Nick Diaz Suspended Five Years, Fined $166,666 For Marijuana

Nick Diaz finally met his match in the form of the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

In a highly controversial move, the Nevada State Athletic Commission suspended Nick Diaz for five years after his failed post-fight drug test at UFC 183. Outside of Wanderlei Silva’s lifetime ban, this was the longest suspension the commission had ever handed down. This was Diaz’s third infraction.

Diaz appeared before the commission Monday flanked by attorneys, who presented a very good case against the commission. During the proceedings, Diaz invoked his Fifth Amendment rights, something NSAC’s Pat Lundvall scoffed at. The NSAC forced Diaz to respond to each of their questions, instead of allowing his use of the Fifth Amendment to blanket them all.

Diaz’s attorney and Lundvall went back and forth in a heated exchange, with Diaz’s lawyer saying that Diaz should be offered the same rights as he’d get in a court of law.

“This man has due process and I know you’re not a court of law, but you should honor that to some extent,” Diaz’s attorney Lucas Middlebrook said.

It may be worth noting the policies agreed to in May under the “more strict” disciplinary rulings would have called for a three year suspension, as well as a 60-75 percent loss in purse. Diaz lost 33 percent of his $500,000 fight purse, which totaled over $166,666.

Nick Diaz first failed a test for marijuana metabolites in 2007 following a victory over Takanori Gomi at PRIDE 33. The result was later overturned. Diaz again failed a test in 2012 after losing an Interim UFC Title fight to Carlos Condit at UFC 143.

Diaz contested that the test administered to him wasn’t reliable, and that two other tests given to him showed negative. After several hours of Diaz’s attorney’s presenting their case and providing witnesses, the NSAC deliberated, and proceeded to throw down the hammer on Diaz. It could have been much worse, however.

Pat Lundvall originally requested a lifetime ban for Diaz, which drew heavy criticism from those on social media watching the proceedings. That idea was contested by fellow NSAC members and was eventually reduced to five years, which Skip Avansino noted would probably end up being a lifetime ban for Nick Diaz.

Diaz has never made his love for marijuana a secret, and it’s doubtful that will change even with this ruling. Despite the punishment being harsh, Diaz has had a major issue with authority throughout his career.

As of now, Diaz’s career as a mixed martial arts fighter is effectively finished unless he gains a release from the UFC and fights overseas. Nick Diaz will be 36-years-old when his suspension ends.

[Photo by Steve Marcus/Getty Sports Images]