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[SickNasty]

Strikeforce welterweight champion Nick Diaz has on paper admitted his role in a brawl following April's "Strikeforce: Nashville" event, according to his representative.

Diaz on Monday sent the Tennessee Athletic Commission a "consent order" that will trigger a three-month suspension from professional competition.

However, the fighter will not be licensed in time for a Strikeforce event planned for Aug. 21 in which he was considered for a possible eight-man middleweight tournament.

Cesar Gracie, Diaz's manager and trainer, said Tuesday that the fighter included his fine with the consent order as part of a reduced punishment for his role in the brawl, though he did not disclose the amount his client paid.

Diaz is among five fighters the TAC targeted for a fine and suspension as a result of an ugly in-cage brawl that erupted after Strikeforce middleweight champion Jake Shields defended his title with a win over Dan Henderson in the main event of April's CBS-broadcast "Strikeforce: Nashville" event. At the time, the commission declined to name the fighters, though sources later confirmed Diaz, Shields, Gilbert Melendez, Jason Miller and Nate Diaz were the participants recommended for punishment.

If they chose to defend themselves at a TAC hearing, the five fighters each faced a possible nine-month suspension. Additionally, three faced a $20,000 fine each, while two faced a charge of $7,500 (the amount of each fighter's fine is unknown).

However, the suspension and fine could be reduced to a 90-day suspension and $5,000 fine if each fighter agreed to the consent order. The suspension begins upon the TAC's receipt of the documents.

Christopher Garrett, director of communications for the state of Tennessee, on Tuesday confirmed with MMAjunkie.com (UFC blog for UFC news, UFC rumors, fighter interviews and event previews/recaps | MMAjunkie.com) that Jake Shields and Jason Miller have also sent in the documents.

Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker raised eyebrows this past Wednesday following "Strikeforce: Los Angeles" when he revealed he was unaware whether the welterweight champion had sent in the paperwork that would begin the suspension.

"We will definitely have Nick Diaz back before the end of the year," Coker said.

Yet during an interview with MMAjunkie.com the day after the Los Angeles event, the Strikeforce CEO said Diaz was under consideration for a potential eight-man tournament, a multi-event affair planned to begin Aug. 21 if Strikeforce middleweight champion Jake Shields chose to vacate his belt.

Gracie initially questioned the commission's power to keep Nick Diaz from fighting and said he considered booking the fighter at DREAM.15 in Japan, though he later backed off the idea.

Coker was unavailable for comment at the time of this writing.

Diaz (22-7 MMA, 3-0 SF) most recently headlined DREAM.14 and submitted Japanese veteran Hayato Sakurai. Prior to that, he took the vacant Strikeforce 170-pound title with a TKO victory over Marius Zaramoskis at "Strikeforce: Miami."

Source : Strikeforce welterweight champion Nick Diaz's camp: The check's in the mail | MMAjunkie.com

[mma #1 fan]

Nick should stay @ 170lbs . Off topic but what if Dana says fuck it and goes after Nick we all know he is after Jake. Newt would be Gilbert . Hell Dana has said a few times he would like to have AO

[willpunisher]

fucking bullshit if you ask me.
why should the tennessee comission keep that money? fuck that. Strikeforce should had given them a suspension and taken part of the money out of Diaz purse or some shit.
what will be their excuse? we are using the money to make sure this type of thing wont happen again? get the fuck outta here.

[SickNasty]

If you get suspended by the athletic commission in one state can you compete in another state? Anyone know how that works?

[sproggy]

Originally Posted by SickNasty

If you get suspended by the athletic commission in one state can you compete in another state? Anyone know how that works?

My understanding is that other states will stick by the suspension.

[sonofsteven]

Originally Posted by willpunisher

fucking bullshit if you ask me.
why should the tennessee comission keep that money? fuck that. Strikeforce should had given them a suspension and taken part of the money out of Diaz purse or some shit.
what will be their excuse? we are using the money to make sure this type of thing wont happen again? get the fuck outta here.

Hookers and blow don't come cheap man . It is BS though . This is not ganna keep a damn thing from happening again , especially with Nick Diaz .

[sonofsteven]

Originally Posted by mma #1 fan

Nick should stay @ 170lbs . Off topic but what if Dana says fuck it and goes after Nick we all know he is after Jake. Newt would be Gilbert . Hell Dana has said a few times he would like to have AO

AO in the UFC would have some intresting matches . JDS and Kongo quickly comes to mind . Allistair better work on TD defense and ground game if he doesn't want to get ground into dust by the likes of Cain V. or subbed by Mir .