White: Matt Riddle's release about being a 'moron,' not attempt to cut wrestlers

MONTREAL – It’s no surprise that when Nick Diaz fights, probably for the rest of his career, the topic of marijuana is going to come up.

Diaz tested positive after his UFC 143 loss to Carlos Condit, his second such offense in Nevada, and was suspended for a year. Saturday marks his return, and he’ll get a shot at Georges St-Pierre and the welterweight title at UFC 158 in Montreal.

The fight was made because St-Pierre wanted it, and UFC President Dana White believed he owed it to the champ this time to give him the fight he wanted, despite Diaz coming off a suspension and a loss.

But Diaz hasn’t been the only UFC fighter in the news for pot lately. The company has had a case-by-case basis policy for dealing with marijuana infractions.

For instance, Matt Riddle tested positive for a second time in well under a year after his UFC on FUEL TV 7 win this past month. He was cut. Dave Herman, though, had a second positive test just this past year and was suspended and asked to undergo some rehab treatment, but wasn’t cut.

As for Diaz, White hopes Saturday’s a non-issue for the challenger and he tests clean – but believes if he doesn’t, he’d have to be shown the door.

In Riddle’s case, the welterweight has been very public about his stance on smoking. He has a medical marijuana license, and doesn’t see it as a performance-enhancing drug. He’s pleaded his case, but it’s not a fight he was going to win.

Instead, he believes his release had as much to do with the UFC taking a stance against wrestlers – fighters whose bouts are perceived to be any kind of boring by the fans because they go to decisions without many highlight-reel moments – as it did because he was flagged a second time for pot. (The UFC also let go longtime contender Jon Fitch, who essentially has been the poster boy for “boring” fights in the eyes of many fans and critics.)

But White on Thursday said that’s positively not the case.

“We’re not cutting wrestlers,” White said. “And everyone’s going to have an excuse for why they were cut. Matt Riddle did an interview before that fight where he said, ‘I smoke weed so I don’t beat my children.’ Then he tests positive for it. He’s a f—ing moron. That’s why he’s not in the UFC. He’s a moron.”

But if Riddle did well on the regional circuit, won a few fights, showed some kind of remorse for how things went down, would he ever be welcomed back to the UFC fold?

Don’t count on it. By saying he likely wouldn’t go back even if asked, White doesn’t have to worry about such things, and doesn’t have to worry about whether Riddle thinks he was cut for marijuana, for boring fights or for a combination of both.

“He said it because I thought he had a boring fight? He’s had boring fights before that one,” White said. “He said if he was asked to get back in the UFC, he wouldn’t come back. So yeah. I’ll make it real easy for him. We just won’t ask him. How’s that?”

Riddle earlier this month found his new home by signing a multi-fight deal with Legacy FC. His first fight with the promotion has not yet been announced, but he is expected to debut with Legacy later this year.

(Pictured: Matt Riddle)