Report: Nick Diaz vs. Robbie Lawler Changed To Middleweight Bout

Diaz was originally set to make his return at UFC 266 in a welterweight rematch with former champion Lawler.

Nick Diaz Lawler

The welterweight bout between Nick Diaz and Robbie Lawler will no longer be a welterweight bout.

That’s according to Ariel Helwani who reported Tuesday that as per sources, the rematch between the pair set to take place at UFC 266 this Saturday night will now be a middleweight contest.

There is no reason revealed for the change. However, the bout will remain a special five-round contest.

“For the uninformed, that means it has gone from a 170-pound bout to 185. Both fighters have a history of fighting at 170 and 185, and both have expressed a desire to cut less weight these days,” Helwani noted.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CT1EEdrLzqL/

If one were to fathom a guess, it’s probable that the request came from Diaz, and that’s understandable given not only his struggles leading up to a fight week, but his long layoff.

Diaz is returning to action against Lawler in what will be his first outing inside the Octagon since January 2015 when he fought Anderson Silva to what is now a no contest.

As for Lawler, this will be his first outing in just over a year, having last competed in a unanimous decision defeat to Neil Magny in August last year. Overall, the former welterweight king has lost his last four in a row.

Diaz and Lawler first competed against each other at UFC 47 back in 2004 with the Stockton native coming out on top with a memorable second-round knockout victory.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkujsUAU1rk

Published on September 21, 2021 at 7:53 pm
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