Nick Diaz rep refutes UFC offer talk

In an email to MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com), Nick Diaz rep Jonathan Tweedale today the fighter has not received an offer to return to the octagon.

On Wednesday, BJPenn Radio quoted longtime Diaz trainer Cesar Gracie, who said the onetime title challenger had been communicating with the UFC in Las Vegas and that there was “an offer on the table” from the promotion that included a potential fight against an unspecified opponent.

“Dana has offered him a fight,” Gracie said. “There is an offer on the table, I can’t say who it is, but it’s kind of neat I think. But no decision’s have been made for sure.”

In a brief interview today with MMAjunkie.com, however, Gracie downplayed the seriousness of the talks and stressed that, contrary to several media reports, no new contract had been offered, because Diaz was already under contract with the promotion.

“I was misquoted by BJPenn.com,” he said. “There’s no bout agreement. There’s no new contract.”

Tweedale did not respond to follow-up requests asking whether Diaz, who’s reportedly made overtures toward a comeback, remains retired.

A Canada-based lawyer, Tweedale once worked for the Vancouver Athletic Commission and began working with Diaz earlier this year. His apparent takeover as Diaz’s rep drew the ire of Gracie, who initially denied Tweedale had a role in the fighter’s camp.

In the wake of Diaz’s regrettable admission at UFC 158 that he’d never paid taxes, Gracie and Tweedale sparred over who was responsible for the fighter’s predicament. Gracie said the fighter had paid $100,000 to Uncle Sam, while Tweedale claimed the trainer and manager had neglected to help Diaz with his returns.

The ensuing months saw Tweedale take a more public role as Diaz’s representative and even become the organizer of Diaz’s “War MMA” promotion, which held its first event this past month.

Following his loss to welterweight champ Georges St-Pierre at UFC 158, Diaz said he would retire. In several subsequent interviews, Tweedale said the fighter remained out of the business.

Yet earlier this month, UFC President Dana White revealed that he’d been in touch with Diaz, who’d recently broken up with his girlfriend and reportedly wanted a fight.

“Nick Diaz is under contract with the UFC,” White said. “Whenever Nick Diaz wants a fight, I’m more than happy to get him a fight.”

Diaz has trained with Gracie from the age of 17, when he first began training jiu-jitsu. He is still part of the Cesar Gracie Fight Team, which includes UFC standouts Jake Shields, Gilbert Melendez, and his younger brother, Nate Diaz.