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Former Strikeforce welterweight champion Nick Diaz is currently coming to the end of his 12-month suspension under the Nevada State Athletic Commission for having trace amounts of marijuana metabolites in his system after his urine analysis after UFC 143.
Diaz faced Carlos Condit at the event for the UFC interim welterweight belt as champion Georges St. Pierre tore his ACL in training camp preparing to fight Daiz.
The two top welterweights traded blows back-and-forth for five consecutive close rounds with the judges ringside giving a unanimous decision to Condit, making him the interim champion. The close nature of the fight caused many to believe Diaz won and a rematch was in order. After the bout, the controversy forced UFC president Dana White to schedule a rematch, but days later the NSAC would announce the positive test results and suspend Diaz.
Diaz's suspension ends in February of 2013, and White has made it clear that Diaz will need to beat a top ranked welterweight to get another title shot. Recently, top-ranked welterweight Josh Koscheck has called out the former champion, and according to Diaz's trainer Cesar Gracie, that's also a fight they're interested in.
"I heard Dana White's statements saying that Nick will have to fight someone before having another chance at the title shot," Cesar Gracie told Tatame.com.br. "And there are a lot of fighters out there who would love this fight, like Demian Maia and Josh Koscheck, and they know that facing Nick Diaz is synonymous with a great fight. I do not think Nick will have a problem facing any of them.
"Personally, I like the option of him fighting Koscheck. A guy who is very popular here in the United States, has great public recognition, everyone knows who he is, especially here. Demian Maia is a great fighter, I think it would also be a great opponent, but here in America he is not as popular as Koscheck. So, I think Nick probably will face Josh Koscheck in his return to the Octagon."
Condit is currently scheduled to fight St. Pierre at UFC 154 to unify the welterweight titles. According to Gracie, St. Pierre will likely defeat Condit at UFC 154.
"GSP will probably win," Cesar said. "I do not think Condit will be able to prevent his takedowns and I honestly do not know if he has any notion of Jiu-Jitsu to amaze GSP. One of the advantages that Condit has is that GSP has been inactive for almost two years, and it always brings some difficulty for those who are returning.
"We do not believe that Condit will win, it is possible, but we do not expect for this result. I believe Condit will repeat what he did in the last fight, run, not seek combat, and the public does not want to see it again. They want to see the fight between GSP and Nick."
Former Strikeforce welterweight champion Nick Diaz is currently coming to the end of his 12-month suspension under the Nevada State Athletic Commission for having trace amounts of marijuana metabolites in his system after his urine analysis after UFC 143.
Diaz faced Carlos Condit at the event for the UFC interim welterweight belt as champion Georges St. Pierre tore his ACL in training camp preparing to fight Daiz.
The two top welterweights traded blows back-and-forth for five consecutive close rounds with the judges ringside giving a unanimous decision to Condit, making him the interim champion. The close nature of the fight caused many to believe Diaz won and a rematch was in order. After the bout, the controversy forced UFC president Dana White to schedule a rematch, but days later the NSAC would announce the positive test results and suspend Diaz.
Diaz's suspension ends in February of 2013, and White has made it clear that Diaz will need to beat a top ranked welterweight to get another title shot. Recently, top-ranked welterweight Josh Koscheck has called out the former champion, and according to Diaz's trainer Cesar Gracie, that's also a fight they're interested in.
"I heard Dana White's statements saying that Nick will have to fight someone before having another chance at the title shot," Cesar Gracie told Tatame.com.br. "And there are a lot of fighters out there who would love this fight, like Demian Maia and Josh Koscheck, and they know that facing Nick Diaz is synonymous with a great fight. I do not think Nick will have a problem facing any of them.
"Personally, I like the option of him fighting Koscheck. A guy who is very popular here in the United States, has great public recognition, everyone knows who he is, especially here. Demian Maia is a great fighter, I think it would also be a great opponent, but here in America he is not as popular as Koscheck. So, I think Nick probably will face Josh Koscheck in his return to the Octagon."
Condit is currently scheduled to fight St. Pierre at UFC 154 to unify the welterweight titles. According to Gracie, St. Pierre will likely defeat Condit at UFC 154.
"GSP will probably win," Cesar said. "I do not think Condit will be able to prevent his takedowns and I honestly do not know if he has any notion of Jiu-Jitsu to amaze GSP. One of the advantages that Condit has is that GSP has been inactive for almost two years, and it always brings some difficulty for those who are returning.
"We do not believe that Condit will win, it is possible, but we do not expect for this result. I believe Condit will repeat what he did in the last fight, run, not seek combat, and the public does not want to see it again. They want to see the fight between GSP and Nick."
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