Nick Diaz Says 'The Right Deal' Will Determine His Next Fight, Win or Lose

Nick Diaz is comfortable at middleweight, but his future in MMA will be shaped by the right deal and the right matchup—not weight classes or even title shots.

"They're going to use me to fight the best guys," Diaz said during a Thursday conference call with Bleacher Report MMA and other media outlets. "Making the right fight, making the right deal is the most important thing."

The former welterweight contender spoke with reporters in advance of his main event fight with former UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva at UFC 183 on Jan. 31. Though Diaz made his bones mainly at 170 pounds, he will compete as a middleweight at UFC 183. 

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Diaz: They are going to use me for a big show or a medium show. It's not about fighting for a title.

— MMAFighting.com (@MMAFighting) January 22, 2015"

Diaz said the move up to middleweight has left him feeling more vigorous and should serve him well in the cage. Diaz, who has said he walks around at about 200 pounds, recalled his last fight—a 2013 decision loss to welterweight champ Georges St-Pierre—as an example of a time when the weight cut left him without his usual luster.

"I have less problems with energy [at middleweight]," Diaz said. "I came out really flat against Georges St-Pierre. I couldn't get a sweat going. I didn't have a good warm-up...So this might eliminate that problem."

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Nick: When I fight at 170, especially when I fight 3 times a year, I can't be at %100 for any of those fights.

— Bloody Elbow (@BloodyElbow) January 22, 2015"

Either way, Diaz (26-9-1) is a substantial underdog against Silva (33-6), who before Jon Jones came into his own in the past year or so was considered the best MMA fighter in history.

No matter what happens at UFC 183, Diaz said his future is uncertain. He once flirted with a career in professional boxing, grappling or away from competition altogether, but he noted Thursday that he likes MMA. Circumstances—money, presumably, is very much included in that mix, given that he has previously sparred with the UFC over fighter pay—will be the determining factor.  

"I enjoy a lot about MMA and jiu-jitsu and training with friends and other people," Diaz said. "But fighting is hard work. It's a hard job."