Philosophical Nick Diaz Says He ‘Doesn’t Enjoy’ Fighting Ahead Of Superfight With Anderson Silva

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In a fascinating conference call with reporters today, Nick Diaz seemed reflective.

“I don’t recommend anybody be a fighter,” Diaz said casually. “Fighting is not something that I enjoy doing, it’s something that I do that I feel I have to do. That’s just the way it is. There’s a lot to it.”

Perhaps it is his lack of enjoyment that has caused the newly-minted middleweight to sit on the sidelines since losing to Georges St-Pierre in March of 2013 and despite the UFC offering fight after fight, Diaz wasn’t interested. Many have written that the UFC 183 fight with Silva is Diaz’s return from retirement, but there is just one problem. According to the fighter himself, he never retired.

“I just pretty much needed some time off, regardless, and you don’t really get time off in the UFC without retiring or getting hurt, and I guess I don’t break easy like some of these guys.”

While negotiating with the UFC, Diaz said that he would only come back in one of three scenarios.

1. A rematch with St-Pierre (unlikely as the Canadian is also ‘retired’).
2. An immediate shot at a title (unlikely after losing his last fight).
3. A superfight with Silva.

“They were offering me fights, and I wasn’t really interested in the fights that they were talking about for pretty much the whole year,” Diaz said to MMAjunkie. “So I pretty much dealt with different aspects of life. It’s been what it is. Now we’ve been able to sit down and talk about it a little bit, and I think that I was looking for pretty much the biggest fight I could get myself into, just like always.”

Philosophical Diaz continued when asked if he was excited about the fight that has the entire UFC community buzzing with fever-pitch excitement.

I don’t enjoy fighting,” Diaz said flatly. “I don’t use that word (excited) in this sport. I use that word like maybe I’m starving, and food is showing up. I’m getting excited. That’s excitement. Or I’m excited to have a couple of days off. I’m excited to fight somebody? I don’t know if people are confused with that term when it comes to fighting.

“Would you enjoy fighting Anderson Silva?”

No Nick. We wouldn’t.