Nick Diaz (photo via UFC)

By FCF Staff

The United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) announced today that Nick Diaz has agreed to a one year suspension, for failing to make himself available for three, out-of-competition drug tests.

Since Diaz’s one year of ineligibility began in April, 2017, however, the fighter could return to competition later this month. Part of the official announcement is below.

USADA announced today that Nick Diaz, of Stockton, Calif., has accepted a one-year sanction for a violation of the UFC® Anti-Doping Policy resulting from three unsuccessful test attempts during a 12-month period.

Like all UFC athletes, Diaz, 34, is a member of the UFC Registered Testing Pool and is therefore subject to certain Whereabouts responsibilities, which allow him to be located for out-of-competition testing. Diaz failed to be available for three tests at the locations provided in his Whereabouts Filings. The first two failures occurred in the second and third quarters of 2016, while the third occurred in the first quarter of 2017. Under the UFC Anti-Doping Policy, the accumulation of three Whereabouts Failures within a 12-month period constitutes an anti-doping policy violation.

The 34 year-old star has’t fought now since his January, 2015, bout with Anderson Silva at UFC 183. Diaz is 2-2, with 1 no-contest, in his last 5 bouts.