"He looked like a different man" - Daniel Cormier doesn't want to see Nick Diaz fight again

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Daniel Cormier (left), Robbie Lawler (center), Nick Diaz (right) [Cormier image courtesy: @dc_mma via Instagram]

Former UFC light heavyweight and heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier has said he doesn't want to see Nick Diaz fight in the octagon again. Diaz hadn't fought professionally for six years prior to his 2021 contest against Robbie Lawler. In the fight, he looked physically lethargic and retired in the third round.

On a recent episode of the DC & RC Show, Cormier questioned whether 'Diablo' has the motivation to fight in the octagon anymore:

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"It didn't seem like he wanted to be in there."

'DC' praised Diaz for his appearance before the bout, saying the fighter looked in great shape. However, his performance on fight night left a lot to be desired. Cormier now believes that we have seen the last of Nick Diaz in the cage:

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"My last visual of Nick Diaz, I don't feel like we're gonna see him again in the octagon. The pictures before he looked shredded, inside the octagon he looked like a different man."

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Daniel Cormier and co-host Ryan Clark were both adamant that they would see Nate Diaz in the octagon much sooner than his brother Nick. For now, 'Diablo' continues to teach Brazilian jiu-jitsu in California. We may yet see him but sitting outside the cage if he is to corner his brother in a fight.

Watch the full episode of ESPN MMA's DC & RC Show here:

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Will Nick Diaz fight in the UFC again?

Former UFC fighters such as Daniel Cormier have questioned whether Nick Diaz will ever return to the octagon. However, Jake Shields, a close friend of the Diaz brothers, has provided some insight into the future of the Stockton native.

Shields was on a recent episode of The Joe Rogan Experience podcast where the two men discussed the potential return of 'Diablo'. The former welterweight title challenger revealed that his friend didn't have a proper camp for the Robbie Lawler fight because of personal issues:

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"Nick's like a brother. I really hope he fights again. He just needs to make sure he does a proper camp."

Jake Shields also admitted that the fight against Lawler happened too quickly for Diaz. There were only two months between the call and stepping into the octagon. This, Shields felt, was not enough time to prepare for the bout, considering the 38-year-old had been away from the sport for so long.

Watch the clip of Joe Rogan and Jake Shields talking about Diaz here:

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