UFC
UFC on Fox 3 headliner Nate Diaz believes brother Nick will stay retired
Mar 7, 2012 - 1:05:01 PM UFC on Fox 3 headliner Nate Diaz believes brother Nick will stay retired

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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

Nick Diaz is facing a disciplinary hearing with the Nevada State Athletic Commission for a positive drug test for marijuana out of UFC 143 last month. Though he announced his retirement in-cage following his decision loss to Carlos Condit, many believe he'll return to action quickly if he's successful in earning an after-the-fact therapeutic use exemption for his marijuana use.

However, some others still think his retirement is serious, and don't expect him to return to action. One of those is his brother, Nate, who said this week he doesn't believe we'll see Nick in the Octagon again.

"Triathalon season is starting so he's getting ready, getting in shape for that and concentrating on being in shape, being healthy and helping me out and coaching me for this fight [against Jim Miller]," Nate said in an interview with Ariel Helwani at MMAFighting.com on Tuesday (transcribed by MMAMania.com). "Right now, I don't think [we will see him back inside the Octagon]. He's big on, like I said, staying in shape and just being healthy right now. He's not worried about it. I think he's retired. He hasn't been into this whole fighting thing for some time ... since everything that goes on with the funny wins and losses. And not just for him, but for people on our team. So, I just think he's relaxed right now, you know?"

"I think he's pretty set on his retirement, though. I kind of agree with him [about his decision]. It's hard to say - he's my brother. I'm not going to tell him to go fight somebody. I think he's doing the right thing. He made enough money to just chill back, sit back and relax. People don't understand: Nick never had nothing. He came from not much, so when he complained a lot about not making a lot of money it's because there were so many people making more money than him and he works 10 times hard than them. So, they definitely paid him enough money to not have to do anything. He doesn't need to fight."

Penick's Analysis: Diaz absolutely doesn't need to fight, especially if it's something he's not enjoying anymore, but I think once some time has passed he'll eventually want to get back in there. I think a lot of it is dependent upon what happens with the NSAC. If he either gets a retroactive TUE or at the least avoids a really lengthy suspension, a rematch with Condit just may be in order. If that's the case, I think he'll absolutely come back for that fight. If he does get handed a suspension for a year, I think it's still likely that he'll fight again, because it will give him that year off from the sport and a chance to get over the burnout of a busy schedule the last few years.

[Nick Diaz art by Grant Gould (c) MMATorch.com]