UFC president Dana White doesn’t believe Nick Diaz should fight again.
Diaz made his long-awaited return to the Octagon for the first time since January 2015 when he faced Robbie Lawler in a welterweight rematch at UFC 266 back in September.
Despite the long layoff, Diaz looked better than most expected as he turned back the clock at times. However, there was certainly some ring rust and aging that was evident as Diaz eventually succumbed to a third-round TKO defeat.
Leading up to the fight even being booked, White harbored doubts as to whether Diaz really wanted to compete. Even during fight week, Diaz seemed somewhat confused about why he was fighting Lawler in the first place.
That was made more evident when former welterweight title challenger and teammate Jake Shields claimed Diaz was pressured into fighting earlier than expected.
Dana White: Nick Diaz Fighting Because He Has To Do It
The most likely theory is that Diaz fought purely for the paycheck but for now, we’ll never know unless Diaz comes out and explains the whole story.
But should he want to fight again, White doesn’t seem to be a fan of the idea — regardless of how good he felt the Stockton native looked in there against Lawler.
“Very impressed…but regardless of how good he looked and what he did after such a huge layoff, I don’t think Nick should fight,” White told ESPN’s Brett Okamoto. “… I just don’t think that Nick does it because he loves it. I think Nick does it because he has to do it.”
“It’s all about being happy and doing what you love. It seems to me like when I always talk about the people who sit in bumper-to-bumper traffic and go to a job they hate, that’s what I feel like when Nick Diaz is getting ready for a fight. He’s in bumper-to-bumper traffic going to a job that he doesn’t love at all. It’s actually fascinating. For a guy who’s been out as long as he has — nothing but respect for Nick.”
Of course, if Diaz truly wants to fight, White won’t stop him. But as things stand, we may have seen the last of Diaz — at least in a UFC Octagon.
You can watch the full interview below:
