UFC 266: the Nick Diaz show is back, and his Robbie Lawler rematch surely can’t fail to entertain
- The 38-year-old fan favourite is back after six years away from the Octagon, and naturally takes centre stage despite stacked card
- ‘Do I feel confident? I never do. I always feel I’m going to get trashed out there,’ says Diaz
After 17 long years, Robbie Lawler will finally get his chance at redemption against Nick Diaz, the man who handed him his second career defeat on a raucous night at the Mandalay Bay Events Centre in Las Vegas.
Two young prospects at the time, Diaz and Lawler now have a combined total of 81 fights between them. But unlike on that UFC 47 card in 2004, Saturday night’s stacked UFC 266 event could potentially see the veteran Americans go toe-to-toe for five rounds – despite no title being on the line.
This rematch will be Diaz’s first fight in six years, too. The 38-year-old fan favourite (26-9, two no contests) last fought at UFC 183, headlining opposite Anderson Silva, but his initial unanimous decision loss was overturned to a no-contest after both fighters tested positive for banned substances.
Before that fight, former Strikeforce and WEC champion Diaz had lost back-to-back welterweight title contests against the legendary Georges St-Pierre – who was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame’s Class of 2020 on Thursday – and an interim clash with Carlos Condit.
There is never a dull moment when either Nick or Nate Diaz is around, that’s for sure, and the elder brother’s sparing appearances in the media since his semi-retirement have always caused quite a stir among the MMA community.
