Nick Diaz’s UFC Comeback Against Luque Falls Apart
Nick Diaz’s planned UFC return against Vicente Luque never happened. The bout was postponed from Abu Dhabi in 2024 over a travel issue, then Diaz withdrew from its UFC 310 booking and Themba Gorimbo replaced him. In a February 2026 interview, Diaz said he intended to fight again, but no return opponent or date has been announced. MMA Fighting’s report on Diaz’s plans
Two bookings, no return
Diaz was first scheduled to meet Luque on August 3, 2024, at a UFC Fight Night in Abu Dhabi. The promotion postponed the matchup after citing a travel issue; reporting at the time said it was unclear which fighter was affected. MMA Fighting’s report on the postponement
The fight was later announced for UFC 310 in Las Vegas on December 7, 2024. In November, the UFC announced that Themba Gorimbo would replace Diaz against Luque, without giving a reason for the withdrawal. The matchup with Diaz was not rescheduled. The UFC’s UFC 310 card update
Diaz’s last UFC appearance
Diaz last fought at UFC 266 on September 25, 2021, in a rematch with Robbie Lawler. Lawler stopped him by TKO at 0:44 of the third round. It was Diaz’s first fight since January 2015, when he faced Anderson Silva; the result was later changed to a no contest after both fighters tested positive for prohibited substances. UFC’s Nick Diaz profile and fight history
What became of the comeback?
After the Luque bookings fell through, Diaz did not return to the UFC. In February 2026, he publicly said he planned to fight again and hoped to become a world champion. That was an expression of intent, not a booked bout: as of October 2026, no opponent or date for his return has been announced. MMA Fighting’s interview report
