If Nick Diaz’s manager Kevin Mubenga is to be believed then the fighter will finally return to the Octagon in 2021 after a five year absence.
“That’s the millions and millions of dollars question,” Mubenga said when asked about Diaz’s comeback in an interview with Fanatic’s View. “Yeah, the guy has been training. He’s been training for at least four months now straight. … Now, we’re in December – we’re what? Four months (or) five months in now?”
“He took a little break last month and now we’re going to pick it back up in December and go into the new year hopefully with a new deal done. (We’ll) make sure the money is right and the opponent is right and we’ll be able to move forward with all of this.”
Mubenga was then asked to put a number on his level of certainty that Diaz will indeed fight next year.
“99.99999 (percent),” Mubenga responded. “We just got to get everything else right with the organization and everything. We’ll be able to move forward. He’s been training. People want to see (that). Well, he’s been training as you can see for the last few several months. He took a little break now. Now, it’s time to get back on there and just go through it. You don’t want to overtrain and over-exhaust yourself, especially when you don’t have a date yet. But it was good to be able to go through the regimen and go through that small camp there to kind of feel everything out (and) get back with everyone (like trainer) Cesar Gracie.”
Of course Diaz is one of the most unique and unpredictable fighters in all of MMA, so the reality is that nothing is certain when it comes to the former Strikeforce, WEC and IFC champion, but there’s no doubt it would create a buzz if the 37-year-old was to return to action.
