MMA Junkie reported earlier this month that Nate Diaz is done with cutting to 155 for every fight and will be moving up to welterweight:
Nate Diaz Jumps To Welterweight; Will Fight Rory Markham at UFC 111
Nate Diaz (11-5 MMA, 6-3 UFC) is not leaving the lightweight division permanently — he just wants a break.
...“It’s just a possibility,” Diaz today told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). “I’m not going to permanently go, but I could probably jump around. If I want to make (155 pounds) all year long and be starving and miserable for that long, I’d probably want to get paid more. Until I start getting paid more, maybe I should ease up a weight class.”
Only one week removed from his last bout, Diaz is set to return to action at UFC 111 in Newark, N.J., to make his welterweight debut against Rory Markham. MMAJunkie.com initially reported the bout, and independent sources close to the fight confirmed to MMAWeekly.com on Monday that the fight is likely to happen when the promotion returns to New Jersey.
Markham is a very solid fight for Diaz and should be entirely winnable. Rory has the striking game to give Diaz problems but will be very vulnerable to getting caught up in Nate’s long limbs and submitted should the fight hit the floor.
Should Diaz manage to get by Markham as expected, look for a fight with Diego Sanchez to take place over the summer.
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