In one of the most shocking and outrageous decisions ever in the history of combat sports the Nevada State Athletic Commission has today banned former UFC title challenger Nick Diaz for five years and fined 33% of his fight purse ($165,000) for failing his post-fight drug test at UFC 183 in January of this year.
It was the third time Diaz has failed post-fight drug tests for marijuana metabolites in his career. The first coming in 2007 after the fight with Gomi and then again in 2012 after his interim title fight against Carlos Condit.
What makes this more of a laughing stock is that his opponent from UFC 183 was Anderson Silva and he failed a post-fight drug test for various PED’s and received a one year ban plus a fine. To me there is no comparison between the two and this signals how out of touch and out dated the NSAC’s rules are.
At 32-years-old this five year ban could mark the end of one of MMA’s most colourful yet exciting fighters as by the time the ban is lifted he will be 36 turning 37. It is expected that Diaz will make an appeal of the decision in an attempt to get it overturned or reduced drastically.
Click here to watch Nick Diaz speak to the media and give his reaction to the results of the hearing.