Nick Diaz vs. Vicente Luque removed from UFC Abu Dhabi

A highly anticipated welterweight bout between Nick Diaz and Vicente Luque has been removed from next month’s UFC Abu Dhabi event.

Diaz (26-10 MMA) and Luque (22-10 MMA) were slated to collide on August 3rd at the Etihad Arena. However, during tonight’s UFC Vegas 94 broadcast it was announced that the bout is now postponed due to “travel issues”.

The new UFC Abu Dhabi main card lineup can be found below:

Shara Magomedov vs Michal Oleksiejczuk ADDED to #UFCAbuDhabi

Vicente Luque vs Nick Diaz is OFF due to a travel issue pic.twitter.com/NVxmleJbsA

— Spinnin Backfist (@SpinninBackfist) July 21, 2024

Nick Diaz, 40, has not fought since September of 2021 at UFC 266 when Robbie Lawler (30-16 MMA) defeated him by TKO. The former Strikeforce welterweight champion will be looking to earn his first victory since October of 2011 when his bout with ‘The Silent Assassin’ gets rescheduled.

As for Vicente Luque (22-10-1 MMA), the 32-year-old Brazilian will be looking to rebound after suffering a TKO loss to Joaquin Buckley in his most recent effort this past March in Atlantic City.

Prior to news of tonight’s Diaz vs. Luque postponement, NDA Athletic Recovery Coach Jose Garcia told BJPENN.com that Nick’s former coach Cesar Gracie was attempting to sabotage the fight.

“Fast forward to 2024 and Nick’s life is in shambles. His team helped get him out of Vegas and California, and he has once again moved, this time to Texas. Nick gets in great shape negotiates directly with Dana and Hunter by himself. He gets a fight and now Cesar is back. Due to the fact that Cesar is scared to fly and has no control over Nick’s contract with the UFC he is trying to discourage Nick from fighting in Abu Dhabi which once again is causing Nick to be mentally stressed instead of focusing on his fight. You got one side telling Nick Diaz to focus on himself and train and fight to make his own money and get himself right and you have Cesar on the other side trying to convince Nick to cancel the fight and take the fight in America where Cesar can have much more control of Nick. Preferably anywhere in California or Vegas so he can make the drive since his scared of flying. This is about controlling Nick in order to get as much money out of him because he feels he’s owed that since the game has grown and the guys make more money now. Note this, Cesar doesn’t make 1 dollar off of Nate and hasn’t made money with Nate for almost 10 years now.”

What do you make of the news that Nick Diaz vs. Vicente Luque has been postponed due alleged travel issues?