Diaz (photo) refused a rematch with Condit. Photo: Josh Hedges/UFC
Dana White, president of the UFC, revealed, in a press conference after UFC on Fox 9, that Nick Diaz refused a rematch against Carlos Condit.
The two fighters faced each other at UFC 143, in Las Vegas (United States), on February 24, 2012. Condit prevailed in the judges' decision and won the interim welterweight title, as the champion, Georges St Pierre, was sidelined due to injury.
White stated that it was in his interest to hold the rematch. He spoke personally with Diaz while Demetrious Johnson e Joseph Benavidez entered the octagon for the main event of the night. Even though Condit accepted the proposal immediately, Diaz did not agree with the idea.
“He doesn’t want the fight. You guys know Nick. He does not want. I thought he wanted the rematch. He would be number 1 versus number 10 [in the UFC rankings], and if Nick won, he would be back at the top of the division. He said he wasn’t interested,” Dana explained.
However, the fighter left open the possibility of returning to the UFC in the first half of 2014. “He said he is thinking about returning in May,” said White.
Diaz's last appearance in the UFC octagon was in March, when he lost to St. Pierre.
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