Nick Diaz is finally free to fight again following one of the most controversial suspensions ever handed out to a combat-sports athlete, which stemmed from his UFC 183 bout with Anderson Silva more than 18 month ago.
Originally handed an astonishing five-year suspension and $165,000 fine from the Nevada State Athletic Commission for his third failed drug test related to marijuana, Diaz (26-9 MMA, 7-6 UFC) later reached a settlement with the commission and had his suspension reduced to 18 months and his fine down to $100,000.
Diaz’s time has been served, but the fine must be paid if he wishes to receive a license to again compete in the state of Nevada. He must also provide clean urine samples 30, 15 and three days from his next bout in Nevada.
The process will be different if Diaz’s next fight is scheduled outside of Nevada, but the end of his suspension ultimately means the fighter can apply for a license in any jurisdiction while not being held back by the suspension.
That’s good news for Diaz, the former Strikeforce welterweight champion whose name was in headlines over the weekend after newly crowned UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley (16-23 MMA, 6-2 UFC) expressed interest in a showdown with the Stockton, Calif., based fighter.
Diaz hasn’t competed since the UFC 183 bout with Silva (a loss that was later overturned to a no-contest when Silva also failed drug tests). He also hasn’t won a fight at all since October 2011, when he beat B.J. Penn by unanimous decision at UFC 137. Since then, Diaz has losses to Carlos Condit and Georges St-Pierre in UFC title fights, which preceded the no-contest with Silva.
Nevertheless, Woodley, the second different fighter to hold the UFC’s 170-pound belt since Diaz last competed, said Diaz is a more-than-deserving contender due to his track record as a top fighter in the sport. Woodley also praised Diaz as a notable draw who can sell out arenas and draw pay-per-view buys.
Whether a fight against “The Chosen One” for UFC gold is realistic for Diaz is a decision UFC brass must make, but regardless of whom or when he fights, Diaz will be coming back to an very different organization than the one he last fought for in January 2015.
Not only does the UFC have new owners after its announced $4 billion sale to WME-IMG in July, but the inner workings of the company are vastly different, as well.
The next time Diaz enters the UFC octagon, he won’t be wearing the Metal Mulisha fight shorts that have become so familiar on him. Instead, like the rest of the UFC roster, he’ll be decked out in Reebok gear after the company partnered with the UFC for its Athlete Outfitting Program in July 2015 (Diaz will make $10,000 in sponsorship money for his next non-title fight).
Additionally, Diaz will be subject to testing by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), which partnered with the UFC roughly a year ago to oversee drug testing of the company’s roster. Diaz has already been subject to USADA testing and received one test sometime during the second quarter of this year. Fortunately for him, however, recreational drugs – specifically marijuana – are not part of the out-of-competition docket of banned substances.
The business and regulatory side of the sport aren’t the only things to have changed since Diaz fought nearly 18 months ago. There’s been major change in the career of fighters Diaz is closely linked too, as well.
His most recent opponent, Silva (33-8 MMA, 16-4 UFC), served a yearlong suspension for his failed drug tests from UFC 183 and came back to lose a top-contender bout against now-UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping at UFC Fight Night 84 in February. After that, “The Spider” stepped up to fight Daniel Cormier on just two days’ notice at UFC 200 in July, and he lost a unanimous decision to drop his winless skid to an astonishing five fights.
St-Pierre (25-2 MMA, 19-2 UFC), one of Diaz’s biggest career rivals and the longtime UFC welterweight titleholder, is still sitting in the comforts of what’s essentially a retirement after beating Diaz at UFC 158 in March 2013 and taking an indefinite hiatus from competition not long after. “Rush” is apparently gearing up for a comeback, though, and if he can work through contractual issues with the UFC, he could be another option for new 170-pound champ Woodley.
Although the Diaz name was at a low after Nick’s baffling suspension and eventual reduction, his brother, Nate Diaz (19-10 MMA, 14-8 UFC), has brought the brand to a high point over the past four months. He pulled off a stunning upset of Conor McGregor at UFC 196 in March in what was the UFC’s most successful mainstream fight attraction in several years.
As Nick Diaz enters an area of freedom in his career, his younger brother enters the most significant opportunity of his career when he rematches featherweight champ McGregor in the non-title welterweight main event of UFC 202 on Aug. 20, which takes place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and airs on pay-per-view.
There are still a few steps Diaz must clear before his UFC comeback fight, particularly if it happens in Nevada. However, it’s hard to imagine any of that taking priority over his brother’s fight later this month, where he’ll almost surely be in his corner.