Former Strikeforce champion Nick Diaz says he regrets getting his younger brother, Nate Diaz, into the sport of MMA.
Two years ago, Diaz was given a controversial five-year suspension for the state of Nevada after testing positive for marijuana use. After being given the suspension, Diaz said the only reason he was upset about getting suspended was because he wouldn’t be able to be in his brother’s corner.
“But in the end, I’m just upset I can’t be there for my brother right now since he’s gonna be fighting soon. It’s my bad he even got into this sport and he gets his face kicked in and they don’t even pay him,” Diaz told MMA Fighting.
“I got us in this, and if I don’t make any money, I don’t have any way to get us out.”
Less than one year later, Nate Diaz would go on to become one of the most popular, and highest paid, fighters in the UFC after his two fights with current UFC Lightweight Champion Conor McGregor.
Nick Diaz’s suspension was eventually reduced to 18 months. His suspension is now expired, but he has yet to compete and has shown no interest in making a return anytime soon.
Check out part of his very honest statement regarding their fight careers.
“Guys like Conor, who are gonna make more money than me can see how to do it, as well as negotiate what they want in their contract using a team and agency and lawyers instead of their crooked jiu-jitsu trainer and coach, who was my manager for the majority of my career except for my last fight when I found the right agency on my own and signed with them, and I didn’t even graduate the motherfucking eighth grade.”
Two years later, it's wild reading this from @nickdiaz209. Safe to say younger bro ended up alright in the end: https://t.co/Trd53T9UgT pic.twitter.com/QYuOqp7XKg
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) September 14, 2017