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The man who faced Anderson Silva, Georges St. Pierre, and B.J. Penn, has left everyone worried. Yes, we are talking about Nick Diaz. He was supposed to make a return against Vicente Luque at UFC 310, but viral videos that surfaced later hinted at why the 41-year-old ultimately withdrew. The bizarre video we are referring to featured a shirtless man who looked like Diaz, crouching behind some bushes, appearing to set something on fire. The footage shows the man responding irritably with a curt, “What?” when questioned.

While unconfirmed, the man in the video was widely speculated to be Diaz. The video even left Luque concerned. He stated, “I saw that video of him in the streets, and he didn’t look okay. And more than anything, I hope his family and he’s taking care of himself. I hope he recovers and goes back to his best state possible.”

However, Luque isn’t the only fighter who is concerned about the Stockton native. In a new interview with ‘Submission Radio’, Gilbert Burns shared his thoughts on Diaz’s UFC 310 fight, its cancellation as well as the viral video in which it was reportedly Nick Diaz showing disturbing behavior. What did he say?

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“At the second time, I thought so [that Diaz might fight]. Second time, okay he might be ready now. This fight might happen,” Gilbert Burns opined. After all, Diaz versus Luque was originally supposed to take place in August but was postponed as Diaz was facing travel issues. Unfortunately, the bout didn’t take place on the postponed date at UFC 310, due to undisclosed reasons.

“But then, when I saw that video that he was in the streets of Vegas or California, I don’t know like, putting a fire on the finger or something. I thought, ‘Oh, he doesn’t look good.’ I hope he comes back and gets the help he needs. But at that moment, I knew he wasn’t going to fight.”

via Imago

Interesting Fact: MMA fans know that Nick Diaz’s brother, Nate, and Gilbert Burns have been rivals. However, did you know that the latter once threatened Nick Diaz when he was supposed to make his comeback from a long hiatus? Back in 2020, when Burns got to know about Diaz’s plans to return, he tweeted, “Don’t come out of retirement on my division or I’m gonna kill the whole family.”

Let us not forget that though Nate Diaz and Burns have not fought in the UFC, they surely traded insults when the opportunity presented itself. And the Diaz brothers always have each other’s backs.

What’s your perspective on:

Is Nick Diaz's MMA career over, or can he overcome his struggles for a comeback?

Have an interesting take?

Regardless, the former welterweight title contender, Burns, expressed genuine concern over Nick Diaz’s condition. However, do you know what makes Nick Diaz’s situation seem worse? Well, his girlfriend made some revelations previously which scared Diaz’s fans.

Nick Diaz’s girlfriend shared a cryptic note… And so did his friend

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Nick Diaz, a polarizing figure in MMA, has long been known for his bold personality, controversial statements, and shocking antics. A vocal advocate for mari***a and its benefits, Diaz made headlines in 2015 when he was handed a five-year suspension—later reduced to 18 months—after failing a dr*g test. Despite the setback, Diaz expressed a desire to return to the Octagon, making his last appearance in 2021.

However, his recent re-emergence into the spotlight after a three-year hiatus has sparked intense public scrutiny, with personal issues taking center stage. Following the viral video, his girlfriend took to social media to shed light on his struggles.

Dr*g addiction doesn’t last forever; you either find sobriety or it takes your life,” she wrote on Instagram and also tagged the fighter.

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Her blunt statement emphasized the toll addiction takes, even on someone as resilient as Diaz. Whether the individual in the video was indeed Diaz or not remains unclear. However, in a YouTube video that was released by Diaz’s friend on ‘Pink Grenade Entertainment’, a few more details were revealed.

Diaz’s friend revealed that the viral video was released by someone known to them and he referred to her as Diaz’s ‘crazy stalker’. But he also gave hints that it was Diaz’s girlfriend. He felt the action of leaking the video was done to humiliate the fighter. In the end, it looks like fans will have to wait for Nick Diaz to come forward and share his story. What do you think?

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Is Nick Diaz's MMA career over, or can he overcome his struggles for a comeback?