The suspension is lifted. Yes, those cursed Tetrahydrocannabinol metabolites that kept Nick Diaz from fighting all this time have relinquished their legal hold. In an insane, new era of MMA, Diaz will return to a climate where his brother is becoming one of the top earners and USADA has laid waste to the guys on "roids". It seems like Diaz wasted no time to get back into the spotlight, although he didn't have much of a choice. Tyron Woodley called out both him and Georges St-Pierre, and in this game something like that requires a response. Woodley recognizes the fight formula has changed, and he wants the money fights. However, a call out may not be enough for Diaz to agree, especially not a "fake plastic belt".
"It's going to be a bloodbath", Nick Diaz said when asked by Brett Okamoto about his return on ESPN. It wsa a mix of nostalgia, releif and laughs to see Diaz talking about fighting again. In some ways, the interview was a Diaz classic and, in other ways, it was a Diaz that seemed... different. When asked about his next opponent he would say something vague, then go into specifics. A talking style which is familiar Diaz. "I've beat the guys, that have beat these guys, that have beat the guys that these guys have beat. I think that we're going to have to go from here and see who's going to be fighting who soon."
Of course, it wouldn't be a Diaz interview without asking about St-Pierre. Especially since it seems like Woodley and St-Pierre is at least verbally agreed to. "I think he just likes to talk and be like ok, I am still relevent here," Diaz said when asked if he though GSP would really return. "But realistically, now that the way that they are testing? I mean, they've come to my house, they've been to my house like six times already. I'm not even fighting, I'm suspended. So I'm like, why are guys showing up you at my house?" Diaz went on to talk about USADA looking for him in Stockton while he's off in Vegas. Keep in mind, Diaz was not present during the USADA random testing and he wants to remind everyone that neither was St-Pierre.
"They never had to do that to George, when I fought George St-Pierre in Canada, first of all, somebody freaking drugged me, ok? That guy didn't make weight. The commision come up and tell me he's not going to make weight," Diaz said, exploding people's brains. "There was something funny about that fight. I'm just saying. [...] We all pissed in a film case and they al put scotch tape on top." Yes, something 'funny" was going on for sure.
So, the million dollar question is just who Diaz's next opponent will be. The choice, logical or not, that stuck out in the internet's hive mind is Robbie Lawler. "No he just lost, tha'ts not a fight that interests me," Diaz replied when asked about Lawler as his return opponent, crushing our dreams. Crossing off Lawler and GSP off the list (with Woodley being a big "if"), it hurts the brain to decide what the big money fight for Diaz would be, but it seems like Diaz just might have someone in mind.
"I don't see a superstar out there. I dont see Geroges St-Pierre coming back. He's too scared to come back and do a fight wtih me and the rest of these guys are not superstars to me. Who are they? I don't even wanna say their name cause nobody's even heard it until I say something, and now everybody knows who the guy is."
As usual, Diaz leaves his audience sometimes with more questions than to start. One thing is for sure though, it is damn good to have him back.
