Nick Diaz erupts after Tyron Woodley calls him out
Nick Diaz knows he's the hottest commodity on the UFC roster right now, especially after hearing new welterweight champion Tyron Woodley call him out Saturday night.
Diaz has officially been unshackled from his 18-month suspension for testing positive for marijuana following his last fight against Anderson Silva in 2015.
It didn't take long for his name to get mentioned, considering Woodley had the welterweight title around his waist minutes before asking for a fight against Diaz at UFC 202 on Aug. 20.
Diaz fired back at Woodley and every other fighter on the UFC roster Monday, saying that he's clearly the top name in the sport considering all the people who are asking to face him lately.
"I don’t need no fake-ass piece of plastic," Diaz said when speaking to TMZ. "(Expletive) that! We can do a catch weight. Everybody wants a fight with me. Champions at 170, champions at 185, I said we can meet halfway. I don't owe nobody nothing. I made pay-per-view without a title. I don't need that fake-ass plastic to (expletive) be somebody."
Diaz hasn't won a fight in the UFC since beating BJ Penn in 2011, but none of that seems to matter to Woodley or other fighters on the roster who see him as one of the biggest names in the sport.
Diaz came off suspension Monday, but many are already wondering which fighter will cash the lottery ticket to face him in his return bout.
Many believe a rematch with Robbie Lawler could be among the biggest showdowns in the sport, considering Diaz knocked him out in their first meeting a decade ago.
As far as Woodley goes, Diaz is open to the challenge but he's more concerned about the financial windfall than any gold belt that would be handed to him at the end of the fight.
"If they make me an offer I can't refuse, but I doubt that's going to happen," Diaz said about the fight. "Look at me right now, I don't need nothing, I don't own anybody nothing. I don't owe anybody (expletive). I haven't been fanatical about fighting since I was 15, 14 years old, since I was 8 years ago. Once I turned pro I was like this is not fun and games now. I work on karma.
"I'm not going to go after somebody unless I have a reason behind it. So as soon as there is a reason for me to do something that I need to do, then I'll do it. Nobody's done what I've done in this (expletive), it just hasn't happened yet."
