Dana White Says Nick Diaz Turned Down Lawler Fight, No Interest in Maia
Dana White Says Nick Diaz Turned Down Lawler Fight, No Interest in Maia
UFC President Dana White reveals Nick Diaz has no interest in Robbie Lawler rematch or facing Demian Maia.
UFC fans are eagerly anticipating the return of Nick Diaz, but they’re probably best off not waiting for it to happen against Robbie Lawler if UFC president Dana White is to be believed.
Diaz hasn’t been seen in the UFC Octagon since Jan. 2015 when he faced Anderson Silva at UFC 183. He lost the fight by unanimous decision (46–49, 45–50, and 45–50), but a few days after the fight, the UFC revealed that Diaz had failed his post-fight drug test for marijuana metabolites and he was later suspended for 5 years and banned $165,000.
After an appeal the length of the ban was reduced to 18-months and the fine to $100,000, but with his sentence officially lifted on Aug. 1 2016, he’s yet to return to action despite being linked with several fights.
Speaking on the UFC Unfiltered podcast this week, White talked gave the latest update on Diaz and said he’d offered him a return fight that he’d turned down.
“I offered Nick Diaz the Lawler fight and he turned it down—Lawler accepted the fight,” White told hosts Jim Norton and Matt Serra. “Yup, Lawler accepted the fight and Nick turned it down so I’m looking for something else for Lawler right now.
“I dunno [why he turned it down]. They were terrorizing me saying they want a fight and they wanted to announce it that night at the Sacramento card [UFC on Fox 22]. He was there, it was the right crowd because it was his hometown and he wanted to announce it. I got Robbie Lawler to accept the fight but then I called him and he turned it down. They’ve been radio silent on me ever since.”
White then revealed that Diaz also hadn’t gotten back to him on his latest offer.
“I just reached out to them [again] and suggested a fight with Demian Maia,” White said. “I haven’t heard back from them yet. If Nick doesn’t take it then I’m going to give it to Masvidal.”
With White finished with talking about Diaz, talk moved on to what he had next lined up for former UFC heavyweight champion, Junior dos Santos. The UFC president wasn’t quite ready to show his hand, but did reveal that news could be coming imminently.
“The whole Junior thing has just been crazy,” White admitted. “I’m working on something for Junior right now, but I don’t know who he’s going to fight or what’s going on. I should have an answer for that today.”
Diaz hasn’t been seen in the UFC Octagon since Jan. 2015 when he faced Anderson Silva at UFC 183. He lost the fight by unanimous decision (46–49, 45–50, and 45–50), but a few days after the fight, the UFC revealed that Diaz had failed his post-fight drug test for marijuana metabolites and he was later suspended for 5 years and banned $165,000.
After an appeal the length of the ban was reduced to 18-months and the fine to $100,000, but with his sentence officially lifted on Aug. 1 2016, he’s yet to return to action despite being linked with several fights.
Speaking on the UFC Unfiltered podcast this week, White talked gave the latest update on Diaz and said he’d offered him a return fight that he’d turned down.
“I offered Nick Diaz the Lawler fight and he turned it down—Lawler accepted the fight,” White told hosts Jim Norton and Matt Serra. “Yup, Lawler accepted the fight and Nick turned it down so I’m looking for something else for Lawler right now.
“I dunno [why he turned it down]. They were terrorizing me saying they want a fight and they wanted to announce it that night at the Sacramento card [UFC on Fox 22]. He was there, it was the right crowd because it was his hometown and he wanted to announce it. I got Robbie Lawler to accept the fight but then I called him and he turned it down. They’ve been radio silent on me ever since.”
White then revealed that Diaz also hadn’t gotten back to him on his latest offer.
“I just reached out to them [again] and suggested a fight with Demian Maia,” White said. “I haven’t heard back from them yet. If Nick doesn’t take it then I’m going to give it to Masvidal.”
With White finished with talking about Diaz, talk moved on to what he had next lined up for former UFC heavyweight champion, Junior dos Santos. The UFC president wasn’t quite ready to show his hand, but did reveal that news could be coming imminently.
“The whole Junior thing has just been crazy,” White admitted. “I’m working on something for Junior right now, but I don’t know who he’s going to fight or what’s going on. I should have an answer for that today.”