Nick Diaz reacts to five-year suspension: NSAC was 'way the f-ck out of line'

Nick Diaz may have repeatedly pleaded the Fifth Amendment today before the Nevada State Athletic Commission, but he had plenty to say to reporters after the proceedings came to an end.

Diaz received a five-year suspension and $165,000 fine for positive marijuana tests on the day of his Jan. 31 bout with Anderson Silva at UFC 183. Diaz has tested positive for the substance twice in the past and the commission factored his repeat offended status into the punishment.

The UFC fighter said he was advised by his legal representation not to speak when asked questions during the hearing. However, that was clearly not the case afterward.

“I’m pretty pissed off,” Diaz told MMAjunkie after the hearing. “First of all, this sport, this commission and everybody, they’ve done everything they can to keep me from being all the way on top where I should be. They’ve been doing everything they could to keep me from proving to the world that I’m the best fighter in the world, which I am.

“Those people are nothing but a bunch of crooks up there. The reason why I became a fighter on top of a handful of reasons was so that I don’t have to break the law. People around me in my community, people I know, they don’t have to break the law either. We even did a lot of good. They got me in here sweating bullets in a freaking court room with my lawyers because they all think I’m going to flip out and do something really nuts like I was about this close to doing. I just think that it’s bullshit. I’ll fight anybody in this whole sport. I’ll beat everybody that – I’ve already beat guys that are on the top right now. This is the sort of reason that people don’t understand that I’m the best fighter in the world. They don’t understand that.”

Diaz said he was eager to speak his mind during the commission, but instead let his lawyers represent his side of the argument. He shared his thoughts on the NSAC’s commissioners’ afterwards, though, and they were hardly complimentary.

“I wanted to tell them what I think; I wanted to tell each and every one of that they’re a bunch of dorks. Anybody that sees them or knows who they are should tell them that to their face, because I would. I would tell them. I would tell them that if it wasn’t for my experts over here, they advised me to keep my mouth shut so I keep my mouth shut,” Diaz said. “I wanted to tell them all, ‘Look, you guys are way the fuck out of line. You guys are trying to hold me down from Day 1.’ That’s pretty much this whole sport trying to keep me from where I belong and that’s the No. 1 position. I’m the biggest draw; I’m the best fighter. I’ve been fighting for longer. I’ve been throwing more punches than anyone in the sport. I’m going to dodge more punches than anyone in the sport. That’s the bottom line and what’s really going on. We got a whole system trying to hold me down.”

Diaz’s lawyers plan to appeal the NSAC ruling, but it’s unknown how long that process will take to unfold. For now, though, Diaz must pay the fine and his license to compete in combat sports in Nevada is suspended for the next 60 months. Moreover, Diaz will not be able to acquire a license to corner other fighters, which means he cannot corner his brother Nate Diaz for his December UFC bout.

The 32-year-old expressed particular frustration in that aspect of the punishment.

“I can’t even go – my brother has a fight coming up; are you going to tell me I can’t even go corner my brother when he goes in? This isn’t a sport, this is war; this is warfare. This is a war game. He’s going in there to fight for his life and I can’t even go stand next to him?” Diaz said. “They deprive me on not just money now, but the right to stand up for not only what I believe in, but for my little brother. I can’t even go help my little brother. I’m like, ‘Y’all can go get knocked the f-ck out. all of you whole little, everybody in the room right now, but I got to keep my cool and walk around.”

Diaz initially suffered a unanimous decision loss to Silva at UFC 183. However, Silva also tested positive for banned substances around the event. Silva’s drug tests were not for marijuana likes Diaz’s, though, but rather a variety of anabolic steroids.

Silva, a former UFC middleweight champion, was fined $330,000 for his positive test, but only received a one-year suspension. Diaz said the difference in punishment is perplexing, especially because steroids are discussed as a far more problematic and potentially dangerous substance.

“I never did steroids in my life; that’s another thing I’ll tell you right now,” Diaz said. “I know all the fighters and they’re all on steroids. All you motherf-ckers are on steroids. All you motherf-ckers, all of you are on steroids. I already know that. I’m the only person in this sport, for the most part, that ain’t on steroids. Now there’s new rules in effect and there’s guys who aren’t on steroids now, but they used to be. They’ve always been on steroids. I’ve never been on steroids and I didn’t break the rules now. I tested under.”

Until Diaz’s representatives can file an appeal and move the case forward, he will be suck on the sidelines waiting for the situation to unfold. Diaz said he’s not sure what he’ll do in that time, which is particularly infuriating because he wants to fight as soon as possible.

“I’m looking at doing this (until) next year, if anything; I’m not doing nothing but high-profile fights,” Diaz said. “Anybody that they try to tell you is the best fighter in the world right now at 170, 185 – we don’t know that now. I’m pretty sure it’s me. I’m pretty damn confident it’s me.

“(I’ll be doing) nothing I guess. They’re not going to let me fight. I’m going to go teach jiu-jitsu. I’ll teach you how to throw a punch. One-year, two-year, five-year, I’m looking at fighting like right quick, otherwise who am I going to fight? I’m not looking at doing no fights.”

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