Followers weren’t the one ones shocked to see Nick Diaz e-book a battle. His upcoming opponent Vicente Luque was additionally caught off guard.
Luque (22-10-1 MMA, 15-6 UFC), a very long time welterweight contender, is scheduled to welcome again Diaz (26-10 MMA, 7-7 UFC) in a five-round battle Aug. 3 at UFC on ABC 7 at Etihad Area on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi. Diaz, now 40 and with virtually three years of inactivity, wasn’t on Luque’s radar.
“I bear in mind when (my supervisor) Ali (Abdelaziz) known as and stated, ‘Hey, we bought a battle,’” Luque instructed MMA Junkie Radio. “I wished to battle on the finish of July or starting of August, so he stated we bought Aug. 3 and that it was going to be in Abu Dhabi.
“I stated, ‘OK, that’s going to be a distinct place I by no means fought,’ and he threw the title on the market, Nick Diaz. I used to be like, ‘Are you certain it’s Nick or is it Nate you’re speaking about?’ He stated, ‘No, it’s Nick. It’s actually Nick.’ I used to be like, ‘Yeah, let’s go. It’s going to be an superior battle.’ In my thoughts, Combat of the Evening is certainly up for grabs.”
Diaz was one of many greatest stars in MMA within the 2010s. He’s a former Strikeforce champion and ex-UFC title challenger. He and his youthful brother Nate Diaz have been a part of a number of the MMA’s greatest fights.
For Luque, it’s a dream come true to be combating Diaz.
“Nick is a man that I at all times wished to battle earlier than I bought into the UFC,” Luque stated. “That was 2014, 2013, 2012, that’s after I was making my option to the UFC and I watched a whole lot of Nick fights. It was superb to look at him battle GSP, Carlos Condit, B.J. Penn, and even Anderson Silva. He’s fought all these guys that have been legendary, and for me, he’s a man I at all times wished to battle.
“I didn’t suppose at this level I used to be going to battle him anymore, however now I do get to battle him. So for me, it was very thrilling to get this battle. He’s not within the rankings, however man, it’s Nick Diaz. That’s a giant battle regardless. It’s an excellent battle to get again to my successful methods and set me up for nice issues after that.”
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