Former Strikeforce welterweight champion Nick Diaz is eager to make a splash upon his return to the UFC. Although he hasn’t secured a win since beating BJ Penn back in 2011, the 42-year-old Diaz, who recently completed rehab for substance abuse, is now considering a comeback and aims to reclaim a world title.
Diaz has expressed interest in immediately facing top UFC champions. Primarily a 170-pound fighter, Diaz has also competed at middleweight and hopes his first bout back—after a five-year hiatus—will be for a championship in either division. In an interview with Full Violence, he stated, “I wish they would have given me a title fight right away, but I have to fight for it. I don’t care if it’s 185 pounds or 170 pounds. I can fight at 185 pounds, but I want to fight at 170 pounds.” When asked about opponents, he mentioned both Islam Makhachev and Khamzat Chimaev, claiming he believed he could have defeated either. Diaz emphasized the importance of the right approach and matchup. However, his confident remarks have sparked some backlash from fans who dubbed him “delusional” on social media.
Diaz’s most recent fight was a TKO loss to Robbie Lawler at UFC 266 in July 2021. Their rematch came 17 years after Diaz famously knocked Lawler out. In this bout, Lawler secured victory when Diaz could not continue into the third round. Reflecting on that fight, Diaz admitted that despite returning to training, he wasn’t able to reach the necessary athletic level to compete effectively. He clarified that his mindset going in was more about finishing what he started rather than winning, acknowledging that the fight conditions were challenging given his long hiatus.
Fan Take: Nick Diaz’s potential return is huge news for MMA enthusiasts because he remains one of the sport’s most charismatic and unpredictable figures. His willingness to challenge the very best right away could lead to some electrifying matchups, injecting fresh excitement into the UFC’s welterweight and middleweight divisions.
