Nick Diaz returns for the primary time in three years when he faces Vicente Luque at UFC Abu Dhabi in August, but it surely seems UFC had a special thought in thoughts for his opponent.
Forward of his combat at UFC 302, Kevin Holland revealed that he was really supplied Diaz, however in the end turned down the matchup in favor of heading again as much as middleweight for a showdown with Michal Oleksiejczuk on Saturday in New Jersey as an alternative.
“It form of received offered to me,” Holland stated at UFC 302 media day. “I used to be speculated to be taking a combat at 170 towards a reasonably named opponent however they stated he wasn’t going to have the ability to combat till August, so I used to be like, ‘Rattling, that’s a very long time.’ They’re like, ‘Bro, it’s solely an additional month,’ and I’m like, ‘No, it’s too lengthy.’ I received this, I’m pleased with it. I assume that combat’s not going to circle again as a result of I see he simply received booked. We’ll see what occurs after.
“It was Diaz. I knew he was coming again to combat. I simply thought I used to be going to smoke him after which I used to be going to smoke Luque too, however these two are preventing one another to allow them to smoke one another. Two big-ass joints.”
Whereas Diaz would’ve been a a lot greater combat given his legendary standing within the sport, Holland says none of that has ever actually mattered to him.
With consecutive losses on his résumé to Jack Della Maddalena and Michael “Venom” Web page in his most up-to-date fights, Holland is much extra involved with simply getting again within the cage to compete once more.
“I don’t wish to look forward to no one,” Holland stated. “It’s like, ready is simply not a sport that I’ve ever actually been [good with]. Ready to receives a commission, ready to scrap — it simply sucks.
“It’s normally once I lose, once I’m ready to combat. I normally get my ass beat. I’m ready round, I’m most likely partying. You simply don’t see it as a result of I’m not as in style as Conor [McGregor].”
Holland additionally admitted he had no want to combat in Abu Dhabi, a rustic that employs strict legal guidelines towards drug use and possession.
The UFC veteran has brazenly mentioned utilizing marijuana as a part of his every day life. In Abu Dhabi, indulging that behavior may include stiff penalties akin to fines and even jail time. That was sufficient of a deterrent for Holland to go on competing there, and he was really stunned Diaz — an notorious marijuana person himself — agreed to go there.
“I wasn’t going to Abu Dhabi,” Holland stated. “I don’t perceive why the f*ck both of us would wish to go to Abu Dhabi. I believe it’s a gorgeous place, and in the event that they allowed us some greenery for the week, we’ll be there. However no greenery, it’s simply arduous for me.
“You have already got to do it combat week. You get right here, you don’t smoke. Nevertheless it’s simply the thought that proper after I knock this man out, I can’t go smoke no weed? It’s like, f*ck. I don’t understand how individuals do it.”