Following a championship run at Strikeforce, Nick Diaz’s UFC career started on a really high note as he defeated BJ Penn in his debut. But after that, the MMA legend’s run under Dana White’s banner went south as multiple suspensions stalled his career badly. The concern? It was his constant tussle with the Nevada State Athletic Commission over mar—na usage that his brother Nate Diaz couldn’t save him from.

In an interview with Theo Von, the former UFC veteran opened up about his big brother facing trouble with w—d and how he couldn’t help improve the situation between Nick and the NSAC.

“Nick got in trouble for weed. He got suspended for five years or some s—t like that when he was already older and it was like ridiculous. I never even thought about it,” Nate told Theo Von in a podcast episode. “It was like, you know, like when the cops take you to jail and I don’t want you to go to jail. I’m like, I know I can’t get you out. It wasn’t UFC at all. I think it was a commission, right?

Even with how I am right now, I don’t think I could help that, you know? I’m not going to go head to the commission. They’re going to do me or him any good. He’ll pop in and game me up about everything I suck at. That’s what he does. So that’s what I need him for, too,” he added.

For the unversed, Nick Diaz and his w—d-related problems go way back. Following his victory over Takanori Gomi at PRIDE 33 in 2007, the Nevada State Athletic Commission suspended him for six months after they found mari—na metabolites in his bloodstream. After that, the next instance came when Diaz faced Carlos Condit at UFC 143, when the commission again found the metabolites, but they didn’t suspend him.

However, the third violation became critical for the MMA legend and completely derailed Nick Diaz’s career. In 2015, the NSAC overturned his decision loss to Anderson Silva at UFC 183 after they found the Stockton native positive for mari—na once again. They handed him a five-year suspension along with a $165,000 fine, which caused massive uproar among fans and fighters at the time.

Former UFC bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey criticized the NSAC for their decision, calling the five-year suspension “not right.” But it was Diaz’s lead attorney, Lucas Middlebrook, whose appeal shortened the suspension to 18 months and lowered the fine to $100,000.

Now, not only Rousey, but also UFC color commentator Joe Rogan grilled the NSAC for Nick Diaz’s five-year suspension.

Joe Rogan called out NSAC for abusing power after Nick Diaz’s suspension

Joe Rogan has been one of the known supporters of MMA fighters using w—d before an event. So when the commission banned Nick Diaz for five years, the UFC commentator was visibly livid with the decision and called out the authorities, calling it an abuse of power.

“NSAC suspending Nick Diaz for 5 years for pot is an irresponsible abuse of power. It’s callous, idiotic and sickening,” Rogan wrote on X. “Unless there’s scientific proof that marijuana is a performance-enhancing drug that gives an unfair advantage, it should not be restricted,” he added.

Well, as Rogan called out the commission over Diaz’s marij—na suspension being not backed by science, he has actually claimed that MMA fighters used w—d as a performance-enhancing drug. According to a Bleacher Report article, the UFC commentator told Ariel Helwani in an interview that many Brazilian fighters and American jiu-jitsu fighters use it because it helps them, especially after Nick Diaz tested positive against Carlos Condit.

Previously, Matt Riddle was released from the UFC back in 2013 despite being on a four-fight win streak, after multiple positive tests for marijuana.

That said, what do you think about Nick Diaz missing a significant amount of career time because of suspension? Let us know in the comments section below.