Saturday’s five round fight between Nick Diaz and Robbie Lawler will now take place at middleweight as opposed to the previously scheduled welterweight limit.
Saturday’s hotly anticipated matchup between Nick Diaz and Robbie Lawler has been changed to a middleweight contest. Ariel Helwani reports that the two will now compete at 185 pounds, fifteen pounds higher than the previously expected welterweight limit. The fight will still be a five round non-title fight.
Less than three days out from weigh ins, it is unclear whether it was one side that requested the fight be moved up to middleweight or if it was something that both sides discussed leading up to the bout. Diaz is fighting for the first time in a little over six years and as a professional has never fought higher than a catchweight of 180 pounds. Lawler fought as a middleweight for several years before moving back down to welterweight when he returned to the UFC in 2013. Lawler has not fought since last August.
The fight on Saturday is a rematch of their electrifying bout an astonishing 17 years ago in which Diaz defeated Lawler by second round knockout. The event is scheduled to feature a championship double-header with featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski taking on Brian Ortega and flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko taking on Lauren Murphy. The event will take place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
