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Chael Sonnen has weighed in on fellow MMA legend Nick Diaz’s long-awaited return to active combat sports competition.
Nick Diaz’s manager had recently asserted that he would finally be making his comeback in 2021. The older Diaz brother’s manager claimed that there’s a 99.99% chance that Nick would fight next year.
In a video posted on his official YouTube channel, Chael Sonnen has stated that Nick Diaz should fight YouTube megastar and professional boxing prospect Jake Paul next.
Chael Sonnen wants to see Nick Diaz fight at lightweight or middleweight
The American Gangster revealed that he’s a bit confused by Nick Diaz’s current situation. Sonnen noted that Diaz’s management team has been posting videos and photos of Nick training ahead of his potential comeback fight.
Chael Sonnen added that there was also an update of Nick going through a practice weight cut. Sonnen continued by saying that despite all the excitement about Nick making a comeback, the problem is his return still hasn’t come to fruition.
Sonnen also insinuated that he struggles to comprehend why there’s no specific opponent or exact date announced for Nick’s comeback fight.
Additionally, Sonnen opined that if Nick Diaz does end up returning, he’d like to see him compete at either 155 pounds (lightweight) or 185 pounds (middleweight).
Sonnen said that he’s watched many Nick Diaz fights that were contested at welterweight. He added that a fresh start at lightweight or middleweight would be better than once again fighting at welterweight.
One ought to note that Nick Diaz’s last fight was contested in the middleweight division in January 2015. Nick lost via unanimous decision to Anderson Silva.
However, the fight’s result was later overturned to a No Contest (NC), since Silva tested positive for drostanolone and androsterone, whereas Diaz tested positive for marijuana.
Chael Sonnen believes that Nick fighting at welterweight could lead to him bickering with younger brother Nate Diaz as to who gets to fight which opponent in their weight class.
Chael Sonnen says Nick Diaz should fight Jake Paul in a professional boxing match for a big payday
Sonnen also pointed out that perhaps one of the things preventing Nick Diaz from fighting again is his past issues in the state of Nevada (the failed marijuana test in relation to the Anderson Silva fight).
Alternatively, Sonnen highlighted that Nick has also faced issues with USADA, with regard to providing his whereabouts.
That said, Chael Sonnen emphasized that the Nevada and USADA issues took place years ago and they’ve likely already been solved. Sonnen then went on to ask where Nick Diaz stands in the UFC right now, adding that he’d love to see him fight Jake Paul.
“And if he (Nick Diaz) doesn’t have a contract and I’m managing him, I’m not bringing him back to MMA. I’m bringing him in to take on Jake Paul. If he (Nick Diaz) has a free contract as it sits right now, he’s in shape, he’s weighing around 170, (then) I’m getting him the Jake Paul fight.
“I’m gonna get him training. I’m gonna get him to do a weigh-in. I’m gonna get him to go out and compete. I’m gonna get him a jackpot full of money and then I’m gonna bring him back over to MMA. If I’m the manager, that’s the way I’m going to do it. And it seems as though there’s some good options out there right now.”
Furthermore, Chael Sonnen noted that he likes the fact that Nick Diaz’s management team is hyping up his return and garnering the attention of fans ahead of his comeback fight.
Sonnen added, however, that they can’t "keep pulling the rug out" and leave the fans disappointed every time by not having Nick Diaz’s comeback fight come to fruition.
“So the manager is saying that he is 99.99 percent sure that Nick Diaz is going to fight in 2021. Okay, fine. Let me tell you something I’m a hundred percent sure of: If Nick Diaz does not come back and fight in 2021, Nick Diaz is going to have nothing to come back to.” (*H/T Sportskeeda for the transcription)
Would you like to see Nick Diaz fight Jake Paul in a professional boxing match or should Nick’s next fight be an MMA bout in the UFC? Sound off in the comments.
