Nick Diaz may have missed Wednesday's open workouts (read his reason), but he is without a doubt making it up for it with numerous headline-making statements in the 24 hours since his latest promotional flake job.
Diaz, who will challenge Georges St. Pierre for his Welterweight championship this Saturday night (March 16, 2013) at UFC 158: "St. Pierre vs. Diaz," has accused his upcoming foe of being an unnatural athlete, alleging "Rush" is on "plenty of steroids."
Following Thursday's (March 14, 2013) eventful UFC 158 pre-fight press conference in Montreal, Quebec, Canada (watch it here), the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) welterweight No. 1 contender told "Tim and Sid" of Sportsnet Fan 590 that he believes "Rush" is on steroids.
"I believe that he's on plenty of steroids," Diaz said in the interview. "And I don't think they test around here and I don't think I'll be tested as well. I don't care what they're saying or marketing to the media, I don't think either of us are going to be tested and if so, he's probably got a bottle of piss in his pocket. I doubt they're standing over him making sure he's not on steroids."
What bold, and perhaps even slanderous, statement from the Stockton native. Not to mention short-sighted, considering he has been popped for pot twice already and seemingly doesn't seem concerned if it happens or not again this weekend.
Diaz certainly isn't the first person to call the longtime 170-pound champion out as a person who abuses performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs). In 2009, former two-division UFC champion B.J. Penn insinuated St. Pierre isn't a clean athlete, a statement that was not well received by the 31-year-old.
One that "The Prodigy" later retracted.
St. Pierre won't take kindly to Diaz's latest comments. And it's a shame these accusations came out so close to fight time because it likely means we won't hear a rebuttal from the French-Canadian until after UFC 158.
If he would even entertain the baseless claims in the first place.