Last Updated on February 16, 2026 by Pragjyoti Singh
Nick Diaz has finally spoken after over a decade about his suspension following his fight against Anderson Silva over a failed marijuana test. After months of rumors and long-running speculation, Diaz has recently started making appearances on social media again. He was seen in a video on his longtime teammate Jake Shields’ YouTube channel, meeting ex-UFC champ Sean Strickland, and has been photographed multiple times with his brother Nate Diaz. In a recent interview with Baja Rehab, the older Diaz brother sat down and opened up about several facets of his life.
On January 31, 2015, in connection with his fight against Silva at UFC 183, Nick Diaz was handed a five-year suspension and a $165,000 fine by the Nevada State Athletic Commission. This punishment sparked controversy within the MMA community, leading to fan protests and an online petition that gathered over 100,000 signatures.
Nick Diaz opens up on his infamous 5 year suspension
In the recent interview, he opened up about the suspension and his struggles with drugs during a very important period of his career. Diaz said, “I went through a breakup, I lost this fight with Anderson Silva and tested positive for weed. They suspended me for five years. I didn’t really give a f*ck. I wasn’t partaking in any type of drugs, but I was around it.”
In addition to the five-year ban and the fine, Diaz was also ordered to repay unspecified costs associated with the hearing, with NSAC commissioner Pat Lundvall even proposing a lifetime ban for him.
Along with the severity of the punishment, the peculiar test results added to the controversy surrounding the incident. During the hearing, Diaz’s legal team argued that he had actually passed two drug tests on the night of the fight that were analyzed by a WADA-accredited lab, while the single positive test came from a non-WADA-accredited lab, Quest Diagnostics.
Diaz reportedly invoked his Fifth Amendment rights multiple times, refusing to answer approximately 30 questions from the commission. The lack of cooperation, along with his history of prior infractions, was cited by commissioners as a reason for the initial five-year ban, with lead attorney Lucas Middlebrook famously labeling the proceedings a “kangaroo court.” Diaz later reduced his suspension to 18 months and his fine to $100,000 following an appeal and a settlement with the NSAC.
During the interview, Diaz also opened up about his substance abuse issues. This comes after a video went viral in 2024 in which a man reportedly said to be Diaz was seen attempting to light a piece of grass. That was followed by rumors in 2025 claiming the 42-year-old had been kidnapped, drugged, and sent to a Mexican rehab facility. His longtime coach Cesar Gracie shut down the rumors by posting a picture of the Stockton native with the caption: “Not cloned or kidnapped. Has not joined MS-13.”
Diaz recalled how he eventually had to make a decision about the people around him after seeing drugs close to him. He said, “I did get in trouble because of those type of drugs, because the people that were suddenly around me were either selling drugs or bringing drugs around. People were cruising around my house with guns and sh*t. I’m like, this is fu**d, I’ve got to leave town. And so I got the fu*k out of there.”
The Stockton legend was last seen inside the octagon against Robbie Lawler at UFC 266.
Why was Nick Diaz Banned?
Nick Diaz was banned (suspended) due to multiple failed drug tests for marijuana metabolites, famously receiving a 5-year suspension in 2015 by the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) due to a positive test following his fight with Anderson Silva, which was eventually reduced to 18 months.
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