ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 17: Nate Diaz has his hands wrapped backstage during the UFC 241 event ... [+]

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As of now, Nate Diaz is still booked to fight Jorge Masvidal for the fictional BMF title in the main event of UFC 244.

On Thursday, Diaz raised a lot of eyebrows by announcing that he was not going to make it to the event, which takes place on November 2 at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

I'm not gonna make it out to NYC for fight week next week because they say I tested with elevated levels that they say might be from some tainted supplements. I call false on that cause I only take Whole Food or natural food supplements. I don't even eat meat. So until UFC, USADA or whoever is (expletive) with me fixed it, I won't be competing. I'm not gonna play their game and try to hide it or keep quiet, as they suggested. I'm not gonna have my name tainted as a cheater like these other (expletive) who keep quiet until after the fight just so they can get paid. (Expletive) cheaters. I don't give a (expletive) about some money over my dignity and my legacy. I'm not playing along with this (expletive). I'm not staying quiet and figuring it out after the fight. That's cheating. So fight game I'll see you when I see you. Sincerely, The real baddest mother (expletive) in the game.

There are two main things to examine in Diaz's statement.

He didn't say he was being removed from the card by the UFC or The United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), who administers the UFC's anti-doping program. Diaz also said that someone told him to keep quiet about the elevated levels test result.

Diaz seemed to indicate that he is withdrawing himself from the event. The reason for that is that he does not want to compete when there is the possibility that his name, reputation and legacy could be tainted. That's admirable. Luckily Diaz has seemingly earned enough money that he can take that stand.

He is putting the onus on the UFC and USADA to figure this out quickly and most importantly, he is doing so publicly. Diaz is telling the UFC and its ownership group that if they want to make money off his labor they need to clear his name, or he will walk away from the fight.

The second item might be a misunderstanding on Diaz's part, but it might not. He might have been told about the test showing elevated levels and that USADA was in the process of further investigating the test results. Don't forget, USADA no longer announces potential drug test failures until the entire process plays out. However, the fighters are informed and if they decide to announce what is taking place, they can. Diaz did just that.

With that being said, Diaz also could have been told to keep quiet by someone. If that is indeed the case, that person needs to be exposed and that statement needs to be investigated as to why he would be told to do so.

The one thing that Diaz might have unwittingly done is provide a blueprint for fighters who are told of a potential drug test failure while they have fights booked. By announcing the potential failure and telling the UFC and USADA he was going to remove himself from the card unless the situation is figured out before UFC 244 takes place, he put pressure on both parties to do just that.

It'll be interesting to see if other fighters follow Diaz's example and use whatever leverage they have to force a quick resolution to drug test related issues.

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