Nick Diaz remains popular, mysterious before return to UFC

Nick Diaz remains 1 of the astir beloved figures successful the UFC contempt not warring for much than six years and not winning a lucifer successful astir a decade.

The feeling isn’t ever reciprocated.

In 1 of his fewer media appearances earlier his comeback combat against Robbie Lawler astatine UFC 266 connected Saturday astatine T-Mobile Arena, Diaz appeared to question whether each the humor and sweat helium has near successful the cage has been worthy it.

The 38-year-old told ESPN helium harbored resentment for the athletics that has taken truthful overmuch from him implicit the years portion simultaneously expressing excitement astir each the hype for his archetypal bout since January 2015.

A comeback wasn’t ever successful the cards for Diaz aft helium walked distant from contention six years agone facing a five-year suspension for affirmative marijuana tests. That suspension was reduced to 18 months, but Diaz inactive had different plans.

“All the radical astir maine and each the wealth and the sponsors, they won’t fto maine get distant from fighting,” Diaz told ESPN. “There’s things I could do, but that’s not gonna enactment out. I mightiness arsenic good conscionable spell and instrumentality my punches.

“I don’t privation to look backmost and say, ‘Why did I not conscionable bash it?’ I don’t consciousness great. I consciousness large to fight. I don’t consciousness large astir everything (else). If I don’t bash this, I don’t cognize however I’m going to consciousness astir myself.”

Diaz hasn’t mislaid his unpredictability during his hiatus.

He admitted feeling fearful astir the combat moments earlier vowing to situation for the rubric aft helium beats Lawler, whom helium knocked retired astatine UFC 47 successful 2004.

Diaz received a peculiar exemption to marque Saturday’s combat a five-rounder. When helium landed successful Las Vegas this week, helium told UFC president Dana White helium wanted the bout contested astatine 185 pounds alternatively of the contracted 170, a petition agreed to by Lawler.

Then, with the MMA satellite eagerly awaiting his quality astatine media time this week, helium decided not to speak.

Even with 2 rubric fights connected the card, Diaz received by acold the biggest invited from fans astatine Thursday’s quality conference.

The antheral who has often expressed disdain for interviews and cited his discomfort speaking successful nationalist and connected camera soaked up the attraction portion reflecting connected what it was similar to beryllium distant from the spotlight.

“I ever fought 3 to 5 times for 17 years oregon so, and each I ever thought astir was value and what I was going to eat,” helium said. “After a while, you recognize there’s much to life. Then everybody benignant of digs their heels successful you erstwhile you’re down, and it’s benignant of rough. It’s bully to spot a batch of enactment 2 weeks starring up to a fight, but what astir the past 5 years?”

Now helium is returning and considering much appearances.

“I decidedly privation to bash this much often, particularly if I get my ass whooped,” helium said. “If that happens, I privation to travel backmost close away.”

Also connected the 7 p.m. pay-per-view card, featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski volition combat apical contender Brian Ortega. The combat was scheduled for March, but postponed due to the fact that Volkanovski was hospitalized with COVID-19.

Women’s flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko, who has ne'er mislaid astatine 125 pounds, volition support the loop against agelong changeable Lauren Murphy.

“I judge my champion is bully capable to bushed anybody successful the world,” Murphy said. “I emotion the presumption I’m in. I get to daze the world.”

The archetypal bout is astatine 3 p.m., with the preliminary paper starting astatine 5 connected ESPN+.

Contact Adam Hill astatine ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ connected Twitter.