Nick Diaz has provided an update on the improvements needed before fighting again.
After retiring for nearly seven years, Diaz made his Octagon return against Robbie Lawler at UFC 266. Fans questioned if he was fighting again for a paycheck, and the result didn’t help those concerns. The 39-year-old suffered a third-round TKO loss where he seemingly ran out of gas.
Robbie Lawler checking on Nick Diaz after their rematch is a special moment 👏 (via @ufc) pic.twitter.com/1HDBnBNNe0
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) October 5, 2021
Cesar Gracie later revealed that Diaz couldn’t fully train because of two ruptured disks in his neck. The former Strikeforce champion had this to say while speaking with YouTuber Dr. Beau Hightower:
“I have a little bit of — a few neck issues. My L5 and my S1. Lower back stuff. I’m just not as agile as I was. Just lack of training, I think… I used to just jump back into sparring, five 5-minute rounds. Teach class and train all day. I still do that, but I gotta map it out and put miles on the road. I need to do some strengthening work. Leg strength and lower back stuff, just to pull all that stuff together.”
Despite MMA fans insisting Diaz retire again, the 39-year-old plans to fight in 2023. Luckily, he seems aware that significant changes need to be made. Only time will tell if the former Strikeforce champion can flip the script and secure his first UFC win since October 2011.
Nick Diaz says most of his injuries aren’t from fighting
Nick Diaz’s ruptured disks in his neck created concerns about severe injuries occurring in training. During the same discussion with Dr. Beau Hightower, the Stockton native revealed that most of his recent injuries had nothing to do with fighting in the Octagon or even training. He had this to say:
“Most of these injuries that I have, they’re not from fighting. I fell off a bike, and I got in a few street fights, and I end up all f**ked up.”
Although nostalgia from Diaz’s prime can be tempting, an Octagon return could be risky. The 39-year-old had a disappointing performance against Robbie Lawler, but there could be improvements if he’s 100% healthy. Nonetheless, it would probably be for the better if the Stockton native retired permanently.
.@CesarGracieBJJ reveals Nick Diaz "had to" fight Robbie Lawler because “the commission in Vegas was still demanding their money":
“Nick, he had his back on the wall. And it was one of those unfortunate things where he had to fight, and that's it”
🎥: https://t.co/RL61NTFcz2 pic.twitter.com/dLGbOJCcPk
— Submission Radio (@SubmissionRadio) August 8, 2022
