At 38 years old, Nick Diaz believes that he has a few fights left ahead of him. During a recent interview with TMZ Sports, Diaz said that he aims to return to the octagon later this year. Adding to his declaration, Diaz said that he hopes to get a fight with reigning UFC Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman in his return.
“I’d rather fight for the title,” Diaz said.
“If I’m going to fight, I want to fight for the title. That’s the thing and they want to say if I want to fight a bunch of guys and stuff like that. And I’m like, ‘Well, you know what? It’s a bigger fight if you just skip all the mess. I don’t need to go in there and get my ass whooped by one of them young guys anyway. And it’s not that I won’t win, it’s just not motivating to fight somebody that’s, you know…I want to fight for the title.”
Diaz ended a six-year layoff last September with a match against Robbie Lawler. After Lawler stopped Diaz in the third round, UFC President Dana White indicated that he’d like Diaz to retire.
“Regardless of how good he looked and what he did after such a huge layoff, I don’t think Nick should fight,” White told ESPN’s Brett Okamoto.
“He’s a grown man and he can do whatever he wants to do. I just don’t think that Nick does it ‘cause he loves it. I think Nick does it ‘cause he has to do it.”
Contrary to White, Usman has expressed interest in fighting Diaz if the opportunity presented itself. Prior to Diaz’s third-round loss in September, he said that it could be a “fun fight.”
“At the end of the day, if he got everything in order and he’s able to compete, that’s always a fun fight. Nick Diaz,” Usman told TMZ Sports.
“Imagine, Nick Diaz at the top of the bill once more. Nick Diaz fighting for the title. That’s a humungous fight.”
