TORONTO - Veteran mixed martial artist Nick Diaz says he is ready to return to the cage despite the fact that he does not enjoy fighting. [url=http://www.newbalanceoutletuk.com/]Cheap Wholesale New Balance[/url] . The 30-year-old Diaz, who has long marched to his own drummer, has not fought since Marc

TORONTO - Veteran mixed martial artist Nick Diaz says he is ready to return to the cage despite the fact that he does not enjoy fighting. Cheap Wholesale New Balance . The 30-year-old Diaz, who has long marched to his own drummer, has not fought since March 2013 when he lost to then-welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre at UFC 158 in Montreal. He had announced his retirement 13 months before after losing to Carlos (The Natural Born Killer) Condit but returned to face GSP for the title. Diaz (27-9-1) then dropped out of the spotlight although his name kept resurfacing, usually with UFC president Dana White saying that Diaz had refused another bout. "They were offering me fights and I wasnt really interested in the fights that they were talking about for pretty much the last year," Diaz told a media conference call Wednesday. "I was looking pretty much for the biggest fight I could get myself into. Just like always." Mission accomplished. A Jan. 31 date with former middleweight title-holder Anderson Silva at UFC 183 — the UFCs marquee Super Bowl card — along with a new contract extension proved to be enough to bring the rebel fighter from Stockton, Calif., back into the UFC fold. The 39-year-old Silva has not fought since suffering a horrific leg injury in a loss to middleweight champion Chris Weidman last December at UFC 168. The return of Diaz and Silva gives the UFC two more marquee names sorely needed due to injuries and the proliferation of fight cards. The pay-per-view show originally slated for December in Montreal, for example, may be pushed back to March — likely due to lack of a suitable main event. Diaz is a polarizing figure, an accomplished Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt with prickly boxing skills who fights with a sneer on his face — usually while talking trash to his opponent. No lover of media commitments, his refusal to play by the rules was demonstrated when he failed to show up for a Toronto news conference when he was originally scheduled to meet St-Pierre. The UFC promptly pulled him from the title bout. Still his "I dont give a damn" attitude has won him plenty of fans. Diazs time away from the sport after the Condit loss was also enforced after he was suspended a year for a positive marijuana test (he was also banned for the same reason following a 2007 Pride fight). Diaz told the Nevada State Athletic Commission after the most recent failed drug test that he had been prescribed a medial marijuana card to help deal with his ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder). Younger brother Nate is equally abrasive with a signature win that included flexing his muscles and displaying two middle fingers while opponent Kurt Pellegrino was locked in a triangle choke. Nick Diaz says his time away from the sport was beneficial and productive, both physically and mentally. "I spent the last what, almost 16 years with some sort of tournament, competition or an MMA fight," he said. "Its been a real experience." Diaz said it seems like he has always had a fight looming, be it in real life growing up or the UFC. "After 37 fights, what 16 years, being extra-serious, thatll do something to somebody," he said. "Its pretty rough. I dont recommend anybody to be a fighter. Fighting is not something I enjoy doing. Its something I do that I feel I have to do and thats just the way it is." "I dont like to hurt anybody," he added. "Im a non-violent person." The six-foot Diaz has fought at both welterweight (170 pounds) and middleweight (185). He says he walks around at close to 200 pounds and that making 170 has been "pretty rough" in the past. He said he had never really quit the sport, saying you never retire from martial arts. He just wasnt going to take a fight he wasnt happy with. "I just pretty much needed some time off regardless and you dont really get time off in the UFC without returning sometimes or getting hurt. I guess I dont break easy, like some of these guys." Asked about his new contract extension, he said: "I cant complain. I cant ask for anything more. Im happy with the deal that I made." "Its hard out there," he added. "Especially when the rest of these guys arent getting paid what they should be getting paid. And they sit around and they cant open their mouth about anything for the most part when it comes to what they do." Diaz said hes willing to speak out, where others arent. "Its a really complicated road if youre an MMA fighter," he added. Diaz demonstrated that when asked if he was excited to fight a legend like Silva. "I dont use that word (excited) in this sport," he said. "I use that word like maybe if Im starving and foods showing up. Or Im excited to have a couple of days off." Asked again if he would enjoy getting in the cage with Silva, he was definite. "Definitely not. Would you enjoy fighting Anderson Silva?" Asked what he expects from Silva given his injury layoff, Diaz was noncommittal. "You never know what youre going to get. Life is like a box of chocolates," he replied, referencing the film "Forrest Gump." Diaz said he was taking his career "day by day, fight by fight." "I dont need much. I can survive without fighting. The thing is I just want to do the best I can, like everybody else." New Balance Uk Sale . Louis Cardinals continued their offensive tear with a 9-5 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers in the opener of a four-game series. Wholesale New Balance Shoes .Y. Islanders 4Winnipeg 5 Dallas 2Nashville 3 Colorado 0San Jose 5 Edmonton 2---AHLProvidence 5 St. Johns 4 (OT)Chicago 6 San Antonio 2---NBACleveland 105 Toronto 101Portland 98 Detroit 86New Orleans 104 New York 93Oklahoma City 114 Milwaukee 101Memphis 114 Dallas 105Miami 103 Phoenix 97Utah 100 San Antonio 96L. http://www.newbalanceoutletuk.com/ . "All he says is, its crazy," DeMar DeRozan told reporters following Torontos win over the Pistons Wednesday. The Raptors longest-serving members, Johnson and DeRozan have had two coaches and 56 different teammates in five seasons with the club, all without appearing in a single playoff game.BARCELONA, Spain -- Levante struck early and relied on its staunch defence when reduced to 10 men to beat Osasuna 2-0 at home in the Spanish league on Saturday. Levantes win extended its unbeaten streak to eight consecutive rounds and provisionally lifted it ahead of Sevilla and Valencia into seventh place. First-year coach Joaquin Caparros had set the goal of avoiding relegation for Levante this season, but after 26 rounds the Mediterranean minnow is closer to earning a Europa League berth than worrying about the drop. "My team is a pain to play against," said Caparros. "With 10 players we tripled our effort and (goalkeeper Keylor) Navas, with the way he is playing, kept us calm at the back. "We can play better or worse, but this team always gives it its all. Its all soul." Midfielder Papakouly Diop gave Levante the lead at Ciutat de Valencia Stadium just four minutes in when his long-range strike bounced past goalkeeper Andres Fernandez and inside the far post. Forward Ruben Garcia doubled the hosts advantage by fending off Damia Abella to control a long free kick before turning and firing the ball home. Levante played the last half hour with 10 men after Victor Casadesus saw a direct red card for a hard tackle from behind on Alvaro Cejudo, but even though Osasuna finally mustered its first shot on goal it never threatened to come back. "Its disheartening to play against Levante when they are ahead in the score," Osasuna coach Javi Gracia said. Levante visits league leader Real Madrid in the next round. Elsewhere, Elche beat Celta Vigo 1-0 thanks to a late goal by Carles Gil, Malaga drew 1-1 at home with Valladolid, and Getafe was held too 0-0 by visiting Espanyol. New Balance Outlet Uk. Elches Manuel del Moral and Eduardo Albacar both sent the ball off the goalframe in the first half before Rafina tilted the match in Celtas favour through his skilful dribbling and passing. But Gil combined with Ferran "Coro" Corominas to break free in the box and net the winner six minutes from time to give Elche its first victory in four rounds and move the promoted side six points from the drop. Valladolids draw at Malaga left it in the relegation zone, three points behind Malaga and Almeria. Malagas Roque Santa Cruz was left unmarked to head in the 13th-minute opener, but Valladolid dominated the rest of the match after Javi Guerra went close in the 20th. Midfielder Daniel Larsson equalized 10 minutes later after Manucho knocked down a long cross by Antonio Rukavina for the Swede to score. "Our fans are nervous and I understand them," said Malaga coach Bernd Schuster, whose team has one victory in its last nine games. "We got the first goal, which is very important, but then we had the wrong attitude and take a breather (instead) of looking for a second." Getafes drab draw with Espanyol meant its winless streak grew to 11 straight games dating to November. It also lost goalkeeper Miguel Moya to a leg injury in the second half. Espanyol stayed in 10th place. Madrid leads Atletico Madrid and Barcelona by three points. Madrid visits Atletico on Sunday, when Barcelona hosts Almeria. Also, Real Sociedad plays at Sevilla, Villarreal hosts Real Betis, and Valencia visits Rayo Vallecano. Athletic Bilbao routed Granada 4-0 on Friday to hold onto fourth place and the final Champions League spot. ' ' '