Nick Diaz will fight again in 2022, his coach has revealed.
Cesar Gracie, the head coach of Cesar Gracie BJJ and the coach of the elder Diaz brother, took to social media to reveal that Nick will fight again this year. The news came as a surprise to many, as there had been no talk about Nick Diaz competing again since his loss to Robbie Lawler last year.
“Look for @nickdiaz209 to fight by the end of the year,” Cesar Gracie wrote on Instagram.
Nick Diaz made his return to the Octagon last September at UFC 266 in a middleweight rematch against Robbie Lawler. Early on, the Stockton native looked impressive but it was Lawler who ended up winning by third-round TKO.
After the fight, Dana White said he was impressed by Diaz’s performance but he doesn’t think the fan favorite wants to fight anymore. With that, he thought the Stockton native should retire.
“I was very impressed with his comeback in September. I had conversations with Robbie Lawler [who beat Diaz] and he had nothing but respect for him and how he fought,” Dana White said to ESPN. “But regardless of how good Diaz looked, what he did after such a huge layoff, I don’t think Nick should fight. He’s a grown man, he can do whatever he wants. But I just don’t think Nick does this because he loves it. He does it because he has to do it. People always ask me what’s the key to success. It’s all about being happy and doing what you love.”
At the time, many thought Diaz would retire but now it appears he will be stepping inside the Octagon again. The only thing uncertain is when and who he will face, but there’s no question if he does fight again it will be against a big name and be a must-watch fight.
Who would you like to see Nick Diaz fight next in his return?