PA ImagesNate Diaz sparked controversy when he lit a CBD joint at an open workout earlier this week but Anthony Pettis said he’d up for smoking weed with the fighter once their UFC 241 fight was over.
Diaz defeated Pettis last night (August 17) at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California after three hard fought rounds which ended with a unanimous decision in Diaz’s favour, with the scorecards reading 30-27, 30-27 and 29-28.
The victory marked the 34-year-old’s return to the Octagon after a three year absence following a majority decision loss against Conor McGregor at UFC 202 in 2016.
2️⃣0️⃣9️⃣ finishing STRONG in Round 2️⃣! @NateDiaz209 showing no signs of ring rust – how you scoring it so far? 📝 #UFC241 pic.twitter.com/MFOiIj4YGN
— UFC Europe (@UFCEurope) August 18, 2019
Diaz was at the Honda Center for an open workout on Wednesday when he lit a joint which he said contained CBD, an extract from the cannabis plant which has no psychoactive properties and doesn’t violate USADA rules.
According to MMA Fighting, UFC President Dana White said it was a stunt he hadn’t ever expected to see in the sport, though he added ‘you can always expect the unexpected with the Diaz brothers.’
2️⃣ years, 1️⃣1️⃣ months, 2️⃣8️⃣ days…@NateDiaz209 is back ladies and gents! pic.twitter.com/DTPUjVXitx
— UFC Europe (@UFCEurope) August 18, 2019
The fighter took a few drags on the joint before handing it to his videographer and getting on with some light boxing. The videographer then passed the joint to some fans in the front row, who took turns smoking it.
Though controversial, Diaz’s opponent Pettis supported the move, telling TMZ Sport:
That’s dope, that’s dope. Hell yeah. I support that. I smoke weed too.
PA ImagesThe pair haven’t had the friendliest relationship in the past but the 32-year-old said they would deal with their beef in the cage and if they decided to light a spliff afterwards then so be it.
Ahead of the fight, he explained:
We’re not cool. Me and Nate are not cool. I mean we never had any kind of relationship other than him throwing his middle fingers up at me. So, you do that to me, then I’m assuming we have a problem.
Honestly after this fight is done, there’s no beef. I’m gonna settle it in the Octagon, and if we spark one up, we spark one up.
PA ImagesIt doesn’t look like the pair split any weed immediately after last night’s fight but that’s not to say it won’t happen sometime soon.
After taking the win over Pettis, Diaz said he wanted to go up against Jorge Masvidal, who scored the quickest KO in UFC history against Ben Askren in July.
There's only one name on @NateDiaz209's mind after #UFC241…@GamebredFighter. 👀
SIGN. US. UP. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/ahR3iAu2YR
— UFC Europe (@UFCEurope) August 18, 2019
He said:
The reason I was off is cause everybody sucked and there was nobody to fight.
With this belt, I want to defend it against Jorge Masvidal, he had a good last fight.
Between smoking a joint at the open workout and taking the win, Diaz certainly came back with a bang!
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Emily Brown first began delivering important news stories aged just 13, when she launched her career with a paper round. She graduated with a BA Hons in English Language in the Media from Lancaster University, and went on to become a freelance writer and blogger. Emily contributed to The Sunday Times Travel Magazine and Student Problems before becoming a journalist at UNILAD, where she works on breaking news as well as longer form features.