Don't be surprised if Nick Diaz is booked for an Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) event soon.
The UFC welterweight fighter who made headlines after being meted a five-year suspension will be eligible to spring back to action after the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) and his camp were able to come to a settlement tied up with the drug-related row, which stemmed from his UFC 183 tiff with Anderson Silva a year ago, according to reports from ESPN.
Diaz tested positive for marijuana metabolites after that loss in January of 2015 and controversy arose when he was meted that five-year ban on top of a $165,000 fine.
The conflict cropped up due to the manner the drug testing was done. There were reportedly three tests conducted where only two were WADA accredited. The lone group which was not accredited was the one to have found the marijuana metabolites, yet another infraction on the part of Diaz.
Regardless, the penalties handed out were seen as too much for Diaz as he got backing from fellow UFC fighters, celebrities, and friends who went as far as resorting to an online petition addressed to the White House.
While the signature campaign did garner 115,000 supporters, the White House stressed that they are powerless on the matter.
With the NSAC not having issued a written decision, such opened the doors for settlement talks. And just like that, the UFC talent's suspension was reduced to 18 months (retroactive to the January 2015 fight) and also a reduced fine of $100,000.
The camp of Diaz says that the welterweight fighter has opted not to make any comment/s at this time and that there were no immediate plans yet on his possible next fight.
Diaz can return as early as August if he is ready, a positive development when many felt that his UFC career was over with the original five-year suspension.
