LAS VEGAS – After nearly seven years away, Nick Diaz’s return to MMA is official for UFC 266.
Diaz (26-9 MMA, 7-6 UFC) and former welterweight champion Robbie Lawler (28-15 MMA, 13-9 UFC) both successfully made weight for their middleweight matchup Friday morning at the official weigh-ins.
Diaz, who spent the bulk of his career at welterweight until he moved to middleweight to fight Anderson Silva in 2015, was 185.5 pounds. Lawler fought at middleweight for nearly 10 years before returning to welterweight in 2013. He weighed in at 184 pounds.
Diaz has not fought since a loss to Silva in January 2015. That loss was overturned to a no contest when both fighters failed drug tests. Lawler has lost five of six fights starting with a knockout loss to Tyron Woodley in 2016 in which he lost the welterweight title.
Diaz and Lawler are scheduled for a final staredown Friday at the UFC 266 ceremonial weigh-ins ahead of their featured bout Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
UFC 266’s main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPNews and ESPN+.
