Tag: Robbie Lawler

Nick Diaz Bashes UFC For Lawler Pairing, “I Should Be Fighting Usman”

Nick Diaz is making a return to the Octagon after spending six years away, but maybe he chose the wrong comeback fight. Nick Diaz is making a comeback to fighting. He has been out of the game for six years but is returning in style at the mega UFC 266 event this coming Saturday night. […]

Continue Reading Nick Diaz Bashes UFC For Lawler Pairing, “I Should Be Fighting Usman” at MMA News.

Nick Diaz is making a return to the Octagon after spending six years away, but maybe he chose the wrong comeback fight.

Nick Diaz is making a comeback to fighting. He has been out of the game for six years but is returning in style at the mega UFC 266 event this coming Saturday night. Diaz will be facing off against a former foe, Robbie Lawler. These two fought each other back in 2004 with Diaz walking away as the winner.

Now, years later the rematch is set but maybe it isn’t the right matchup for Diaz’s return. The 38-year-old spoke to ESPN’s Brett Okamoto about how he feels facing Lawler again after so many years.

“Do I feel confident? I never do,” Diaz explained. “I never have. I always feel like I’m gonna get trashed out there. Every fight I’ve ever done. So, ‘Oh, how do you feel against Robbie Lawler? How do you feel?’ I feel like I’m gonna get the [MUTED] beat out of me. And even when I win, I get beat up worse.”

Just a few days out from this scheduled fight, Diaz asked the UFC and Lawler to move the bout from welterweight to middleweight. Although not optimal, Lawler agreed. Now in this ESPN interview, the doubts Diaz has with this fight altogether have come to light. Despite these doubts, when asked if Diaz believes himself to be the best fighter in the world, he gladly responds.

“Yes, I do believe that,” Diaz said. “I do believe that. Like, who do you have, Usman? I think I’d beat the [MUTED] out of Usman. I’ve got a better shot at beating Usman than I do Lawler just because I already beat Lawler. This doesn’t make sense for me to go in there and fight Robbie Lawler again.

I don’t know why I’m doing this. I don’t know why I’m doing this. This should not happen. Whoever set this up is an idiot. I don’t know why I’m doing this; I don’t know why this happened. I should be fighting Kamaru Usman, and that’s it.”

Diaz vs. Lawler will go down on the main card of UFC 266 Saturday, Sept. 25 live from Las Vegas.

Does this kind of talk from Nick Diaz so close to his UFC return worry you as a fan?

Continue Reading Nick Diaz Bashes UFC For Lawler Pairing, “I Should Be Fighting Usman” at MMA News.

Quote: Nick Diaz’s Requested Weight Swap Is Foul Play, Almost Cheating

Former UFC lightweight Din Thomas has slammed Nick Diaz for requesting a weight class swap for his fight against Robbie Lawler less than a week before the event. Diaz is set to return this weekend at UFC 266 in what will be the UFC’s second ever non-title and non-main event five-round fight. The first featured […]

Continue Reading Quote: Nick Diaz’s Requested Weight Swap Is Foul Play, Almost Cheating at MMA News.

Former UFC lightweight Din Thomas has slammed Nick Diaz for requesting a weight class swap for his fight against Robbie Lawler less than a week before the event.

Diaz is set to return this weekend at UFC 266 in what will be the UFC’s second ever non-title and non-main event five-round fight. The first featured his younger brother Nate, who took on Leon Edwards across 25 minutes at UFC 263 in June. In a rematch 17 years in the making, the Stockton native will take on Lawler. The pair first met at UFC 47 in 2004, where Diaz emerged victorious via a second-round knockout.

Despite fight week being well underway for the September pay-per-view, the matchup ran into a late hurdle. Diaz, who’s last fight was a middleweight clash against Anderson Silva, requested that the weight class for his return be changed from 170 to 185 pounds. Despite some trepidation about why the change was necessary, “Ruthless” has agreed to fight at middleweight.

Diaz’s request has drawn criticism from all corners of the MMA community. The latest to voice their dismay at the situation is Din Thomas. During an episode of MMA Today on MMA on SiriusXM, the fighter-turned-analyst said the difference in weight Lawler is now expected to make is far too big for such short notice.

“I don’t like it, honestly. I don’t like the fact he would pull this on Robbie so close to the fight. There’s a 15-pound difference. That’s a big deal. We’re not talking a five-pound, ‘Yo, let’s make it a catchweight.’ We’re talking a 15-pound difference. And Robbie’s not a big guy anyway. So the fact that Nick Diaz is probably like, ‘Yeah, you know what? I don’t feel like making the weight. So I’m just gonna ask for 185. If they don’t take it, then screw ’em.’”

Thomas went on to suggest that the move is almost cheating on the part of Diaz. The 44-year-old added that if he was Lawler, he wouldn’t have accepted the change.

“To me, that’s foul play, man. That’s almost like cheating, to be honest. I mean, we put so much on weight-cutting. I mean, that’s the one thing that everyone puts a lot of value into, and that’s making weight. Making weight. But then, when two days before the fight or weigh-in, you go, ‘Nah, I want 15 pounds?’ To me, that is almost like cheating or just saying, ‘Yo, I didn’t want to make the weight.’ I think it’s unfair to Robbie. If I was Robbie, I don’t think I would’ve took it.”

Nevertheless, barring any other late incidents, the return of Nick Diaz looks set to go down this weekend inside Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena. The 38-year-old hasn’t fought since his no contest against Silva in 2015 (originally a decision win for Silva), and is without a win since his victory over BJ Penn in 2011.

Lawler, meanwhile, became the UFC Welterweight Champion in 2014. He successfully defended the title against Rory MacDonald and Carlos Condit, before dropping it to Tyron Woodley at UFC 201. Despite riding a four-fight losing skid into Saturday’s fight, “Ruthless” has fought eight times since Diaz’s last appearance.

What do you make of Nick Diaz’s late request to change the fight from welterweight to middleweight?

Continue Reading Quote: Nick Diaz’s Requested Weight Swap Is Foul Play, Almost Cheating at MMA News.

Nick Diaz Admits He Never Enjoyed Fighting Just Days Before UFC Return

Nick Diaz has somewhat shocked the MMA world by admitting that he never had any love for fighting just days before his long-awaited return to the Octagon. January 31, 2015, was the last time we saw Nick Diaz compete in the sport of mixed martial arts. Although he suffered a decision loss to Anderson Silva, […]

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Nick Diaz has somewhat shocked the MMA world by admitting that he never had any love for fighting just days before his long-awaited return to the Octagon.

January 31, 2015, was the last time we saw Nick Diaz compete in the sport of mixed martial arts. Although he suffered a decision loss to Anderson Silva, which was later overturned by the NSAC, his star power never died down, and he remains just as popular to this day.

While the wait for his comeback is almost over, Nick Diaz has boldly claimed that he was never the biggest fan of fighting, despite being a former Strikeforce and WEC welterweight champion.

Nick Diaz domestic violence
Image Credit: Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

During a recent interview with Brett Okamoto, Nick Diaz opened up on his thoughts about fighting.

“I never enjoyed fighting. It’s just something that I do.” Diaz said.

Aside from his self-proclaimed “inevitable” return, Nick Diaz explained his reasoning behind his UFC return.

“All the people around me and all the money, and the sponsors, they don’t let me get away from fighting. There’s things I could do, but that’s not gonna work out. I might as well just go and take my punches,” expressed Diaz. “I don’t want to look back and say, ‘Why did I not just do it? Because even though I don’t feel great about everything, if I don’t do this, then I don’t know how I’m gonna feel about myself if I don’t—two years down the road if I’m sitting here going, ‘Why didn’t I just go do these fights? I would’ve won.”

Diaz then insisted that nothing excites him anymore when questioned whether he enjoys any part of the entire process that accompanies these huge events.

“No, nothing. Nothing at all. This whole thing is for everybody else. I’m glad that the fans are happy, and they love it, and that’s just what gets them going, you know? It got me going when I was a kid. Five months in, I was like, ‘Oh yeah, in five months, man, I’m gonna be good!’ And I was good.

And I’m like, ‘After I make 5-0, I’m gonna be so good.’ And I didn’t even make it to 5-0. So then, I had to go back for more. And after that, it was just no way out.” Diaz stated.

Although he may not enjoy it anymore, Nick Diaz is set to compete for the first time in over six years when he faces off against Robbie Lawler at UFC 266 on September 25.

Do you believe that Nick Diaz not enjoying MMA gives him a disadvantage leading into fights?

Continue Reading Nick Diaz Admits He Never Enjoyed Fighting Just Days Before UFC Return at MMA News.

Nick Diaz vs. Robbie Lawler: A Head-to-Toe Breakdown

Welterweight legend Nick Diaz will return from a hiatus of almost six years on the UFC 266 main card this Saturday, and he’ll be welcomed back by one of the few fighters on earth …

Welterweight legend Nick Diaz will return from a hiatus of almost six years on the UFC 266 main card this Saturday, and he’ll be welcomed back by one of the few fighters on earth …

REPORT | Nick Diaz vs. Robbie Lawler II Will Take Place At Middleweight

Nick DiazNick Diaz is set to make his eagerly anticipated return to the Octagon at middleweight. According to MMA journalist, Ariel Helwani Diaz has seen his UFC 266 rematch with Robbie Lawler bumped up to 185lbs just days out from the event. It is unclear why we have a last-minute weight change or what side initially […]

Nick Diaz

Nick Diaz is set to make his eagerly anticipated return to the Octagon at middleweight.

According to MMA journalist, Ariel Helwani Diaz has seen his UFC 266 rematch with Robbie Lawler bumped up to 185lbs just days out from the event. It is unclear why we have a last-minute weight change or what side initially requested it. The fight will remain only the second to take place over five rounds when not a scheduled main-event or title fight.

The former Strikeforce champion appears to be in fantastic shape for his MMA return that is more than five years in the making. Diaz has not fought since dropping to a decision defeat to Anderson Silva at middleweight in 2015. The result was later overturned to a no-contest when ‘The Spider’ failed his post-fight drug test.

In September 2020, Diaz took part in a successful test weight cut. After so long out of action his team wanted to prove he can still make welterweight ahead of fight talks with the UFC.

“This is Nick Diaz earlier today,” Helwani wrote on Twitter last year. “He weighs in the 175-165 pound range, per his manager Kevin Mubenga. He just completed a 14-week diet and training regimen. This is the first time he cuts weight in approximately four years, Mubenga said. Diaz wanted to do a test cut because … he is keeping a close eye on the big welterweight fights coming up. He is “100%” planning on fighting again, per Mubenga, and is targeting an early 2021 return.”

Lawler has remained active during his rivals’ time away from the sport. ‘Ruthless’ is no longer at the peak that saw him become the UFC welterweight champion and has lost his last four fights. However, he has been getting in with the best fighters in the world on a consistent basis and seems to have little trouble making the welterweight limit.

Who do you think requested this fight take place at middleweight? Nick Diaz or Robbie Lawler?

Lawler Chronicles How Blockbuster Nick Diaz Rematch Came About

Robbie Lawler has explained how his rematch with Nick Diaz came to be and it wasn’t his doing. Lawler and Diaz will mix it up again this Saturday night (Sept. 25). They’ll collide in a five-round welterweight bout on the main card of UFC 266. The two had their first scrap back in April 2004. […]

Continue Reading Lawler Chronicles How Blockbuster Nick Diaz Rematch Came About at MMA News.

Robbie Lawler has explained how his rematch with Nick Diaz came to be and it wasn’t his doing.

Lawler and Diaz will mix it up again this Saturday night (Sept. 25). They’ll collide in a five-round welterweight bout on the main card of UFC 266. The two had their first scrap back in April 2004. Diaz won the bout via second-round knockout.

During an interview with FanSided, Lawler said that while a rematch with Diaz motivates him, it wasn’t a bout that he was begging for.

“I didn’t really think of it at all really. It just came when I came I wasn’t out there looking for it.

“I think the UFC probably wanted it and I have no idea actually because I don’t really play those games. It’s like alright, usually they come to me, ‘let’s fight’ so could have been a conversation between my manager, and then who knows but obviously it’s a big fight and definitely one that gets me training hard.”

Lawler went on to say that he played things by ear when he was first offered the fight.

“It was one of those things where they offered me the fight, my manager told me about and I’m like, ‘Okay, I guess we’ll see if it happens’ and just, week after week they’re like okay it looks like it’s gonna happen so you never know with Nick and obviously there’s been talk of him fighting in the past so just obviously a big opportunity to fight a big name. A lot of fans are excited.”

For Lawler, this fight goes beyond seeking revenge. The 39-year-old is on a four-fight skid. He hasn’t won a bout since July 2017.

Diaz hasn’t competed inside the Octagon since Jan. 2015. He initially suffered a unanimous decision loss to Anderson Silva. That result was changed to a No Contest after Silva tested positive for banned substances.

Continue Reading Lawler Chronicles How Blockbuster Nick Diaz Rematch Came About at MMA News.