Nick Diaz: Sick, Not Bad

As I'm sure you've all heard, Nick Diaz got dropped from UFC 137, thereby losing his chance to fight Georges St. Pierre for the welterweight title, because he failed to show up for two pre-fight news conferences to promote the fight. People are making Diaz out to be a spoiled, selfish athlete, implying he just couldn't be bothered to attend either press conference. Dana White said that Diaz lied to his face about the two missed press conferences. But the man who knows Diaz best is his trainer Cesar Gracie. And Gracie, while embarassed by Diaz's no-shows, also says Diaz has a social anxiety disorder that he self-medicates with marijuana. If so, then shaming the guy isn't going to change his behavior.

Social anxiety disorder is: "Extreme, persistent and disabling social anxiety . . . having physiological components (e.g., sweating, blushing), cognitive/perceptual components (e.g., belief that one may be judged negatively or looking for signs of disapproval), and behavioral components (e.g. avoiding a situation). The essence of social anxiety has been said to be an irrational or unreasonable expectation of negative evaluation by others.^[1] One theory is that social anxiety occurs when there is motivation to make a desired impression along with doubt about having the ability to do so.^[12]"

So, here you have a kid from the wrong side of the tracks who knows he is uneducated and has language difficulties. He wants to make a good impression at these press conferences, but he doubts his ability to do so in front of all these educated, verbally adroit journalists. He gets scared, smokes dope to deal with the fear, and is too high to think straight and make sure he gets on that plane. Then he's ashamed of himself and hides from his teacher, his friends, and his boss.

It all makes sense. And no, the logical explanation doesn't change the fact that the UFC needs its fighers to promote the fights so that people watch said fights. And thus it makes sense to drop a fighter who isn't able to do those promotions.

But social anxiety disorder is curable through cognitive-behavioral therapy. And marijuana addiction is curable as well, through good therapy and regular participation in a twelve-step group like Narcotics Anonymous.

Nick Diaz just lost an opportunity to win the title of world's best welterweight mixed martial artist, which means he lost the potential paydays that would have come with winning that UFC title. But he shouldn't waste this crisis.

He needs to learn the lesson life is giving him. Get help. Get a good therapist. Go to NA meetings. Cure his social anxiety disorder and his marijuana addiction.

He is a very talented martial artist. He will get other opportunities to fight. And if he proves, by showing up at all the promotional events, that he has gotten his mind under control, then I predict he will get another opportunity to fight for the title.

After all, America loves a comeback story.
nity to become