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Nick Diaz admits he was unprepared for UFC 266 return with Robbie Lawler: ‘I really had it coming’

Former undisputed UFC welterweight title challenger, Nick Diaz has admitted that he was unprepared for his Octagon comeback at UFC 266 back in September 2021, claiming he knew a loss to former division champion, Robbie Lawler was on the cards in their rematch. Diaz, a former undisputed WEC and Strikeforce titleholder, snapped his six-year Octagon […]

Diaz, a former undisputed WEC and Strikeforce titleholder, snapped his six-year Octagon hiatus back in 2021 in a middleweight rematch with former welterweight champion, Lawler, suffering a third round TKO loss due to retirement in their main card matchup.

The return came as Stockton native, Diaz’s first Octagon walk since headlining UFC 183 back in January 2015 in an eventual official ‘No Contest’ against former undisputed middleweight champion, Anderson Silva.

Expected to make his return to active competition later this year, Diaz, who has spent time training at the UFC Performance Institute in Las Vegas, Nevada – claimed he was interested in fighting incoming UFC 287 headliner, former middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya next.

Nick Diaz admits he was unprepared to make his UFC return back in 2021

However, reflecting on his UFC 266 return against Lawler and subsequent loss, Diaz admitted he was unprepared and “backed” into the comeback against the former.

“So I went into training camp, and I kind of got backed into it too,” Nick Diaz said on the Dying To See Me podcast. “I was in between management. It wasn’t like when I went and found a group to work with and organize my situation. I was going back and forth with the people I was working with and some of the old people I was working with during this training camp and my trainers.”

“So I couldn’t amount to a level of athleticism that I needed to be competitive,” Nick Diaz explained. “And I knew that going into the fight. Then, I was going into this fight like, ‘I really have it coming.’ So, I didn’t really go in there to win. I just needed to get that fight out. I hadn’t fought in a long time. I’d never fought under those conditions.” (Transcribed by BJPENN.com)

Coach Reveals Real Reason Behind Nick Diaz Weight Miss At UFC 266

Fans of Nick Diaz were likely uninspired by the performance shown in his long-awaited return to the Octagon last September, but there appears to have been a solid reason behind his bizarre showing. By the time he fought Robbie Lawler for the second tim…

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Ortega Argues Why Next Title Shot Isn’t Only Open For Rodriguez

UFC featherweight contender Brian Ortega believes that Yair Rodriguez isn’t the only one capable of securing a title shot in this weekend’s headliner. On Saturday, the MMA leader heads to Long Island, New York, for a blockbuster UFC Fight N…

Continue Reading Ortega Argues Why Next Title Shot Isn’t Only Open For Rodriguez at MMA News.

Murphy: I 100% Wish I Had Withdrawn From Shevchenko Fight

UFC flyweight contender Lauren Murphy was dealing with more than Valentina Shevchenko during their UFC 266 title fight. Murphy is set to face former bantamweight champion Miesha Tate at UFC Long Island this weekend. This is her first fight since fallin…

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Brian Ortega Eyes Rematch With Alexander Volkanovski: ‘I’m Just A Deadly Opponent For Him’

Ahead of his potential UFC featherweight title-eliminator against Yair Rodriguez this weekend at UFC Fight Night Long Island, two-time title challenger, Brian Ortega has insisted that he is a truly “dangerous” opponent for division champion, Alexander Volkanovski – as he targets a title re-run. Ortega, who has challenged both Max Holloway and Volkanoski unsuccessfully for […]

Ortega, who has challenged both Max Holloway and Volkanoski unsuccessfully for undisputed featherweight gold in the past, is slated to return this weekend in the main event of UFC Fight Night Long Island – tackling Chihuahua striking ace, Rodriguez.

The outing will come as Ortega’s first since headlining UFC 266 back in September, where he suffered a unanimous decision loss to Volkanovski, once more absorbing significant punishment in a title outing.

However, credited for his performance against the New South Wales technician, Ortega almost managed to lock up both guillotine and triangle choke variant submissions against Volkanovski – coming arguably as close as possible to finishing the dominant featherweight best, without landing a win.

Brian Ortega believes onlookers noticed his performance against Alexander Volkanovski

Previewing his featherweight showdown with Rodriguez this weekend, Ortega insisted he is a dangerous opponent for Volkanovski as he attempts to land a title rematch.

“I would love that personally because I feel like from what the world’s seeing is he’s won the belt, he’s defended the belt, and the one person that gave him the hardest time was me,” Brian Ortega told Inside Fighting during a recent interview. “(I) put him in the most danger he’s ever been in his career. …”

“I just put him in the most danger and people noticed that, people saw,” Brian Ortega explained. “I’m just a deadly opponent for him. Obviously, I’m always gonna train to win, to fight this guy and beat this guy. I believe I have the tools and capabilities to do so if I play my cards right. So it’s all about seeing how I can play my cards right and going in there and finishing this man (Yair Rodriguez).”

Without a victory since October 2020, Ortega managed to turn in a one-sided unanimous decision win over Chan Sung Jung on ‘Fight Island’ in his first Octagon appearance in over two years.

Cejudo: Volkanovski vs. Ortega Is The Greatest Fight In MMA History

Former two-division UFC champion Henry Cejudo believes the UFC 266 main event between Alexander Volkanovski and Brian Ortega is the “greatest fight” in MMA history.

At the start of one of the most memorable sets of final pay-per-views a year has se…

Former two-division UFC champion Henry Cejudo believes the UFC 266 main event between Alexander Volkanovski and Brian Ortega is the “greatest fight” in MMA history.

At the start of one of the most memorable sets of final pay-per-views a year has seen in the UFC, reigning featherweight titleholder Volkanovski met with top contender Ortega in the September 25 headliner. The pair were originally set to clash at UFC 260 six months prior, but a positive COVID-19 test forced the Australian out.

In the end, the pair coached the 2021 return of The Ultimate Fighter. Whilst it certainly wasn’t the most thrilling season of the show, it did add an extra pinch of animosity and helped build the matchup more heading into their eventual showdown at UFC 266.

When they did enter the Octagon together, they brought a firework display that is certainly worthy of a spot in the Hall of Fame Fight Wing. Across five rounds, we saw why Volkanovski is unbeaten in the UFC and in his past 20 fights. After five rounds, he successfully defended his title for the second time through a unanimous decision verdict.

But even in defeat, we saw why “T-City” has a spot among the elite at 145 pounds, with two tight submission attempts in the third round providing one of the most memorable frames in history.

This fight has us LIKE ??? #UFC266 pic.twitter.com/vl86i8JftK
— UFC (@ufc) September 26, 2021

Cejudo Believes Volkanovski vs. Ortega Had Everything

In the eyes of many, the UFC 266 main event was certainly a top contender for the Fight of the Year, in the conversation with the likes of Justin Gaethje vs. Michael Chandler at UFC 268, Max Holloway vs. Yair Rodriguez at UFC Vegas 42, and Ji?í Procházka vs. Dominick Reyes at UFC Vegas 25.

But while many didn’t have Volkanovski’s one and only defense of 2021 in their top spot for the year, one former UFC champion had it there and more. Cejudo, who held both flyweight and bantamweight gold simultaneously during his UFC career, believes the memorable September five-rounder was not only the FOTY, but the greatest fight in the history of mixed martial arts.

“The one I really like the most, I’m going to have to go to with Alexander ‘The Average’ (Volkanovski) and Brian Ortega,” Cejudo said on his podcast with The Schmo. “That isn’t, to me in my eyes, the Fight of the Year, but this is the greatest fight in my eyes in mixed martial arts history. It displayed striking, defense, escaping from submissions, takedowns, takedown defense, I mean, it was everywhere.” (h/t BJPenn.com)

https://www.instagram.com/p/CYXgZgqpeu3/

Having extended his win streak and featherweight reign with victory over Ortega, Volkanovski is now in need of a next challenger after Max Holloway had to withdraw from their UFC 272 bout.

As fate would have it, Cejudo, who has been lobbying to fight Volkanovski for several months, has thrown his name into the ring as a potential short-notice replacement. If selected, maybe Cejudo will be the one on the other end of an all-time classic against Volkanovski.

Triple C to the rescue. @danawhite you have my number. ???? #C4 #bendtheknee https://t.co/Jkppjffm12 pic.twitter.com/CWkSzyNezf
— Henry Cejudo (@HenryCejudo) January 7, 2022

Do you agree with Henry Cejudo? Is Alexander Volkanovski vs. Brian Ortega the greatest fight in MMA history?

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