"I just don't see that in him" - UFC president Dana White expresses doubt over Nick Diaz's return

UFC president Dana White has expressed his doubts over Nick Diaz's possible return. While the UFC honcho is more than happy to offer Diaz an appropriate fight, he's not sure if the Stockton native will be able to hold his own amongst the UFC's current welterweights.

In a recent interview with ESPN MMA's Brett Okamoto, Dana White spoke about his meeting with Nick Diaz following UFC 261.

"Yeah it went good. My whole thing with Nick Diaz is, I just question how bad he really wants to fight, you know what I mean? We got together, we had great conversation, talked about a possible comeback for him. I just... I don't know. We'll see how it plays out in the summer and the rest of this year."

Okamoto asked White was was making him hesitant, and why he seemed to perhaps feel that while Diaz seems keen to return, the Stockton native may not be ready. Dana White replied by saying:

"Just the amount of time that he's [Nick Diaz has] taken off already. When you hear him talk about fighting, when you hear him talk about sport... and I sit down daily or talk [everyday] to hungry, young savages that want to break into the top-10, become world champions, all that stuff, you know? And Nick Diaz has done it all, seen it all, he's been in big fights. I just don't see that in him when I talk to him."

Brett Okamoto continued to ask the UFC president if he would book a fight for Nick Diaz without seeing what he wanted from the Stockton native in terms of attitude. Dana White simply said:

"Listen, he's a grown man. This guy says, 'I want a fight,' we agreed to a fight, you know? [If] Doctors say he's fit to fight, it has nothing to do with me."

In terms of a potential opponent, Dana White said that the UFC will wait for Diaz and his team to mention who they'd like as opposition, and the negotiations will be taken forward from there.

You can watch the full interview below:

Nick Diaz was present in the arena at UFC 261 and received a loud cheer from the audience.

Things you love to see. Nick Diaz at UFC 261 last night!🙌🏼 @nickdiaz209 @ufc #UFC261 pic.twitter.com/wjgZur7X8L

— Ross Edmonds (@RosssEdmonds) April 25, 2021

Dana White and Nick Diaz share a long history together

Nick Diaz is a UFC veteran who made his debut in the promotion at UFC 44 against Jeremy Jackson. After ten fights in the promotion, including the final of the inaugural season of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF), Nick Diaz left the UFC to fight for PRIDE FC, EliteXC and Strikeforce. Diaz went on to become Strikeforce's welterweight champion.

There was clearly no love lost between Dana White and the Stockton native, who was offered top-tier competition immediately upon his return to the UFC. Diaz fought B.J. Penn at UFC 137 and won via unanimous decision. His next two fights were for the interim and undisputed welterweight titles, against Carlos Condit and Georges St-Pierre respectively. Nick Diaz lost both bouts, but remained a fan favorite.

His last fight in the UFC was against Anderson Silva, which was turned to a no-contest after Silva tested positive for drostanolone and androsterone and Diaz tested positive for marijuana.

To this day, Nick Diaz remains one of the most entertaining fighters we've seen in the octagon. To no one's surprise, Dana White loves a fighter who puts on a show.

Five years ago today, @nickdiaz209 taunted Anderson Silva by literally laying down in the Octagon 😅 pic.twitter.com/iObDuM8pmg

— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) January 31, 2020