The main card for UFC Abu Dhabi is set and it features a stacked card for a fight night. This card features a #1 contenders match, multiple future UFC Hall of Famer stepping into the octagon, and a UFC legend making his long-awaited return.
The main event of this fight night will be between #2 Cory Sandhagen and #10 Umar Nurmagomedov in the bantamweight division. The winner of this fight will likely get a title shot after UFC Bantamweight Champion Sean O’Malley’s potential defense at the Sphere on UFC 306.
This card will also see two legends, Tony Ferguson and Deiveson Figueiredo, make their way back into the octagon. Figgy has been on a roll ever since his Bantamweight debut, and he looks to continue that against Marlon “Chito” Vera. The opposite can be said for Tony, though, so a win over Michael Chiesa is necessary for him.
The most important part of this card, though, is the return of a UFC legend, Nick Diaz.
Nick Diaz UFC Return
Nick Diaz is set to have his return match in the UFC in the welterweight division at UFC Abu Dhabi. He will face #14 ranked Vicente Luque on the co-main event of the card. Luque is a legend in his own right and has gotten big wins over Tyron Woodley, Rafael Dos Anjos, and Belal Muhammad.
Nick Diaz is making his UFC return after retiring nearly 3 years ago. His last fight was a KO loss against Robbie Lawler at UFC 266 in September 2021, however, prior to that fight, he hadn’t fought since 2015. Diaz was one of the top names of Strikeforce and was the Strikeforce Welterweight Champion before the UFC bought the company.
Unfortunately for Diaz, By the time he made his way into the UFC, his peak days were already behind him, and he only had 4 fights before retiring his first time at UFC 183. A potential win against Luque could silence all doubters who questioned whether Diaz could actually hang with the top stars of the UFC.
Also Read: Legendary return announced for UFC 303
One Time Thing?
It’s most likely that this return for Nick Diaz will be a one-time thing, as that’s exactly what he did in 2021 when he returned against Lawler. However, if he beats Luque at UFC Abu Dhabi, could there be a chance that he stays longer in the division and gets a few more wins under his belt?
Diaz’s full-time career came to an end at UFC 158, which was over 10 years ago, so it’s unlikely that he would go on a long run after this return, and could very likely not go on any run. However, there could have been a chance that if Nick won his return fight at UFC 266 he would’ve stayed in the company for a few more fights. It’s clear that this return happened for a reason, and that could potentially be for one last run.
Either way, this return for Diaz will be a legendary one, as fans will get a chance to see the future Hall of Famer step into the Octagon once more.
About The Author
Shayan Malik has always been an avid fan of sports. He is currently studying sports communication, as he is hoping to take his sports knowledge to the next level. He enjoys writing about combat sports such as MMA, wrestling, and boxing.
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