This is a guest editorial by Jamie Kilstein. Mr. Kilstein is a professional comedian who's been seen on Conan, The Joe Rogan Podcast and Showtime. He hosts Citizen Radio.

In a sport where competitors are routinely elbowed in the face and choked unconscious (sometimes with their own limbs), the UFC's fans sure are a bunch of babies when it comes to weed.

This week Nevada State Athletic Commission executive director Keith Kizer stated in an email that "...[Nick] Diaz tested positive for marijuana metabolites," after his fight at UFC 143.

UFC overlord Dana White said he was "beyond disappointed" in Diaz, and to paraphrase the hellish abyss we know as internet comments, "F**K DIAZ, YO SHULD FIRE HIS DICK 4 BEING STOOPID! NO HOMO!"

More On Nick Diaz
Nick Diaz Is to Blame, But So Are Meaningless Commission Marijuana Tests | Nick Diaz Should Be Released By The UFC | Nick Diaz' UFC 143 Drug Test Failure Was Inevitable |Dana White: 'I Am Beyond Disappointed | Nick Diaz Tests Positive For Marijuana | Fighters React to Nick Diaz's Positive Drug Test

The thing is: there is no physical advantage to smoking pot in the fight game. Maybe you will come up with a new arm bar variation, but you will immediately forget it once another Walking Dead marathon comes on.

In the U.S no one has ever overdosed on marijuana, while alcohol kills more people than crack, cocaine, and heroin, combined.

But what do we see when we turn on the UFC's reality show The Ultimate Fighter? A house stacked with angry juice, and it always ends badly: people pissing on each other, fist fights, property destruction, etc. I've never gotten high and thrown a chair through a wall...mostly because I am sitting in that chair.

I get it. Rules are rules, even when they are shitty rules. But Nick needs marijuana to treat a legit medical condition. Shit, he even has a prescription.

It's hard for the general population to accept that weed has legitimate medical effects, since the general population doesn't take their insulin in Target parking lots, or on beanbag chairs listening to Bob Marley or Tool (depending on the mood). But ADHD and Anxiety can be crippling to some people.

Have you seen Nick interviewed? The dude is not acting. He hates it and can barely maintain eye contact. And leading up to this main event with three Primetime specials airing on FX -- on top of the regular press grind -- it was the most pressure that he had ever faced.

Diaz, although known as the bad boy, is one of the healthiest fighters the UFC has on it's roster. He is a vegan, leaning towards a mostly raw, whole food, plant based diet. In his down time, what does he do? Get into bar fights? Take steroids? Rip people off in shady real estate deals? No. He competes in fucking triathlons! He doesn't put anything into his body unless it will make him healthier.

Not long ago, light heavyweight champion Jon Jones was disqualified for using an illegal elbow against Matt Hamill. That is also a stupid rule, and people called it a stupid rule. The 12-6 elbow is banned like it's some sort of Dim Mak death touch, even though it's the same as other elbows. But back then people weren't screaming, "Jon Jones knows the rules! Fire him!" No. They were furious he was disqualified and had his back.

But Nick Diaz is not Jon Jones. Nick Diaz will never be on the tonight show, he won't be in a commercial, and if he did do a commercial, it would be the most awkward commercial of all time.

Nick Diaz fights. It's what he is good at. It's what we love watching him do. Nick Diaz needs help and support, not to have what he is brilliant at taken away from him.

Follow Jamie on Twitter at @jamiekilstein.

With Nick Diaz on the shelf for an indeterminate amount of time after failing a post UFC 143 drug test and current UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St. Pierre expected to be out until at least November, Jake Ellenberger has moved into pole position to be the next challenger to interim champion Carlos Condit's 170-pound title.

That is assuming, of course, that Ellenberger can get past Diego Sanchez in this Wednesday's UFC On Fuel main event, something he is favored heavily to do. He is clearly at the top of a mediocre pack of welterweights, a group marred by inconsistency, drawing power and a lack of notable wins.

Jake Ellenberger

Going into February, Ellenberger (26-5, 5-1 UFC) was the division's hottest challenger outside of Diaz. After dropping a tight split decision to Condit in his September 2009 debut, the 26-year-old finished four of his next five opponents by T/KO including Jake Shields in just 53 seconds last September. Even if Diaz hadn't been suspended, an argument could be made that another win would put him in title contention. Now it's undeniable he'd be the No. 1 contender.

While Condit hasn't been warm on a rematch with Ellenberger, he might not have a choice. It's unrealistic that the new champ is going to wait 10 months to fight Diaz when there's money and reputation to be made with a summer title defense. There's been some residual damage from the style in which he beat Diaz, a reason why the talk of a rematch this week made a lot of sense. Sitting on the sidelines for GSP doesn't make sense. Condit has to compete again before a title unification bout can happen.

Johny Hendricks

Following a surprising 13-second knockout of Jon Fitch in December, the Oklahoma State wrestling champion finds himself in another surprising position: title contention if Ellenberger loses. Hendricks (12-1, 7-1 UFC) has flown under some radars but since his August 2009 debut, he's only lost once in eight Octagon battles. The Fitch KO capped a big year and the Diaz situation may open up a much bigger door for him in 2012.

Jon Fitch

The poster boy for the eternal winning vs. entertainment argument, the Hendricks loss greatly hurts him if Ellenberger loses. We all know the deal: Fitch (23-4-1-1, 13-2-1 UFC) isn't a box office draw and constantly has had to defend himself for his fighting style. After his loss to GSP in his only title shot, Fitch won five in a row before going to a draw to B.J. Penn. With the defeat to Hendricks, the UFC has their out in not giving the AKA product another title opportunity, thus avoiding a potential champion that's perceived as bland. Fair? No, but it's reality.

Diego Sanchez

So what of Ellenberger's opponent this Wednesday? Would a win put Sanchez (23-4, 12-4 UFC) in Dana White's mix? It's an outside possibility as it would be his third win in a row after consecutive losses to Penn (lightweight fight) and John Hathaway. While some saw his unanimous decision win over Martin Kampmann as a gift, he also has name value and at 30 years old, White may be tempted to pull a surprise and give him a chance with an impressive win over Ellenberger.

Josh Koscheck

The outsider of the group, Koscheck (17-5, 15-5 UFC) does have consecutive wins over Matt Hughes and Mike Pierce, but the latter wasn't convincing and the fight public isn't clamoring for another Koscheck title opportunity after his eye was busted up by GSP in December 2010. Stranger things have happened, but it would take a lot for Koscheck to be considered a viable opponent for Condit this summer.

When it comes to getting a title shot, Ellenberger simply needs to follow the mantra of the late Al Davis: just win, baby.

More On Nick Diaz from Bloody Elbow:

• Op/Ed: Nick Diaz Should Be Released
• Dana White "Disappointed" In Diaz
• Op/Ed: Diaz Failure Was Inevitable
• Nick Diaz Tests Positive For Marijuana Use

I'm sure you've heard the news by now. The UFC's resident anti-hero Nick Diaz tested positive for marijuana metabolites today and is about to face a long suspension. This will be Nick's second weed suspension by the NSAC, and he has now screwed up both of his scheduled UFC appearances in one way or another. In addition, he also blew his chances at a rematch with Carlos Condit, a bout that was all but official before this positive test surfaced. Precedent states that he will not be released from the promotion. But it's high time Dana White set a new precedent and kicked Stockton's finest to the curb.

Before you start screaming "it's just weed, man!", let's get one thing out of the way. It doesn't matter that it's "just weed." NSAC rules say it's an illegal substance. Whether you agree with that or not is completely irrelevant. The bottom line is that it IS illegal, and unless it was a false positive for some reason, Diaz, of his own free will, ingested something in a certain time frame that he knew might lead to a positive test. The fault (again, if it's not a false positive) falls entirely upon one person - Nick Diaz. Apologize and make excuses for him all you want. Nothing changes that simple fact.

More On Nick Diaz
Nick Diaz' UFC 143 Drug Test Failure Was Inevitable | Dana White: 'I Am Beyond Disappointed | Nick Diaz Tests Positive For Marijuana After UFC 143 | NSAC Boss Keith Kizer Confirms One Positive Drug Test

After Diaz skipped two press conferences and was removed from his UFC welterweight title bout with Georges St. Pierre before UFC 137, he was given the stiff sentence of instead competing in the co-main event against B.J. Penn. This time he will actually be severely punished. He will lose a large portion of his UFC 143 purse, and a purse from the Condit rematch. He will also be out for a year, based on NSAC precedent for repeat offenders. Luckily for Nick, UFC president Dana White is notoriously soft on people that pop for illegal substances. He has stated multiple times that a long suspension, which robs the fighter of the opportunity to make a living, is punishment enough. I suspect that will be the case here as well. But, Mr. White, this situation is different, and you should treat this differently.

As I have stated before, Diaz, a guy who flaunts his ability to beat marijuana tests to the media yet still gets busted, has been enabled for his entire career. He has been allowed to do as he pleases, with little to no repercussions. His coaches cover for him at every opportunity. His fans, even when faced with a mountain of evidence in regards to his guilt, still protect his "good" name and ignore his transgressions. On top of all this, his promoters/bosses have frequently let him skate because he's a commodity they hope to squeeze future revenue out of. Where does it end? Where's the line in the sand?

If Dana White has any sense, he will cut ties with Diaz once and for all. White loves to say that MMA will become the biggest sport in the world one day. He's not going to get there any time soon by continually enabling fighters that can't follow simple rules, fighters that actually flaunt their ability to get around those rules beforehand. Unfortunately, the anti-hero has sunk his hooks into the hearts of fans with money in their wallet, and the mighty dollar rules all when it comes to the UFC. You'll see Nick Diaz in the octagon in 2013. And people will still care. And that's pathetic.

SBN coverage of UFC 143: Diaz vs. Condit

No one should be surprised that Nick Diaz has once again failed a drug test for marijuana. His post-UFC 143 positive test results represent the second time he has failed a drug test in Nevada. Diaz infamously failed a drug test that turned his biggest career win over Takanori Gomi at Pride 33 into a No Contest. Diaz also forced the cancellation of a 2009 Strikeforce title fight against Jay Hieron when he failed to appear for a pre-fight drug test.

Going into the UFC 143 interim welterweight title bout with Carlos Condit, Diaz fans were sanguine about his use of marijuana and his ability to pass any drug tests. He fought B.J. Penn in Nevada at UFC 137 and passed his drug test with no problems. He fought for Strikeforce three times in 2010 with no problems. But the reefer iceberg was floating under the surface the whole time, waiting to sink his MMA fortunes.

This is the same Nick Diaz who told the LA Times in 2009, "I can pass a drug test in eight days with herbal cleansers. I drink 10 pounds of water and sweat out 10 pounds of water every day. I'll be fine."

This is the same guy whose response to the question of whether his pot smoking was getting in the way of his MMA career said, "Actually, on the contrary, my fight career has gotten in the way of my marijuana smoking.."

This 2007 Diaz interview with CBS Sports is even more over the top.

More On Nick Diaz
Dana White: 'I Am Beyond Disappointed | Nick Diaz Tests Positive For Marijuana After UFC 143 | NSAC Boss Keith Kizer Confirms One Positive Drug Test | Carlos Condit Vs. Nick Diaz Rematch In Jeopardy, Was Never 'Official' | Carlos Condit Vs. Nick Diaz Rematch Becomes Official Amid Managerial Confusion |

Ben Fowlkes sums up the situation at MMA Fighting:

...most people in the MMA world probably don't care that he smokes weed. It's not giving him an unfair advantage over his opponents, and it isn't jeopardizing his health. I suppose you could argue that it makes him a poor role model for kids, but no more than fighters who like to knock back a few too many adult beverages at the after-parties, and certainly not more than those who abuse use steroids or other performance-enhancers (not to mention, Nick Diaz is your kid's role model? If so, you've got bigger issues coming your way real soon).

But if some fighters can get permission to up their testosterone levels before a fight, why can't Diaz use something that helps him relax and enjoy Reno 911 re-runs?

The answer is: because the athletic commission says he can't. Right or wrong, those are the rules, and Diaz knew it. The UFC might have been content to look the other way as long as he passed his drug tests, but the moment he fails to hold up his end of the bargain is the moment he has a problem.

Fowlkes brings up an excellent about about testosterone levels. It's ironic that fighters like Chael Sonnen, Dan Henderson, Nate Marquardt and Todd Duffee have been allowed to get prescriptions for testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) but Diaz, with his prescription for medical marijuana can't get a pass.

We'll turn to the issue of whether or not marijuana should be a prohibited substance tomorrow, but for now just know that it was only a matter of time before Diaz failed another piss test. It's utterly maddening for such a talented fighter, a man at the peak of his athletic abilities to be looking at losing up to a year of his fighting career over something so avoidable.

Diaz was already talking about retiring based on the judges' scores for the Condit fight, I can only imagine this doesn't make him want to reconsider that decision.

Nick, put down the pipe, MMA needs you back.

SBN coverage of UFC 143: Diaz vs. Condit

Matthew Roth: So UFC 143 is over and the new champion was crowned. What I want to know from you guys is did the judges get the decision right and why? Did Carlos Condit run away or was he remaining elusive while breaking down Nick Diaz for 25 minutes?

Fraser Coffeen: Condit won. He avoided Diaz's shots while landing strikes of his own. That is counter striking, and it's a perfectly acceptable and legitimate aspect of striking. Condit did it beautifully.

Tim Burke: What Condit did was very smart. Did it make for a very good fight? No. Was he on his bike a lot? Yes. I don't believe that was simply counterstriking though. He was literally running across the cage at some points. Still, you can't argue with effectiveness.

I believe the bout could have gone either way. Diaz has a case for 1, 2 and 5. I scored it 48-47 Condit, but it was close.

Josh Nason: I thought the judges got it right and if there were 10-10 rounds actually given, I think the fifth round was that even that it would be a draw. Instead of calling out Condit for a rematch though, Diaz decided to "retire" when there's a great case to see them hook it up again. Some of the MMA community calling out Condit for "running" was a little nuts though, especially from fellow fighters. It's a really polarizing fight which should mean rematch.

Matthew Roth: I've read a bunch of people saying what Condit did was bad for the sport. Which is ridiculous to me.

Lots more after the jump...

Continue reading this post »

At UFC 143, Carlos Condit became the UFC Interim Welterweight champion by defeating the toughest opponent of his career. Nick Diaz was on a powerful winning streak and seemed destined for a fight with Georges St. Pierre, but Condit got in the way. The result of that fight is not without controversy. Many think Diaz should have won, and many think Condit only got the win by running away in a boring performance. Yet the results speak for themselves – in the end, it was Carlos Condit who had his hand raised, Carlos Condit who became the new champion, Carlos Condit who now moves on to face GSP. But when he does face St. Pierre, he’ll be doing so without one of the best tools in his arsenal.

Greg Jackson, the long-time coach to Condit and occasional trainer for St. Pierre, is in all likelihood going to sit this fight out, choosing to corner neither man. In the lead-up to UFC 137, during the period when it looked like GSP vs. Condit would headline that show, Jackson addressed this issue with MMA Fighting:

Ariel Helwani: Greg, two of your star fighters are going to fight each other in October. What will do you?

Greg Jackson: Teammate protocols are pretty clear in this situation so everybody knows what happening. I step out, the other coaches -- John [Danaher], Phil [Nurse] and Firas [Zahabi] -- will take care of GSP and probably [Mike] Winkeljohn and some of the other guys here will take care of Carlos. But I step out of it, so I won't be cornering either guy. They'll fight each other. Those are the new teammate protocols. We knew this would be coming -- it will probably be coming again --but this time we are very well prepared.

Carlos trains in Albuquerque full-time, while GSP's home base is in Montreal, so how will you not offer advice when you see him in the gym?

Carlos is still training with a team. I am just not going to do game plans and private lessons and everything that I normally do for the guys because usually it's a pretty intense process -- I give them private lessons all the time -- heavy on the game planning, heavy on the personal growth plan, and for this, I'll just let the other coaches do that for both Georges and Carlos. So I'll just step out. They're all amazing coaches. Geez, I'm the worst coach on the team. They'll all do their thing.

Though he has not yet spoken about this in the aftermath of UFC 143, it seems likely that Jackson’s stance will be the same, and that Condit will find himself without his head trainer’s services during the fight. And that is a serious blow to the new champion.

In his defeat of Diaz, Condit’s greatest strength was his game planning, led by Jackson. Jackson and Condit figured out how to deal with Diaz’s unorthodox striking and successfully nullified the high-volume puncher over the course of 25 minutes. It was clear they studied tapes and formulated a plan that would lead to victory. Without that gameplan, expect a very different result from Condit vs. Diaz.

Against GSP, Condit will need an even greater emphasis on strategy. St. Pierre is one of the most cerebral fighters in the game, a champion who always forces his opponents into their areas of weakness, while never showing any weaknesses himself. Unlike some champions, and some great fighters, GSP doesn’t have an obvious hole in his game. That’s not to see he is unbeatable – no one is – but finding the path to victory against him will be difficult. Greg Jackson is the kind of master strategist and coach who perhaps can find that path – but he won’t.

This past weekend, Carlos Condit took the biggest step up in competition of his career, and he succeeded largely on the strength of his strategic approach. Against GSP, he’ll take an even greater step up, and his key partner in that strategic planning will be taken away from him. I said after the Diaz win that I was finished underrating Condit, and I am not going to go back on that now. But the loss of Jackson will make an already difficult mountain to climb just that much harder. This will be the true test of what Carlos Condit is made of. Can he pass?

For more on this issue, check out "Carlos Condit and Greg Jackson Solved Nick Diaz" by Kid Nate.

SBN coverage of UFC 143: Diaz vs. Condit

There have been a lot of complaints about Carlos Condit's unanimous decision victory over Nick Diaz at UFC 143's interim welterweight title fight on Saturday. Most notably, Nick Diaz vowed to retire from MMA after the decision was read. Diaz, and many fans, were frustrated with Condit's counter-strike and circle away strategy, but Diaz had no answer for it inside the cage.

UFC president Dana White expressed his hope for a rematch between the two fighters as the best solution:

"I know (Georges. St. Pierre) wanted that Diaz fight bad, but it's not going to be Diaz so he better get angry with Carlos Condit or focus on Carlos Condit or whatever he needs to do. Carlos Condit won this fight. No matter how much Georges and Nick hate each other, Carlos Condit won, and I think the fans are mad at the way Carlos Condit fought. Too f*cking bad. He came in with a game plan and stuck to it and won. You know what's funny man, is that when he said that, I was thinking the same thing. It's crazy, but. I was thinking it after the fight. You know, people are bitching and thinking it was close or whatever, we can do that fight again before GSP comes back. It depends on Carlos too, he's really gotta say, and Nick's gotta say I want to fight him again too."

If White can persuade the volatile Diaz to reconsider retirement, this is the way to go for three reasons:

1. It will give Diaz a chance to adjust to Condit's tactics. A truly great fighter would have been able to respond in-cage but I'd like to see what Diaz and his team come up with given a few months to prepare. Diaz' entire flat-footed arm-punching style is a response to his frustration with the way MMA fights are judged on the ground and his serial losses to better wrestlers in the UFC. I look forward to seeing if he can adapt to Condit's game plan and if so, how.
   
   
2. It will give prevent the division from being entirely on hold while champion GSP recovers from ACL surgery. Sure it means a log jam at the top of the division, but that's fine as the new wave of contenders (Johny Hendricks, Jake Ellenberger, Rory MacDonald, etc) need time to sort themselves out and build up their names with fans.
   
   
3. It will ease the pressure on GSP to return from surgery prematurely. He'll already be coming back in a title fight after an 18 month layoff and major surgery, the pressure to get back into the Octagon early makes a bad situation worse.

Hopefully Diaz' coach Cesar Gracie can talk him back into the cage for one more go at Condit. What do you think?

SBN coverage of UFC 143: Diaz vs. Condit