This past month, Hardy and Matt Brown had been going back and forth on social media in hopes of setting up a fight. On Monday, MMA Fighting was first to report that Brown is set to face Dhiego Lima at the UFC’s June 19 event.
With Brown out of the picture for the time being, Hardy took to social media to challenge Nick Diaz.
So now @IamTheImmortal is matched, I suppose I’ll jump to the next name on my list.
Where’s Nicholas Diaz at?
Any rules, any promotion, any arena.
Back to fighting for respect again...
My happy place.
— Dan Hardy (@danhardymma) March 2, 2021
Hardy is looking to return to action for the first time since going 2-0 in 2012. “The Outlaw” snapped a four-fight skid with a first-round TKO win over Duane Ludwig at UFC 146. The now 38-year-old followed up with a unanimous decision win over Amir Sadollah at UFC on FUEL TV 5 in September 2012 in what was thought to be his final fight. Where’s Nicholas Diaz at?
Any rules, any promotion, any arena.
Back to fighting for respect again...
My happy place.
— Dan Hardy (@danhardymma) March 2, 2021
Diaz’s absence from the sport hasn’t been for as long as Hardy’s as the Stockton native’s most recent appearance took place in the main event of UFC 183 in January 2015—a unanimous decision loss to Anderson Silva that was overturned to a no-contest after both fighters failed drug tests. The 37-year-old hasn’t picked up a UFC victory since earning a unanimous decision over B.J. Penn at UFC 137 in October 2011.
In September, Diaz’s manager Kevin Mubenga revealed that Diaz went through a strict 14-week diet and training regiment, along with a test weight cut in hopes of a return in 2021. Mubenga also spoke with Fanatics View in December and stated that he was “99.99999” percent certain Diaz would make the walk this year.
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