Diaz retired from the sport after this fight, too, and also tested positive for marijuana metabolites. He was handed a one-year suspension, which didn’t really matter anyway since he was retired. But then he returned to face St-Pierre, and he retired again after losing the fight.
Diaz noted to White that he may be ready to return to the UFC by May. Which, given the UFC’s history, means that he’ll instantly become the top contender to face the winner of Hendricks vs. Lawler without really earning it at all.
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