UFC Welterweight Nick Diaz (26-9 MMA, 7-7 UFC) received a five-year suspension and $165,000 fine for positive marijuana tests on the day of his January 31st bout with Anderson Silva at UFC 183.
Diaz tested positive for the substance twice in the past and the commission factored his repeat offender status into the punishment.
Im pretty pissed off, Diaz told MMAjunkie.com after the hearing. First of all, this sport, this commission and everybody, theyve done everything they can to keep me from being all the way on top where I should be. Theyve been doing everything they could to keep me from proving to the world that Im the best fighter in the world, which I am.
Those people are nothing but a bunch of crooks up there. The reason why I became a fighter, on top of a handful of reasons, was so that I dont have to break the law. People around me in my community, people I know, they dont have to break the law either. We even did a lot of good.
They got me in here sweating bullets in a freaking court room with my lawyers because they all think Im going to flip out and do something really nuts like I was about this close to doing. I just think that its bullsh-t. Ill fight anybody in this whole sport. Ill beat everybody that Ive already beat guys that are on the top right now. This is the sort of reason that people dont understand that Im the best fighter in the world. They dont understand that.
What makes this case particularly eye turning is that his opponent in the bout he tested positive in, Anderson Silva, also tested positive for a banned substance. In the days after the fight, it was revealed that Silva tested positive for Drostanolone and Androstane, two anabolic steroids, in pre-fight drug screening on January 9, 2015.
Silva admitted to using the drugs the night before the fight as therapy to control stress and help him sleep; however, Silva’s team was unable to explain the presence of androsterone in the Jan. 9 test.
The commission rejected the defense and suspended him for one year retroactive to the date of the fight. He was also fined his full win bonus, as well as 30% of his show money, totaling $380,000. His victory was overturned to a no contest.
Nick Diaz is a true MMA veteran that any hardcore fan will raise a flag for. After making his debut in 2001 with a first round submission win, he fought an astounding 6 times in 2002.
But that is just whom Nick Diaz is; a vegan, tri-athlete who is also very truculent with MMA brass and State sports officials, factors which has cost him career-wise.
Tales of Nick Diaz missing flights and not arriving to fight week on time are rampant behind the curtain at the UFC. After fighting Joe Diesel Riggs at UFC 57 in 2006, the legendary brawl between the two in the emergency room they were both being treated in is now mythical and was just one of the incidents he has had to grapple over with the NSAC.
“He knocked half of my tooth out,” recalled Riggs. “I saw it flying out and all I could think about was my wedding rehearsal I had to go to. Thank God it turned out only to be my molar. We were like two pit bulls in a china shop,” said Riggs. “It was one of most crazy things I’ve ever been involved in. Hes fking crazy. Who would punch somebody at a hospital? I wouldnt. That guys nuts.
Both Diaz and Riggs were fined with Riggs recounting to Spots Illustrated that he lost $8,000 of his $40,000-$50,000 purse from that incident he claims Diaz started.
When Japans biggest MMA promotion, PRIDE FC came to Las Vegas, Nick Diaz had a stunning submission victory over Japanese sensation Takanori Gomi on PRIDE 33. But the victory was overturned by the NSAC to a no contest following a positive test for marijuana metabolites.
Diaz understands that marijuana is a point of contention for State Athletic Commissions and in the combat sports world; Nevada is the gold standard in regulation. If other Commissions follow suit it will be hard for Diaz to be licensed anywhere domestically, which would have him return to the cage in 5 years when he is 36 years old.
That is ancient for an MMA fighter.
With the MMA world in an uproar over the decision and the disparities in punishments, the world will watch to see if Diaz will be able to compete again anytime soon.
