UFC welterweight Nick Diaz will return to competition on March 2 in Las Vegas, according to UFC president Dana White.

Diaz (26-9) has agreed to face Jorge Masvidal (32-13) in a welterweight contest at UFC 235 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Additional sources told ESPN that contracts for the bout are not yet signed, but are close to being finalized.

A former Strikeforce champion, Diaz has not fought since he suffered a decision loss to Anderson Silva in January 2015. The result of that bout was later changed to a no-contest, after both Silva and Diaz failed their drug tests.

The Nevada State Athletic Commission suspended Diaz for 18 months after he tested positive for marijuana metabolites. He was suspended again by the United States Anti-Doping Agency in 2017 for missing three out-of-competition drug tests. He regained his eligibility to compete in April.

Masvidal, 34, told ESPN earlier this week that the UFC had offered him the fight but he wasn't sure if Diaz would accept. Masvidal hasn't fought since last November due to lingering injuries and an appearance on a Spanish-language reality show.

The older brother of UFC lightweight Nate Diaz, Nick Diaz has not won a fight since October 2011. He fought Georges St-Pierre for the UFC's welterweight championship in 2013 and came up short by unanimous decision.

Earlier this year, Diaz was cleared in a criminal investigation involving accusations of domestic abuse in Las Vegas. All charges were dropped in August.