Nick Diaz has two ruptured neck discs en route to his UFC comeback fight with Robbie Lawler, but will not withdraw from competition for financial reasons I chose to
Diaz, 39, last September fought in the UFC for the first time in over seven years when he faced former champion Lawler for the first time in 17 years since his first fight. The fan favorite didn't go as planned as he was verbally submitted to Lawler in the third round, marking his first stop loss in MMA in nearly two decades.
The UFC veteran looked well above his best in the rematch and admitted there was "a lot of stress" heading into the fight. Diaz's longtime jiu-jitsu coach, Cesar Gracie, has revealed that Diaz recently underwent surgery for his injury after attending a rematch with Lawler with numbness in his hand.
"He was in that game and his neck was pretty battered," Gracie told Submission Radio. As the match progresses we see Nick weakening. So, Nick had very recent surgery here seven weeks ago. had numbness in his hands. That's why he didn't. You can't make 170 pounds. He fought at 185 pounds because it was impossible to train.
Gracie admitted that part of Diaz's decision not to withdraw from the game was due to his outstanding debt to the Nevada State Athletic Commission. He was fined $100,000 and suspended for 18 months after testing positive for marijuana after a match with Anderson Silva. He still owed the Nevada Commission $75,000 before his rematch with Lawler.
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Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)"Nick pretty much had to endure that fight," added Gracie. What people don't know is that the Vegas board was still demanding money. Remember the marijuana test we didn't pass? I said I owe it to I think it was an insane amount of money.
Last July, the Nevada State Commission announced it would stop punishing combatants who tested positive for marijuana. Despite the new ruling, Diaz was still ordered to pay the fine, Gracie added. do i still have to pay? Is it legal now? ".Nick really didn't have the best contract in the world, so they said, 'I'll pay you more, but you've got to fight this fight on this day.'".
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