Reactions to Nick Diaz run up and down the love-hate spectrum.
The longtime Cesar Gracie disciple first appeared on the mixed martial arts radar as a teenager in 2001, made waves with his incessant trash talk and the absolute disdain with which he greeted opponents, brought his talents to virtually every major promotion and morphed into an anti-establishment cult hero. Diaz captured titles in World Extreme Cagefighting and Strikeforce during his rise through the sport—a journey that included three separate stints in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. The Californian was at his apex from May 11, 2008 to Oct.