ANAHEIM, Calif. – One UFC 241 fight week media session was enough for Nate Diaz.
Diaz, who one day earlier fulfilled his open workout obligation and wowed the crowd in attendance, was absent from Thursday’s media day, which had been set to feature all 26 fighters on the card.
It was Diaz’s decision.
“Nate addressed the media at length yesterday after open workouts covering all topics,” Zach Rosenfield, a spokesperson for Diaz, said in a statement to MMA Junkie.
A UFC official confirmed to MMA Junkie that Diaz’s absence was approved by UFC president Dana White. It’s unclear when the UFC was informed of Diaz’s decision, although a media day station had been set up for Diaz this morning at the host hotel.
On Wednesday, Diaz stole the show at open workouts when he smoked a joint on stage and passed it to the crowd. He then spent 11 minutes answering questions from reporters.
Diaz (19-11 MMA, 14-9 UFC) returns to the octagon for the first time in three years on Saturday, when he takes on former UFC champion Anthony Pettis (22-8 MMA, 9-7 UFC) in a highly anticipated welterweight bout. The fight will serve as the co-headliner of the pay-per-view event on ESPN+.
