Earlier in the week, former Strikeforce welterweight champion Nick Diaz generated a lot of talk after revealing that he had completed a 14-week diet and training regime with a view of returning to UFC competition.
According to ESPN’s Ariel Helwani, Diaz is eyeing a return to the Octagon in 2021 and has been keeping a close eye on how things are playing out in his former stomping ground at 170 pounds.
It’s been over five years since we have seen Diaz compete. The 37-year-old hasn’t fought since his decision loss to Anderson Silva in January, 2015. That fight was later overturned to become a No Contest.
Diaz has talked about returning to regular fights in the UFC for on multiple occasions, though this seems to be his biggest statement yet.
However, UFC President Dana White appears to be tempering his expectations of a Nick Diaz comeback.
“The Nick Diaz thing: First of all, we would’ve never released that or done that,” White told reporters following DWCS Season 4: Week 6 in reference to the details shared about Diaz’s trial diet and training. [H/T MMA Fighting]. “We’ll see how this thing plays out. I don’t have any expectations, whatsoever. We’ll see what happens.”
White confirmed that he has spoken to Diaz personally about an Octagon return during the former’s five-year hiatus. However, he appears skeptical due to those previous talks not bearing any fruit.
“Yeah, there’s been talking,” White added. “But there’s been talking for years.”
