0

Forget about a blockbuster bout against UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre, Nick Diaz (Pictured) is calling for a shot at middleweight king Anderson Silva. But first things first, that means Diaz intends to return to the sport he claimed he was finished with.

“For the last couple of months, I’ve watched Nick begin to frequent the gym more and more,” Diaz’s longtime manager, Cesar Gracie, posted on his official website Friday evening. “He’s training harder now than he has for many of his fights. It was obvious that training and fighting is in his DNA. It is who he is.

“This week we had a great talk and he made it clear to me that he is ready to get back to the cage. Nick Diaz will return.”

According to Gracie, Diaz will end his premature retirement and appeal the one-year marijuana suspension the Nevada State Athletic Commission handed him in May. Once the ban is lifted, either through their protest or when his suspension runs its course on February 4th, 2013, Mr. 209 would like to make the jump to middleweight.

“As far as future opponents, Nick has stated that he would like to take fights ‘that matter,'” Gracie added. “Since GSP will be fighting [Carlos] Condit, he has to look elsewhere. He will respectfully ask for a fight with Anderson Silva, a fighter he respects and would like to challenge.

“Silva’s camp has been speaking of a fight with GSP, possibly even at a catchweight. Nick will take that fight in a minute, but has told me that should Silva decide not to drop at all, he will move up to 185lbs to face the champ.”

Gracie is scheduled to meet with UFC president Dana White on August 6th to formally present his plans.

After losing a controversial unanimous decision to Condit at UFC 143, Diaz abruptly called it quits. Regardless, he was subsequently popped for having marijuana metabolites in his system for the second time in five years.