Following a surprise announcement last year, fight fans learned that Stockton's own Nick Diaz was gearing up for another Octagon return that would take place against Vicente Luque. The matchup was initially set for the UFC's Abu Dhabi event on August 3 before it was pushed back to UFC 310 which took place in Las Vegas last month.
The last time that Diaz made a comeback was in 2021 where both before and after his loss to Robbie Lawler, there were serious concerns regarding his health. This was the same in the lead up to his bout with Luque which ended up being removed from the card with Luque going on to face and submit Themba Gorimbo in the final PPV card of 2024.
A video that went viral on social media several days after the news that Diaz would be in action on December 7 prompted further worries as the former welterweight title challenger appeared to be trying to light grass on fire whilst being shirtless at the side of a road. Having not won a fight since 2011, many were critical of him returning in 2021 from a competition point of view alone.
Following this period of concern, a close friend of Diaz's gave a promising update about his current situation. His long-time training partner Jake Shields recently stated that this has been a difficult period for both the 41-year old and his loved ones.
However, Shields is optimistic that things are now on the up for the fan favorite who has been dealing with "some stuff" behind the scenes.
He’s doing a lot better,” Shields said on The Overdogs podcast. “I’m not going to get into anything personal with him. But he had some stuff that’s been going on for a little while and he’s finally heading in the right direction. “So, I’m hopeful for Nick because he’s like a brother of mine, one of my best friends.
"Life’s tough sometimes, ups and downs, and things can happen. Nick was dealing with something, and I think he’s headed in the right direction. I haven’t felt that way in a long time. I finally feel a lot better about that situation. We’ll see, time will tell. I’m so close to him so it’s painful watching you know someone struggle with some things. But I think he’s going to be finally better.
