UFC veteran Nick Diaz is gearing up for his second attempt at a successful comeback. The former Strikeforce welterweight champion, who has competed for UFC gold against notable fighters like Carlos Condit and Georges St-Pierre, has only entered the Octagon once since 2015.
Following a drug test controversy after his bout with Anderson Silva, Diaz's return to the UFC was delayed until UFC 266 in 2021, where he faced Robbie Lawler. In that fight, Diaz struggled to find his form and ultimately did not rise to his feet after being dropped in the third round, prompting many to speculate about his potential retirement.
However, Diaz hinted at future bouts and has now officially announced his return. UFC CEO Dana White recently confirmed the main card for the promotion's return to Abu Dhabi on August 3. One of the featured bouts will be a welterweight clash between Diaz (26-10, 2 NC) and the #14-ranked Vicente Luque (22-10-1).
The main card for #UFCAbuDhabi is set!!!@VisitAbuDhabi | @InAbuDhabi | #InAbuDhabi pic.twitter.com/yUK7VdaOAc
— danawhite (@danawhite) May 29, 2024
The UFC Fight Night at Etihad Arena will be headlined by a bantamweight showdown between former interim title challenger Cory Sandhagen and the undefeated Umar Nurmagomedov. The card also features appearances by Tony Ferguson, Deiveson Figueiredo, Marlon Vera, and Mackenzie Dern.
Diaz Targets First Win Since 2011 Against Luque
In the five-round co-main event this summer, both Diaz and Luque will look to rebound from recent defeats. "The Silent Assassin" Vicente Luque recently slipped in the welterweight rankings after a loss to Joaquin Buckley at a UFC Fight Night in Atlantic City earlier this year. Before that, Luque had returned from a brain injury scare with a decision win over Rafael dos Anjos in a 2023 main event.
Diaz, on the other hand, has not tasted victory in quite some time. His last official win came against BJ Penn, extending his win streak to 11 at the time, which included notable victories over Frank Shamrock and Paul Daley. Following that, Diaz lost two straight title fights against Georges St-Pierre and Carlos Condit, and his bout against Anderson Silva was later overturned to a no-contest.
With this addition, the main card set to unfold at Etihad Arena on August 3 is as follows:
- Cory Sandhagen vs. Umar Nurmagomedov (bantamweight main event)
- Vicente Luque vs. Nick Diaz (welterweight co-main event)
- Marlon Vera vs. Deiveson Figueiredo (bantamweight)
- Mackenzie Dern vs. Loopy Godinez (strawweight)
- Tony Ferguson vs. Michael Chiesa (welterweight)
Nick Diaz is determined to return to winning form and will aim to do so at the expense of Vicente Luque in Abu Dhabi.