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Former Strikeforce welterweight champion Nick Diaz is in talks with UFC brass for a potential comeback in the near future. UFC president Dana White revealed at the UFC 261 post-fight press conference that the UFC veteran has shown interest in fighting once again. White said:
“Nick wants to fight. Sure, (we’ll give him one). We’ll see how this goes. He’s waiting for me in the back right now. I’m going to go talk to him.”
Furthermore, Dana White did not refute the idea of matching Nick Diaz against someone from the up-and-coming crop, namely Swedish fighter Khamzat Chimaev. However, it wouldn't be fair to square the UFC veteran up against a rising prospect, considering that Diaz is now 37-years-old.
Here, we look at three possible opponents for Nick Diaz. Citing the former UFC top-drawer's stardom, we have listed likely matchups that could make for a blockbuster fight:
#3 Nick Diaz vs Jorge Masvidal
Jorge Masvidal's stock will certainly see a dip following his second consecutive loss to the welterweight champion, Kamaru Usman. At UFC 261, Gamebred fell short in his attempt to claim the throne as he was brutally knocked out in the second round by The Nigerian Nightmare.
Nick Diaz, who was in attendance at UFC 261, could possibly trade blows with Jorge Masvidal next. The Miami native is 3-4 in his last seven UFC outings, so the match against Nick doesn't sound unreasonable. Furthermore, when Masvidal put a brutal beatdown on Nate Diaz at UFC 244, Nick called out the BMF titleholder in an interview with ESPN. Nick Diaz said:
“You want to talk about baptizing my younger brother? That’s on you. I never had nothing disrespectful to say.
"But you don’t talk about baptizing my younger brother. You’re already in a f***ing position if you fight with me. You don’t talk like that to nobody."
#2 Nick Diaz vs Carlos Condit
Carlos Condit and Nick Diaz first met at UFC 143 in 2012. The fight was a constant back-and-forth where Condit was ultimately declared the victor via unanimous decision. However, many MMA pundits ruled the decision in favor of Nick Diaz.
Carlos Condit, who is currently riding a two-fight winning streak, could very well be the fighter to welcome Nick Diaz back to the UFC canvas. In fact, the rematch seems to have piqued the interest of the veteran fighter.
In an interview with MMA Junkie, Condit revealed his interest in settling the score with Nick Diaz. Condit said:
"That fight is intriguing to me, intriguing to a lot of fans. If I go out there and handle business like I think will on Saturday, that one is definitely in my sight. It’s an interesting matchup, there was controversy, and why not?"
#1 Nick Diaz vs Robbie Lawler
Nick Diaz's initial meeting against Robbie Lawler was nothing short of iconic. The Stockton native, at 20 years old, delivered one of his finest performances at UFC 47 when he knocked out "Ruthless" in the second round.
Robbie Lawler (28-15), who has been out of action since UFC Fight Night 175, claims to be ready to make a comeback. in an interview with MMA Junkie, Lawler discussed being unfazed despite being on a four-fight losing streak. Lawler said:
"There’s no such thing as pressure really. It’s just what we do. Sometimes you compete a little bit better, sometimes you don’t. But no pressure."
Since UFC 47, Nick Diaz and Robbie Lawler have gone on to solidify themselves as the finest welterweights in the world. it would be interesting to see how a rematch between the two fighters plays out.
