Nick Diaz reportedly hopes to return early next year

UFC welterweight Nick Diaz has said repeatedly that he was retired unless the UFC would pay him $500,000 or give him a title fight; neither possibility seemed likely.

The absence of Nick Diaz brothers is an awful loss to mixed martial arts, as no one fights like he does, no one connects with fans like he does, and he will not be able to fight forever.

It’s not frustrating for me at all,” said UFC president Dana White recently. “If the Diaz brothers don’t ever want to fight again, that’s up to them. They’re fun to watch. I know people like to watch them. But you can’t make grown men fight. They either want to fight or they don’t.”

While White may profess a lack of frustration, it is not shared by their fans, who want to see whatever has to get done get done to get the Diaz brothers back in the Octagon, before they, and we, get old.

However, Loretta Hunt spoke with Nick at this weekend’s Glory event, and has some good news.

Despite being on a back-to-back losing streak, Diaz remains one of the UFC’s biggest personalities. He pushed GSP to his biggest solo buyrate at UFC 158. Recently he has said that, while he doesn’t enjoy the fight game, he’s willing to continue his MMA career for the right price. This weekend he told Loretta Hunt of Sports Illustrated that he’s eyeing a return to the Octagon in the relatively near future:

Loretta Hunt @lorettahuntmma

•Ran into Nick Diaz last nite at Glory. Good mood. Said he hoped to be fighting again by new year; trying to work out contracts now.

•With Coker in Bellator spot and leaving tourney format, fighters like Nick Diaz will now have an option. Just throwing that out there.

Hunt’s second tweet is puzzling, as Diaz has a contract to fight for the UFC, that they are not likely to relinquish. If Diaz is negotiating with the UFC, Carlos Condit, Hector Lombard, Robbie Lawler, and even a returning Anderson Silva would all be compelling match ups.