Nick Diaz releases statement after being cleared of domestic violence charges: I’m focusing on my return

Nick Diaz is beginning the process of putting an ugly incident in the rear-view mirror.

The popular UFC welterweight released a statement on social media following the dismissal of a domestic violence case stemming from an incident in June in which he allegedly assaulted a female acquaintance. On Thursday morning, the Clark County (Nev.) Distract Attorney officially declined to pursue the case and it was permanently dismissed by a Las Vegas Justice Court judge.

See Diaz’s statement below:

Diaz, 35, wrote that he is “grateful” the case is over, thanking his lawyer Ross Goodman and the fans who supported him during the legal process. Most pertinent to the MMA community are his words concerning a potential return to the cage after over three-and-a-half years of inactivity.

“I’m happy to put this chapter of my life behind me and I’m looking forward to focusing on my return,” Diaz wrote.

The former Strikeforce welterweight champion and one-time UFC welterweight title challenger has not competed since UFC 183 on Jan. 31, 2015. That middleweight bout was originally a five-round unanimous decision loss to Anderson Silva, but the outcome was overturned to a no-contest when Silva tested positive for performance enhancing drugs and Diaz tested positive for marijuana.

Diaz initially received a five-year suspension for that infraction, but it would later be reduced to 18-months after an appeal. Earlier this year, he accepted a one-year suspension from the USADA for a whereabouts violation retroactive to April 2017 and he has been eligible to compete since April 9.