We were expecting the Nevada State Athletic Commission to come down hard on Nick Diaz but nobody could have predicted the punishment dished out on the welterweight.
The veteran welterweight tested positive for marijauna metabolites in his post-fight drug test after a unanimous decision defeat at the hands of middleweight Anderson Silva in January.
Diaz appeared before an NSAC hearing on Monday and received a five year sentence having tested positive for the same substance for the third time in his career.
The 32-year-old’s ban will be retroactive to the January 31 fight which means that we won’t get the chance to see him again until he’s 36, if he decides to continue fighting at such a late age.
Let’s not forget that Diaz has a lot of miles on his clock so would likely have wanted to retire before reaching his 36th birthday.
Diaz has also been fined 33% of his $500,000 fight purse for the main event of UFC 183 which amounts to $166,667.