Nick Diaz was given a serious suspension of five years after he tested positive for marijuana metabolites at UFC 183. Nick Diaz took on Anderson Silva in the 185-pound division in a super-fight at UFC 183. On September 14, 2015, Diaz was handed a 5 year suspension by the Nevada Athletic Commission. He was also fined $165,000 following his failed drug test.
Nick Diaz appeled the ruling, and four months later in January 2016, the sentence was reduced to 3 years, and the fine was reduced to $100,000. The ban was lifted on August 2016. Having not fought since September of 2015, Diaz will finally make his UFC return against former rival Robbie Lawler in a rematch after almost 17 years since they first shared the UFC Octagon.
The fight will take place in the UFC’s middleweight division, and will be a five round featured bout. It is only the second time in the history of the UFC, that a featured bout will be a five round fight. The first time that a featured bout was a five round fight was when Nick’s younger brother Nate Diaz fought Leon Edwards at UFC 263.
How has the marijuana ban affected Nick Diaz?
Nick Diaz had accused the UFC and the commission for doing everything in their power to halt his growth as argubaly one of the greatest mixed martial artist of all time. Not that he is still not considered one, the marijuana ban has definitely taken some of the best Nick Diaz years away from fight fans, and Nick himself.
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Diaz was also not able to corner his little brother Nate Diaz during the highly anticipated bouts with Conor McGregor. Over the years, many fight fans have expressed their unhappiness over Diaz’s ban. As things stand today, marijuana is no longer considered a banned substance, and fighters can now get away for using marijuana as it has no proven performance enhancing advantage.
Diaz continues to be one of the biggest name in the world of mixed martial arts, and has cemented his legacy as one of the most impactful fighters in the history of the sport. Do you think Nick Diaz can beat Robbie Lawler once again at UFC 264? Do let us know in the comments section?
