NICK DIAZ TELLS HDNET’S INSIDE MMA “I DON’T SEE MUCH OF A FUTURE IN THIS SPORT FOR ME;” MANAGER REVEALS BOXING CONTRACT

Posted on | April 14, 2011 | No Comments

Plus, Royce Gracie, Gilbert Melendez, and Jorge Santiago – TOMORROW NIGHT, Friday, April 15 at 9:00 p.m. ET on HDNet

DALLAS (April 14, 2011) “Inside MMA” is locked and loaded this week with an all-star line-up including four current and former world champions and a special guest host.

The program will feature complete coverage of last weekend’s Strikeforce™ event including an interview with Strikeforce™ Welterweight Champion Nick Diaz – fresh off his TKO victory over Paul Daley.

“[Strikeforce™] doesn’t have anybody else for me to fight right now, I’m better than all these guys they have,” says Diaz. “The guys they have ranked above me, I’m sure they don’t want to fight me. I don’t see much of a future in this sport for me. I honestly don’t, especially if there’s not a whole [lot] of money going on.”

Separately, Diaz’s manager Cesar Gracie tells “Inside MMA” that Diaz has signed a boxing contract to fight Fernando Vargas later this year. The contract is awaiting Vargas’s signature, but Gracie says that unless Dana White offers Diaz a fight with Anderson Silva, Nick’s next fight will definitely be in boxing.

A preview clip of this interview is available at:

http://www.hd.net/blogs/2011/04/inside-mma-preview-nick-diaz-to-quit-mma/

Kenny Rice is joined at the anchor desk this week by special guest host Michael “The Voice” Schiavello.

They are joined on the panel by UFC Hall of Famer Royce Gracie, Strikeforce™ Welterweight Champion Gilbert Melendez, and former Sengoku Middleweight Champion and new UFC signee, Jorge Santiago. Some highlights include:

*Gracie tells the panel that he is excited about the UFC returning to Brazil and talks about who he wants to fight at “UFC Rio.”

*Fresh off his dominating victory over Tatsuya Kawajiri, Melendez says he’s ready to unify the Zuffa Lightweight titles.

*Santiago talks about his return to the UFC and breaks down his fight with Brian Stann.

*Schiavello announces the next superstar guest set to go toe-to-toe on the popular “Voice Vs.” series on HDNet.

And, Ron Kruck continues his “Inside America’s Gyms” series with a stop at American Martial Arts in Whippany, NJ, home to the toughest brothers on the planet, Jim and Dan Miller.

“Inside MMA” premieres Friday at 9:00 p.m. ET on HDNet as part of three and a half hours of original MMA programming:

#HDNet Fights Vault @ 8:00pm ET – featuring the Best of Sengoku 10

#Fighting Words with Mike Straka @ 8:30pm ET – featuring Brock Lesnar

#Inside MMA @ 9:00pm ET

#HDNet Fights: In This Corner: Shinya Aoki @ 10:00pm ET