Nick Diaz has been cleared of domestic violence charges as of Thursday.
Nevada’s Clark County District Attorney’s Office dropped the charges made against Diaz, which included one misdemeanor and three felony charges.
Diaz (26-9 MMA, 7-6 UFC) allegedly strangled a woman and slammed her to the ground. The woman’s hip was severely injured as a result.
The victim, who claimed to be Diaz’s girlfriend, reported that Diaz had been using cocaine in the days leading up to the incident.
Judge Amy Chelini of the Las Vegas Justice Court declared that the victim’s claims did not stand up in court and dropped the charges.
The 2003 Welterweight WEC Champion has experienced his fair share of drama within the mixed martial arts world, including a fight at a 2010 Strikeforce event, a no-show at the World Jiu-Jitsu Expo in 2012, and a series of drug issues.
Diaz last competed against Anderson Silva in January 2015 at UFC 183, but the fight was overturned as both contenders apparently took drugs before the event.
Diaz was suspended for a year in 2017 for missing drug tests administered by the United States Anti-Doping Agency. UFC continued to offer him fights over the past few years. until he was arrested on May 24th.
Diaz took to Twitter to assure fans that he intends to focus on his return following the dropped charges, saying:
— nick diaz (@nickdiaz209) August 30, 2018
Many athletes have been accused of domestic violence in recent years. From Ray Rice to Floyd Mayweather Jr. to Adrian Peterson, almost every realm of the sports world has been affected by domestic violence. Most recently, controversy erupted regarding Ohio State Coach Urban Meyer’s handling of an incident involving former Assistant Coach Zach Smith. Coach Ryan Day will lead the Buckeyes during Meyer’s three-game suspension.
These recent accusations beg the question: does professional athletes’ familiarity with violence desensitize them to violence off the field or outside of the ring?
Do athletes’ celebrity status and financial value allow them to be fairly prosecuted and punished for domestic abuse?
Throughout the case, UFC and Dana White held a strong stance against domestic violence.
Featured Image via Andrius Petrucenia
