Tag: Nick Diaz Suspension

Quote: Nick Diaz Will Fight Again Soon

The MMA world has been wondering whether or not Nick Diaz will ever return to fighting after a three-year hiatus following his no-contest against Anderson Silva back at UFC 183. That’s nearly an eternity when it comes to fight fans’ memories, but the appeal of the Stockton slugger has kept Diaz firmly in the conversation […]

The post Quote: Nick Diaz Will Fight Again Soon appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

The MMA world has been wondering whether or not Nick Diaz will ever return to fighting after a three-year hiatus following his no-contest against Anderson Silva back at UFC 183.

That’s nearly an eternity when it comes to fight fans’ memories, but the appeal of the Stockton slugger has kept Diaz firmly in the conversation despite the extended hiatus.

Diaz’ close friend and fellow MMA fighter Jake Shields is perhaps the best person to ask when it comes to the elder Diaz brother’s return, and according to him on a recent episode of The MMA Hour, thankfully, it looks like we’ll be seeing more Stockton slaps sooner than later:

“I think he will. I think he’ll fight again soon. I think he’s mentioned it in training a little bit. I haven’t been out there so I don’t know how much he’s been training but I’m pretty sure he’s been in the gym a decent amount and I would love to see him fight again. I think he’s still got some more in him. He hasn’t been training as much but he’s still in good shape and he can come back fast.”

“Nick is a hard person to predict. Only Nick really knows what he is going to do. People always ask ‘is Nick going to show up at a press conference?’ I’m like, ‘man, I can’t even tell you.’ Nic doesn’t even tell the people close to him, sometimes. He just kind of goes out and surprises everyone. Only Nick knows what he is going to do. If I had to guess I’d say he’ll fight again.”

Shields and Diaz are longtime members of “The Scrap Pack” alongside Nick’s younger brother Nate Diaz and Gilbert Melendez. The MMA landscape has changed drastically since Diaz’ suspension, with Tyron Woodley holding the welterweight belt and a slew of new faces populating the division.

The 34-year-old is a former Strikeforce welterweight champion and competed against former UFC champion Georges St-Pierre in a losing effort back at UFC 158.

Who would you like to see Nick Diaz fight upon his return?

The post Quote: Nick Diaz Will Fight Again Soon appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

Nick Diaz Posts Cryptic Reaction To USADA Reinstatement

Nick Diaz hasn’t fought since his no contest against Anderson Silva back in 2015, but interest in his comeback has remained at an all time high. Diaz fans can finally rejoice, as the Stockton Slapper was reinstated into the UFC and had his suspension officially end this week, making him eligible again to fight. Diaz […]

The post Nick Diaz Posts Cryptic Reaction To USADA Reinstatement appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

Nick Diaz hasn’t fought since his no contest against Anderson Silva back in 2015, but interest in his comeback has remained at an all time high. Diaz fans can finally rejoice, as the Stockton Slapper was reinstated into the UFC and had his suspension officially end this week, making him eligible again to fight.

Diaz posted this on Instagram in response to his reinstatement:

Back where we left off?? ???????????

A post shared by nickdiaz209 (@nickdiaz209) on

Talks of fights with Conor McGregor, who his brother Nate went 1-1 with, welterweight champion Tyron Woodley, and many others have stated their intent to fight the elder Diaz brother.

Diaz’ suspension stems from his testing positive for marijuana, a subsequent offense, following his fight with Silva at UFC 183. Silva himself tested positive for performance enhancing drugs.

With no opponent or date set in stone yet, who should Diaz (26-9-2 NC) fight upon his UFC return?

The post Nick Diaz Posts Cryptic Reaction To USADA Reinstatement appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

UFC VP Gives Update On Nick Diaz’ Strange USADA Issues

Nick Diaz hasn’t stepped foot into the Octagon since his UFC 183 showdown with Anderson Silva back in 2015. Both men ended up failing drug tests, Silva for performance-enhancing drugs and Diaz for marijuana, a subsequent offense. Diaz and his brother Nate have always been a prickly pair but Nick has proven to be especially difficult […]

The post UFC VP Gives Update On Nick Diaz’ Strange USADA Issues appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

Nick Diaz hasn’t stepped foot into the Octagon since his UFC 183 showdown with Anderson Silva back in 2015. Both men ended up failing drug tests, Silva for performance-enhancing drugs and Diaz for marijuana, a subsequent offense.

Diaz and his brother Nate have always been a prickly pair but Nick has proven to be especially difficult to get back to fighting.

UFC VP of athlete health and performance Jeff Novitzky remains optimistic about Nick Diaz’s return, recently discussing his thoughts on the matter on The Joe Rogan Experience podcast:

“Nick was our first fighter that ran into the whereabouts issues. So he got three whereabouts failures in a rolling 12 months, so he’s currently going through that process. It’s a tough one.

“I think he does (want to fight). I think he does. I’ve sat down with him over the past couple months trying to resolve this whereabouts issues. The unfortunate thing there is, look, the whereabouts failures are there to catch people that are cheating and trying to avoid testing. I just think Nick’s lifestyle led to those three whereabouts, not that he was trying to avoid testing. We’re trying to work through that.”

Diaz is provisionally suspended due to failure to notify USADA of his whereabouts, but Novitzky believes he will compete again once the suspension ends.

UFC athletes must provide USADA with there whereabouts three times a year, something Diaz failed to do. However, Novitzky believes that Diaz’s negligence was probably due to the circle of friends and managers he keeps, people who ensure their fighter is on the up-and-up at all times:

“(Diaz) trusted certain individuals to do his whereabouts for him. What I think happened was, over time, those individuals were in and out of his life, and it was unbeknownst to him that he was missing all these things. But again, there’s strict liability here. He’s currently under sanction, but we’re hoping to resolve that pretty quick.”

Do you expect to see Nick Diaz fight in the UFC again?

The post UFC VP Gives Update On Nick Diaz’ Strange USADA Issues appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

Quote: Nick Diaz Turned Down Robbie Lawler Rematch

Former Strikeforce welterweight champion and UFC fan favorite Nick Diaz hasn’t competed since surrendering a decision loss to Anderson Silva in January 2015, although that loss was later changed to a no-contest after Silva tested positive for multiple banned substances. Diaz also tested positive for Marijuana metabolites, leading the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) to

The post Quote: Nick Diaz Turned Down Robbie Lawler Rematch appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

Former Strikeforce welterweight champion and UFC fan favorite Nick Diaz hasn’t competed since surrendering a decision loss to Anderson Silva in January 2015, although that loss was later changed to a no-contest after Silva tested positive for multiple banned substances. Diaz also tested positive for Marijuana metabolites, leading the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) to hand him an 18-month suspension as well as a fine.

Diaz’s suspension ended this past August, but he was only recently cleared to fight after paying his fine. With that being said, the Stockton native doesn’t currently have a fight lined up, but that isn’t because the UFC hasn’t offered him one according to color commentator Joe Rogan.

Speaking on a recent edition of his podcast, Rogan said that Diaz turned down a bout with former welterweight champion Robbie Lawler:

“Apparently they offered Nick Diaz Robbie Lawler, and Nick passed on it,” Rogan said.

This potential bout would actually be a rematch, as Diaz and Lawler did battle back at UFC 47 in 2004. Diaz got the better of the “Ruthless” one 13 years ago, scoring a brutal second round knockout victory.

Lawler hasn’t competed since surrendering his title to Tyron Woodley last July at UFC 201. He was rumored to be taking on Donald Cerrone at November 12’s UFC 205, but he said that he needed more time after being knocked out by Woodley.

The fight would certainly make sense given Diaz’s star power and the fact that Lawler is looking to bounce back.

Would you like to see this rematch?

The post Quote: Nick Diaz Turned Down Robbie Lawler Rematch appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

Gegard Mousasi Calls Out Nick Diaz, Willing To Fight At 205

No. 5-ranked middleweight contender and former Strikeforce champion Gegard “The Dreamcatcher” Mousasi recently extended his winning streak to three with a brutal stoppage victory over Vitor Belfort at October 8’s UFC 204 from Manchester, England. It now appears as if Mousasi is looking towards the future, as he recently told MMAJunkie that he’d be willing

The post Gegard Mousasi Calls Out Nick Diaz, Willing To Fight At 205 appeared first on LowKick MMA.

No. 5-ranked middleweight contender and former Strikeforce champion Gegard “The Dreamcatcher” Mousasi recently extended his winning streak to three with a brutal stoppage victory over Vitor Belfort at October 8’s UFC 204 from Manchester, England. It now appears as if Mousasi is looking towards the future, as he recently told MMAJunkie that he’d be willing to fight at either middleweight or light heavyweight.

As far as potential opponents go, Mousasi had shown interest in fighting former longtime champion Anderson Silva after UFC 204, but he now says that Silva is “not going to take the fight.” Aside from Silva, the division’s top four contenders are currently booked, meaning that Mousasi will likely have to be patient.

With that being said, however, “The Dreamcatcher” also spoke on the idea of a potential showdown with former Strikeforce champion and fan favorite Nick Diaz:

“So probably, they’re going to make me wait,” reported Mousasi. “With Vitor Belfort, they didn’t give me the fight because I asked for it,” he said. “They gave that fight to me because Vitor Belfort asked for that fight. So, hopefully, Nick Diaz is going to ask for that fight, and then I can fight him.”

Diaz hasn’t competed since January 2015’s UFC 183 when he suffered a loss that was later changed to a no-contest against Silva. In the aftermath of that bout it was made clear that Diaz had tested positive for Marijuana metabolites, leading the Nevada State Athletic Commission to hand him an 18 month suspension.

Now a free man, Diaz is apparently ready to fight according to UFC President Dana White.

Would you like to see the Stockton native meet Mousasi in his return bout?

The post Gegard Mousasi Calls Out Nick Diaz, Willing To Fight At 205 appeared first on LowKick MMA.

Nick Diaz Prohibited From Cornering Brother At UFC 202

It appears as if Nate Diaz will once again have to fight Conor McGregor without his brother, former WEC and former Strikeforce champion Nick Diaz, in his corner. When Nate and McGregor first did battle back at March 5’s UFC 196, Nick, the elder of the two, was serving out an 18-month suspension handed to

The post Nick Diaz Prohibited From Cornering Brother At UFC 202 appeared first on LowKick MMA.

It appears as if Nate Diaz will once again have to fight Conor McGregor without his brother, former WEC and former Strikeforce champion Nick Diaz, in his corner. When Nate and McGregor first did battle back at March 5’s UFC 196, Nick, the elder of the two, was serving out an 18-month suspension handed to him by the Nevada State Athletic Commission after he tested positive for Marijuana metabolites surrounding his January 2015 bout with Anderson Silva.

That suspension ended earlier this month on August 1, 2016 which should allow Nick to corner Nate at this weekend’s (August 20, 2016) UFC 202 in Las Vegas, but Nate said on last night’s (August 17, 2016) edition of UFC Tonight that there were still some ‘technical difficulties’ regarding Nick’s ability to corner him.

According to a report from FOX Sports, Nick is prohibited from cornering Nate due to the fact that he’s actually still suspended. Apparently, the Stockton native failed to pay the fine that was included with his suspension:

“As of this date Nick Diaz is not permitted to work the corner of his brother Nate because he is still suspended,” NSAC Executive Director Bob Bennett said.

 “I contacted the UFC two-to-three weeks ago regarding Nevada Administrative Code 467 in an effort to clarify and confirm the conditions that would allow Nick to work Nate’s corner. The Nevada State Athletic Commission made a concerted effort to keep everyone involved in the fight regarding our Codes as we thought Nate would request his brother to work his corner. Additionally, we provided them information as to who to contact at the Attorney General’s Office in an effort for Nick to be in compliance with his written settlement/agreement. I was informed by the UFC they contacted Nick and/or his manager and advised them what our regulations require to accommodate the possible request.”

Bennet also confirmed that until Diaz pays his balance, he will remain suspended:

“Although the term of Mr. Diaz’s suspension expired on August 1, 2016, he remains on suspension pursuant to term 1.03 of his Settlement Agreement because he has failed to either pay his fine in full (his balance is $75,000) or enter into an approved payment plan,” Bennett said.

 “As such, the prohibitions of NAC 467.895 apply to Mr. Diaz at this time.”

Not only is Nick not allowed to corner Nate, but he’s also not allowed to be in Nate’s locker room prior to the fight, nor is he allowed to sit in the first six rows surrounding the Octagon meaning that he will have no communication with his younger brother during arguably the biggest fight of the year.

What do you make of this situation?

The post Nick Diaz Prohibited From Cornering Brother At UFC 202 appeared first on LowKick MMA.