It was reported a short time ago by Fightful that UFC President Dana White stated that Nick Diaz turned down a fight after being cleared to return by the Nevada Athletic Commission. According to longtime UFC color commentator Joe Rogan, the fight Diaz turned down was a rematch with former UFC Welterweight Champion Robbie Lawler.
“Apparently they offered Nick Diaz Robbie Lawler and Nick passed on it,” Rogan said on The Joe Rogan Experience. “That’s the word. That’s the word behind the scenes. I wanted to see that fight. I would love to see that rematch. But I think Nick wants a f**king title fight. I think Nick is like, look I want a big, big name or a title fight.”
Diaz, who defeated Lawler in their first meeting at UFC 47 in April of 2004, may have turned down the fight because he wants a title shot.
“When you look at the title picture... what guys sell pay-per-views? I think Woodley is a bigger star now that he beat Wonderboy but he still - Dana and I were having this conversation and he’s like, ‘you can’t have Nick Diaz. Nick Diaz hasn’t won a fight since 2011. You can’t have him step in and just go right up to the title and fight.’ I said, ‘but I want to see it,’ and he goes ‘I want to see it too but you can’t do that’,” said Rogan.
Diaz hasn’t earned a victory since defeating BJ Penn in 2011, while Lawler hasn’t competed since losing the welterweight title to Tyron Woodley at UFC 201.
