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. Randy Gregory Womens Jersey . 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." Custom Cowboys Jersey . You can watch the game live on TSN and TSN GO or listen to the action on TSN Radio 1050 at 7:30pm et/4:30pm pt. The Spurs grabbed a 1-0 series lead Thursday night in the sweltering heat of a late spring San Antonio night. Brandon Carr Cowboys Jersey . The California Kid loves fighting in his hometown, and hes bringing a whole bunch of his friends along with him when he takes on Michael McDonald.PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. -- Brett Lawrie hit his first homer of the spring and the Toronto Blue Jays held AL East rival Tampa Bay Rays to just three hits in a 5-0 victory Friday. Erik Bedard, in his final bid to earn the Rays fifth rotation spot, struggled through 5 2-3 innings. He gave up four runs over 94 pitches, walking one and striking out four. Bedard is in a three-way competition with LHP Cesar Ramos and RHP Jake Odorizzi. Manager Joe Maddon said the decision on the fifth starter will come Saturday morning. "The other guys Im competing with are really good, (so) Im sure its a hard decision to make," Bedard said. "Theyre probably going to crunch some numbers and go with their gut feeling, and well see. When you dont have a guaranteed deal, you have to compete." Bedard signed a minor league deal with the Rays in February. As recently as March 18, he said he would opt out of his contract if he doesnt make the starting rotation, but he appeared to relax his position Friday. "Competition is always fun, but I guess everyone is ready to know," Bedard said. "I feel good, and maybe the numbers dont show, but they show for Ramos, who had a very good spring. Well have to see because I dont make the decision." Bedard has a 6.88 ERA over 17 innings with 13 strikeouts and two walks, while Odorizzi has a 3.75 ERA over 12 innings with eight strikeouts and six walks. Ramos has the best numbers of the competition: a 2.63 ERA over 13 1-2 innings with 11 strikeouts and a walk. "Its not easy," Maddon said. "Theyve all represented themselves extremely really well. We just got to try and figure out how this thing fits and whos going to give us the best chance to win coming out of the gate." STARTING TIME Rays: Opening-day starter David Price threw 106 pitches in a simulated game vs. minor league hitters Friday morning. Price pitched into the eighth inning and said he didnt reach a three-ball count until the last hitter in the seventh. "Curveball was extremely sharp -- it was a good day," Price said. "It was essentially a game, minus an anthem, walkout songs and umpires. Guys were out there trying to get on base and steal. Brandon Carr Womens Jersey. It was good." Jays: Aaron Sanchez, the teams 21-year-old top pitching prospect who hasnt been above Class A, looked sharp in his first start of the spring Friday, throwing 5 1-3 scoreless innings, while giving up just three hits, walking three and striking out two over 69 pitches. Sanchez has a perfect 0.00 ERA over 12 1-3 innings of this spring, but will probably be sent to Double-A New Hampshire. "I wont be disappointed if thats what happens," Sanchez said. "Ill go there and keep working to get better." NAVARRO BACK IN AL EAST When the Blue Jays signed journeyman catcher Dioner Navarro to a two-year, $8 million deal in December, they put faith in the former Tampa Bay Rays All-Star would be able to catch more than a 100 games, something he hasnt done since 2009. "Im 100 per cent sure I can play all season," he said. "Physically, mentally and spiritually feel ready and they obviously have faith that I can, too." Navarro will be seeing familiar faces back in the AL East, and for Maddon, thats a good and bad thing. "He helped us become the Rays," Maddon said. "As a young player, he was very calm through some stressful situations and threw out some good baserunners in some big moments. I like him. Ive always like him and really happy its worked out well for him, though not liking that hes in our division now against us." Last season, Navarro started 89 games for the Chicago Cubs, hitting 13 homers with a .300 average. He knows coming back to the AL East will be a challenge. "Everyone always talks about the (AL) East -- always have, so its no different (to be back)," Navarro said. "You have to have your A game every day." TRAINERS ROOM Rays: Juan Carlos Oviedo said he wont be ready by opening day because of his visa issues getting into the country. Oviedo said hes feeling good and expects to pitch Sunday vs. Boston in Fort Myers. . Matt Joyce received more treatment for his stiff neck, and Maddon said he was uncertain about when he will return to the lineup. . Jose Molina has not played in the previous two games, but Maddon says its not injury related.wholesale jerseys wholesale nfl jerseys china jerseys from china nfl jerseys cheap authentic cheap jerseys ' ' '
