J. Shields (right) bets on N. Diaz (left) returning to MMA. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram @jakeshields
No matter the years, or what happens, certain fighters always capture the attention of fans, draw crowds and end up becoming celebrities. Nick Diaz is an example of that. The bad boy, who retired in 2015, surprised when he considered returning to MMA and, since then, several athletes have challenged him, but Dana White, president of the UFC, doesn't really believe in it.
However, Jake Shields, one of the veteran's best friends and training partner, is sure that the return will, in fact, happen. To the North American website Sirius XM, Shields revealed that the time away from MMA took Nick to a lot of parties, but he believes that Diaz is willing to make up for lost time.
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“Nick got a little out of control, but we knew he would get back to normal. He never drank, never did anything other than smoke weed, obviously. He dedicated himself completely to training and that was all he did. Afterwards, he got out of line a little, but he's coming back. I think Nick closed that chapter. He is no longer in Las Vegas full time and is training again. We’re seeing the old Nick back,” Shields said.
Shields also hinted that Nick will only fight again if his pay is very advantageous, and thinks that Dana White will try to reduce his value.
“The only big obstacle is money, because Nick knows he is a big star and wants to be paid well. He doesn't want to be robbed. Everyone knows that people will watch a pay-per-view with Nick Diaz. Dana may act like it's not true, but people want to see him fight.”
At 37, Nick Diaz maintains his physical shape by competing in triathlon competitions and helping prepare his younger brother, Nate diaz. The bad boy's last performance was in January 2015, against Anderson Silva, in a fight that was marked by doping on both sides.
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