Dana White reveals Nick Diaz return details, suggests he could fight Khamzat Chimaev
UFC president Dana White has confirmed that Nick Diaz is aiming to make his return to the promotion. At the UFC 261 post-fight press conference, White told media members that he has a meeting scheduled with Nick and added that the elder Diaz brother wants to fight in the Octagon.
White added that he doesn't know who Nick Diaz could face on his return to the Octagon. However, the UFC president isn't ruling out the possibility of a fight against welterweight prospect Khamzat Chimaev. Dana White said:
“Nick wants to fight. Sure, (we’ll give him one). We’ll see how this goes. He’s waiting for me in the back right now. I’m going to go talk to him.”
White replied with a simple "No" when asked if it would be crazy to consider Khamzat Chimaev as a potential opponent for Nick Diaz's return bout, leaving the door for a fight between the two wide open.
Nick Diaz has teased the possibility of a potential confrontation with Jorge Masvidal over the course of UFC 261 fight week. Diaz, who seems to be in incredible shape, has posted several cryptic messages on both his Twitter and Instagram handles.
Nick Diaz also sent out a tweet where he wrote "A gentleman never tells," with images of him taking a walk in Jacksonville, Florida. The tweet caught the attention of many MMA fans around the world.
Who will Nick Diaz fight upon his return to the UFC?
The UFC welterweight division is currently stacked with up-and-coming fighters at the moment, along with fighters who are as experienced as Nick Diaz. The likes of Robbie Lawlor, Matt Brown and Carlos Condit could be solid options for Nick's return.
However, if the Stockton-based fighter is aiming to share the Octagon with younger talent, then Diaz vs. Khamzat Chimaev could be a possibility after all. Chimaev has been out of action for a while after his battle with a serious bout of COVID-19. But if The Wolf wants to make a return to UFC, then a fight against Diaz could well be on the cards.
Nick's younger brother Nate Diaz will be returning for the upcoming UFC 262 pay-per-view against Leon Edwards. Within the space of the next few months, both Diaz brothers could be back in the UFC once again for old times' sake.