UFC's Nick Diaz officially being fined $79,500 by NSAC for positive drug test at UFC 143

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

The Nevada State Athletic Commission will officially fine Nick Diaz $79,500 as part of his punishment for a positive test for marijuana metabolites following his bout with Carlos Condit at UFC 143 in February.

The NSAC officially ruled to suspend him one year and fine him 30% of his earnings from that event in a hearing last week, and NSAC executive director Keith Kizer confirmed the official figure of the fine, based off a $200,000 base purse and a $65,000 bonus Diaz was given for the event.

It's that bonus figure that could be intriguing, however, as ESPN's Brett Okamoto further reported on Wednesday that it was one part of a $300,000 bonus Diaz was set to earn in lieu of pay-per-view earnings.

After he no-showed several press conference for last October's UFC 137 event, he was taken out of his planned title bout with Georges St-Pierre and lost his pay-per-view percentage as well. Due to that, the UFC went with an overarching bonus for, chief amongst a list of items, not missing any of the press conferences or media obligations for the UFC 143 event.

Penick's Analysis: It's an interesting business where a fighter can skip out on obligations for one fight, then get paid not to skip out on those obligations the next time around. Of course, he still lost out on the pay-per-view revenue he could have made before. As to the fine itself, I still find it appalling that the NSAC has the power to hand down such an exorbitant fine, especially in this situation. Almost $80,000 is the price they're going to fine Diaz for doing something he has a medical right to do in the State where he has a right to do it. The fine and suspension may still be challenged by Diaz and his attorney.

[Nick Diaz art by Grant Gould (c) MMATorch.com]

Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/UFC_2/article_13477.shtml

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