The Greatest Of All Time
Nick Diaz has long been one of the most enigmatic figures in the world of mixed martial arts (MMA). The last few years, however, the Stockton slugger has been on the sidelines because of multiple battles with United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA). But, after coming to terms with the drug-testing agency, Diaz could very well be on his way back to the Octagon, as the wheels are in motion to have him make his much-anticipated return to action against Jorge Masvidal at UFC 235 on March 2, 2019.
According to his roommate and training partner A.J. Agazarm — the Brazilian jiu-jitsu phenom who recently inked a deal with Bellator MMA — a fight against Masvidal may not be appealing enough to lure Diaz back to the cage. After all, when you’re the “greatest fighter the world has ever seen,” you need to be fighting comparable competition.
“Masvidal, is that a fight that you want to see? If Nick is going to do anything, his heart is going to be in it completely and that is what makes him the best fighter the world has ever seen,” Agazarm said during a recent interview on Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show. “If he is going to come back after a four-year layoff, given everything that has happened, just think about the psychology in him and everything that has happened in his life the last six years. It’s not a matter of if he is going to come back, it’s why. Why is he going to come back? Come back to fight Masvidal? Why? What about a rematch with Anderson Silva? What about him and GSP? You think GSP would take that match?”
Georges St-Pierre has stated he’s not interested in fighting Diaz again after defeating him back at UFC 158 five years ago. As far as a rematch with “The Spider,” that seems a bit more likely given the outcome of their first encounter.
Still, being around Nick day in and day out, AJ won’t be convinced there’s a batter fighter walking the planet earth than Diaz.
“He is the greatest fighter of all time. He really is. Every fighter aspires to be like Nick Diaz. Just having been around him for the time that I’ve been and understanding his psyche and the way he operates,” he added. “He is very efficient and effective in every single thing he does. Not just fighting. He’s got his daily routine. I know what it looks like on social media because I am with him every day,” he concluded.
As far as Agazarm’s Bellator MMA debut, a time and place is still unknown, but you can expect the grappling wizard to make his presence felt once he’s given the green light.
