Nick Diaz In Talks With NAC, Could Return To UFC In 2016

Former Strikeforce welterweight champion and UFC 170/185-pounder Nick Diaz is once again facing some time away from the sport, but much more unwillingly this time around. The Stockton bad boy got hit with a whopping fine after failing a UFC 183 drug screen for Marijuana, but more shocking was the five year suspension the Nevada Athletic Commission doled out.

That was six weeks ago now, but things seem to be looking up after a White House petition got the required 100,000 signatures, and a Go Fund Me page was set up to help DIaz pay the $165,000 fine. You’ll also remember Diaz recently saying he was getting help from the UFC’s legal team, and he now has an update via Instagram:

Just spoke with my legal team at Campbell & Williams and talks with the NV athletic commission are going well. We’re working hard with them to get this right. Thanks for the support. @cesargraciebjj @natediaz209 @krongraciejiujitsu @riokid @rcsspence @matheusandre1 @graciefighterlodi @graciearmy209kids #jiujitsu #lodijiujitsu #mma @ufc

A photo posted by nickdiaz209 (@nickdiaz209) on Oct 27, 2015 at 7:08pm PDT

New York Lawyer Amy Dardashian says she has inside information that Diaz’s legal team could have him fighting again by as early as next summer:

#NickDiaz in settlement talks with NSAC. Sources say best case scenario, he could be back in the Octagon as early as summer. @InsideMMAaxstv

— Amy Dardashtian (@AmyDardashtian) October 28, 2015

This is huge news for fans of the banned Stockton slugger, who’s popularity and overall stock has risen massively since this entire situation came to a head in mid-September. The pay-per-view drawing power of Diaz was already big before the suspension and subsequent uproar from the MMA world, imagine how much of a needle mover he is now.

Since his now No-Contest bout with Anderson Silva, Diaz has seen some seriously hard luck, perhaps now his fortunes are starting to change.

Stay tuned for updates.