Nick Diaz Shares Dark Days of Being Surrounded by Drug Dealers During UFC Suspension

UFC legend Nick Diaz talks about his problems with substance abuse that led to him serving his infamous suspension in a volatile environment.

Nick Diaz Shares Dark Days of Being Surrounded by Drug Dealers During UFC Suspension

Nick Diaz talks about his struggles (via Bloody Elbow)

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Nick Diaz has remained one of the most popular figures in mixed martial arts despite a relatively brief run in the UFC. His confrontational persona and relentless in-cage presence helped him stand apart from his peers at the highest level. However, his career has been scarred by suspensions, drug-related issues, and volatile environments around him, which the Stockton native recently acknowledged had a lasting impact.

Diaz has been out of active competition since his last appearance against Robbie Lawler at UFC 266 in 2021. In the years that followed, he was scheduled twice to face Vicente Luque but withdrew on both occasions for undisclosed reasons. After those cancellations, Diaz disappeared entirely from social media, prompting concern after messages from his girlfriend alleged he had been kidnapped and held in Mexico.

Diaz has recently returned to the public eye through regular social media activity and appearances, including interactions with Sean Strickland. He has also spoken about his mental health growing up and his time in rehabilitation at the Baja Rehab Center. These reflections led into his recent comments about the suspensions and dangerous environments that marked difficult periods of his career.

I went through a breakup. I lost this fight with Anderson Silva and tested positive for weed. They suspended me for five years. I didn’t really give a f**k. I wasn’t partaking in those types of drugs, but I was around it. I did get in trouble because of those types of drugs, because the people that were suddenly around me were either selling drugs or bringing drugs around. People were cruising around my house with guns and s**t.

Nick Diaz via Baja Rehab

Diaz faced Anderson Silva at UFC 183 in January 2015, where the bout was later ruled a no-contest after both fighters failed post-fight drug tests. Diaz tested positive for marijuana metabolites, leading the Nevada State Athletic Commission to issue a five-year suspension and a significant fine. The penalty was later reduced to an 18-month suspension on appeal, but the case halted his momentum at the elite level.

Diaz grew up in Stockton, California, an area long associated with economic hardship and volatile surroundings. His early life extended beyond structured training and was shaped by frequent exposure to confrontation. Alongside his brother Nate Diaz, he was repeatedly linked to street brawls, with numerous documented instances of the Diaz brothers being involved in altercations outside competition.

While Nick Diaz does not possess the most decorated UFC record, he consistently competed against elite opposition during his career. He went toe-to-toe with fighters such as Georges St-Pierre, BJ Penn, and Anderson Silva at the highest level of the sport. In that context, the weight of his recent comments adds perspective to a career defined as much by adversity and endurance as by wins and losses.

Nick Diaz talks about how life changed after Nate Diaz defeated Conor McGregor

Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz fought twice in 2016, creating one of the most influential rivalries in UFC history. Their first meeting at UFC 196 ended with Diaz submitting McGregor, making him the first fighter to stop McGregor during his rapid rise to superstardom. The outcome halted McGregor’s momentum and instantly pushed the Diaz name into global prominence beyond the sport.

Nick Diaz talks about how Nate Diaz's fight against Conor McGregor changed him
Nick Diaz talks about how Nate Diaz’s fight against Conor McGregor changed him (via MMA Fighting)

After the first victory, Nate’s profile rose dramatically, bringing unprecedented attention to the Diaz family. Nick Diaz remained closely involved with his younger brother during Nate Diaz’s fights against McGregor, supporting him throughout that pivotal stretch. Nick has since highlighted how the sudden fame created a sharp contrast from the environment they were accustomed to earlier in their careers.

It wasn’t like when I was younger where I could go anywhere I want and do anything I wanted.

Nick Diaz via Baja Rehab

Despite their history of support, recent events have revealed tensions between Nick and Nate Diaz that contrast with their earlier unity. Nick directed critical comments toward Nate’s decisions and inner circle, distancing himself from influences he felt constrained by. These remarks followed Nick’s difficult personal period, including rehabilitation, and signaled a shift from their once closely aligned public image.

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