Nick Diaz off Strikeforce: Carano vs. Cyborg card
Nick Diaz has been forced off the August 15th Strikeforce: Carano vs. Cyborg card because he was unable to obtain a fight license from the California State Athletic Commission. Diaz missed his pre-fight drug test on August 7th, and didn’t show on August 10th after the Commission allowed him another chance. Diaz, who openly talks about his marijuana use, tested positive for the drug after a submission victory over Takanori Gomi at PRIDE 33 in 2007. According to Diaz’s manager, Cesar Gracie, Diaz had an agreement with former CSAC executive officer Armando Garcia that there would be no random drug testing. However, Garcia stepped down from his post late last year. Diaz has a license to use marijuana for “medicinal purposes” in the state of California. From Gracie:
They changed it without any notification. No one had any time. The old guys were doing things based off of California law, and I knew California law didn’t change. He’s licensed… it’s legal. They’re own legal team came out with a ruling that said (compassionate use was allowed). Then all of a sudden they’re saying we’re doing drug tests, and cannabis is included, it’s not just performance enhancers. To flush it out of his system, it takes 10 days, and we don’t have that.
Diaz was originally scheduled to fight Joe Riggs at the event, however Riggs had to pull out of the fight a few weeks back due to an injury. Jay Hieron was named as the replacement for Riggs. Now, Hieron goes from fighting Diaz for the Strikeforce welterweight title to facing former “The Ultimate Fighter” cast member Jesse Taylor. Taylor, who recently defeated Dong Sik Yoon at DREAM.10 in Japan, sports a 13-3 MMA record.
Taylor is perhaps best known for advancing to the finals of season seven of “The Ultimate Fighter,” before being kicked out of the competition for a drunken incident following his semifinal win. He was brought back to the UFC after he told Dana White that he had cleaned up his act, but was released after he lost to C.B. Dollaway at UFC Fight Night 14. Since leaving the UFC, Taylor has reeled off seven straight victories.
The August 15th card has undergone significant changes from the original plans. The main event between Gina Carano and “Cyborg” Santos has remained intact, but most other fights haven’t. A planned heavyweight title fight between Alistair Overeem and Fabricio Werdum was scrapped when Overeem was unable to recover from a hand injury he suffered earlier this year. Werdum will now fight Mike Kyle. Additionally, Josh Thomson had to withdraw from his lightweight title fight with Gilbert Melendez due to a slow healing leg injury. Strikeforce had to change the fight to an interim title fight between Melendez and Mitsuhiro Ishida with the winner getting a shot at Thomson to unify the titles. However, Strikeforce added a light heavyweight title fight between the champion, Renato “Babalu” Sobral and the challenger, Gegard Mousasi. That fight was originally scheduled to take place at the cancelled Affliction: Trilogy show on August 1st.
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Related posts:
- Nick Diaz vs. Jay Hieron set for Strikeforce: Carano vs. Cyborg
- Nick Diaz vs. Jay Hieron fight will happen ‘before end of the year’
- Strikeforce: Carano vs. Cyborg analysis and predictions
- Overeem vs. Werdum confirmed for Strikeforce: Carano vs. Cyborg
- Nick Diaz signs with boxing promoter but will continue MMA career
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