Nick Diaz wants 2012 return after filing motion for review against NSAC marijuana ruling

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) welterweight contender Nick Diaz, who "retired" after losing a five round unanimous decision to Carlos Condit in the UFC 143 pay-per-view (PPV) main event back in February, wants to return to the Octagon and continue fighting.

By any means necessary.

Diaz is currently suspended by the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) for failing a pre-fight drug test (marijuana metabolites), but the Las Vegas Review-Journal today (Sept. 27, 2012) brought word that his legal representatives have recently filed a motion for review.

Simply put, they'll have to settle this thing in court.

Initially, Diaz proclaimed he was going to quit the sport and simply be done with mixed martial arts (MMA) altogether. However, the desire to compete -- and make good money doing it -- was simply too strong and he's since tried every angle possible to procure his Octagon return.

This could be his last hurrah.

Diaz is no stranger to the NSAC, having already failed for marijuana back in 2007 after his thrilling submission victory over Takanori Gomi under the PRIDE banner. He was suspended six months and fined 20 percent of his purse for that first offense.

This time he's pleading innocence ignorance.

I'm not sure how long a review takes, but his 12 month suspension is up in February. That's a little over four months for all you math wizards out there, so assuming this latest attempt is unsuccessful, he's already well past the halfway point in his sentence.

Until then, stay tuned.