Nick Diaz is getting ‘ready’ for 2017

It appears that UFC fan favorite Nick Diaz may be preparing to return to competition soon.

The elder Diaz brother was spotted in a social media post by Jose Garcia, who works on strength and conditioning for the Diaz brothers.

Garcia posted a photo with Nick and said in the caption, “Guess who is back?
Getting my dude ready for 2017💯👊🏽✌🏽️
#teamdiaz #BBJ #BBJRECOVERY”

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1193031957448349&set=a.198970840187804.50955.100002246678398&type=3

Nick Diaz last fought Anderson Silva at UFC 183 back in January 2015. Silva was initially awarded a unanimous decision victory following their five-round battle but it was later ruled a no contest after both Diaz and Silva tested positive for banned substances. Silva tested positive for Drostanolone metabolites and traces of Androstane. Diaz, on the other hand, tested positive for marijuana for the third time in the state.

Both Silva and Diaz were suspended following their hearing with the Nevada Athletic Commission and Diaz has been eligible to fight since August but made it clear that he was only returning for a fight against a big name or if there was a big payday behind it.

“Look at me right now, I don’t need nothing,” Diaz said in an interview with TMZ. “I don’t owe nobody nothing. I don’t owe nobody shit. I haven’t been fanatical about fighting since I was 15, 14, since I was 8-years-old. Once I turned pro, I was like, this is not fun and games now.”

Prior to the no contest bout against Silva, Diaz fell short in two five-round championship fights. First against Carlos Condit in an interim welterweight title fight and next in a title fight against former UFC welterweight kingpin Georges St-Pierre. Prior to the championship bouts in the UFC, Diaz put together 11 wins in a row against competition in DREAM, Elite XC, Strikeforce and the UFC. Diaz won the Strikeforce welterweight championship and defended the title three times in the organization before making his way into the UFC.

Who would you like to see Nick Diaz matched up against for his return to the Octagon in 2017? Give us your list of dream matchups in the comment section for the Stockton scrapper!