Nick Diaz spoke briefly about his next career plans.
The last time we all saw Nick Diaz in action was at UFC 266 in 2021. The longtime fan-favorite fought former champion Robbie Lawler in a rematch that was 17 years in the making. Diaz, however, lost the bout when he refused to get up from a knockdown in the opening minute of round three of their middleweight bout.
Since then, the 39-year-old Diaz has been in the headlines for a possible return. His coaches told fans to expect his comeback by the end of 2022, but nothing came to fruition. Teammate Jake Shields also said in a January interview that Diaz has been at the gym every day, which solidified talks for a possible return.
Inside Fighting caught up with Nick during the UFC 285 festivities over the weekend. The former Strikeforce champion gave a brief update on his next career plans.
“I’m asking to fight as soon as possible. Not (against) Jon Jones, though.”
The names of Israel Adesanya and current champion Alex Pereira were then thrown in the mix, an idea that Diaz welcomed.
“Something like that. That’s fine. I always want to fight the best.”
Prior to the Lawler rematch, Diaz was shelved beginning in 2015 when he tested positive for cannabis after his UFC 183 fight with Anderson Silva. Originally a decision win for “The Spider,” the result was overturned to a No Contest after Silva also tested positive for steroids.
About the author: Milan Ordoñez has been covering combat sports since 2012 and has been part of the Bloody Elbow staff since 2016. He’s also competed in amateur mixed martial arts and submission grappling tournaments. (full bio)