Nick Diaz Explains Why He Missed the UFC 158 Open Workouts

Challenger to the UFC welterweight title, Nick Diaz, explained during Thursday’s UFC 158: St-Pierre vs. Diaz pre-fight press conference why he missed Wednesday’s open workouts.

According to Diaz, he simply needed to get some rest.

“Either I missed that or I missed (this press conference), but I was going to have to catch up on some sleep. I was on some later hours. I think it outweighed the repercussions,” said Diaz. “I’m sorry I didn’t put on a show for the fans, but I’d like to also put on a show for the fans on Saturday night, so I’m just trying to make the best decisions to make a showing at 100-percent.”

Diaz didn’t arrive in Montreal until midnight after boarding a late fight on Tuesday.

“I got off the airplane at 12 o’clock, and I recommend for any fighter, as I would for any of my students, go ahead and sweat out some of that toxic water than you’re holding from the airplane. It’s got to happen. You can not be going to bed with that toxic (expletive) inside of you when you have a fight in the next couple of days, and I wanted to catch up on some sleep.

“I was going to do it the first night and miss this press conference, but I’m here. I’m well rested. I’d like to think I’m here at my best today and I think that’s more important than the open workout. I’ve given a lot of open workouts. Like I said, I apologize to the fans that they missed out on that excursion.”

During the open workouts, Georges St-Pierre commented that he didn’t like doing the media obligations either but he showed up, and said it wasn’t fair that Diaz didn’t. Diaz took offense to that comment.

“I just felt a lot better about getting my workout after I got off the airplane and catching up on some sleep as soon as I got here. I’ve had to train hard and work hard, and I had to pick a day to get some rest. I got here a 12 o’clock at night. Georges lives here and he’s trying to say it is unfair, and it’s not fair that he had to do it and I didn’t. You live here, bro. You got to do an open workout. I would have liked to do an open workout. I would have liked that, so I’m sorry I didn’t make it.”

UFC president Dana White was clearly not happy that Diaz bailed on a scheduled media obligation, but expected some bumps in the road when he put the fight together.

“When I made this title fight, I knew what I was getting into with Nick Diaz,” said White following Thursday’s press conference. “I don't think Nick Diaz is a bad guy. He has never been in trouble in his life. He has no police record; he has none of that. He's a martial artist. He's everything that he says he is, it's just that he's got this… call it unique personality.

“Nick Diaz has done more for this fight than he ever has in the past,” the UFC president continued. “Everybody wants to focus on he didn't show up (for the open workouts), but there's a lot of (expletive) he did show up for. And I know he's gonna be here on Saturday.

“He’s here today and I guarantee he’ll be there tomorrow at the weigh-ins, and I guarantee you he’ll be there on Saturday.”

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