'Travel issue' KOs Nick Diaz from Fight Night card

‘Travel issue’ KOs Nick Diaz from Fight Night card

Posted by Admin July 21, 2024 Travel

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Brett Okamoto, ESPN Staff WriterJul 20, 2024, 10:01 PM ET
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- MMA columnist for ESPN.com
- Analyst for “MMA Live”
- Covered MMA for Las Vegas Sun

Nick Diaz‘s return to the UFC Octagon has been postponed due to a “travel issue,” the promotion announced Saturday.

Diaz (26-10) was slated to face Vicente Luque (22-10-1) at a UFC Fight Night on Aug. 3 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. It would have been Diaz’s first appearance since a TKO loss to Robbie Lawler in September 2021. Prior to that loss against Lawler, Diaz hadn’t fought in six years, in part due to a drug suspension for marijuana use.

According to the UFC, the welterweight bout will be rescheduled later this year, although no target date was provided.

Diaz’s return was supposed to serve as the co-main event of the card, which will air on ABC. The UFC announced a new matchup between Shara Magomedov (13-0) and Michal Oleksiejczuk (19-8) will now take that spot.

Diaz, 40, is the older brother of UFC star and professional boxer Nate Diaz. The former Strikeforce and WEC champion fights out of Stockton, California.