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Video: Nick Diaz's master plan (or 'Why I didn't show up at open workouts')

LAS VEGAS – Is Nick Diaz hatching some brilliant master plan? Or does he simply just not care what you think? The UFC 183 headliner explains his logic for no-showing Wednesday’s pre-fight open workout session.

“I’m not going to stress out over it, and I’m not going to lose sleep over it,” Diaz said at Thursday’s Ultimate Media Day session in Las Vegas. “I’m going to do what I’ve got to do to get here.”

Diaz (26-9 MMA, 7-6 UFC) and Anderson Silva (33-6 MMA, 16-2 UFC) meet in the main event of Saturday’s UFC 183 card, which takes place at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand Garden Arena and airs on pay-per-view (10 p.m. ET). It’s a matchup of two of the sport’s most enigmatic fighters, not to mention most entertaining.

And while the anticipation has been slowly building for the middleweight matchup, the buzz around the fight seemed to reach a new level when Diaz declined to board his scheduled flight from California to Las Vegas, leaving him as an absentee for the fan and media session.

When asked on Wednesday for his reaction, Silva admitted he wasn’t at all offended by his opponent’s apparent disrespect. However, “The Spider” also pointed out it was Diaz’s fans who paid the price for their favorite fighter’s decision.

Diaz – who has missed media events in the past with varying degrees of repercussions – didn’t seem to regret his absence but did apologize to those he offended.

“I’ve pulled the same card a couple of times,” Diaz said. “It’s pretty inconsiderate of me. Again, I apologize to all the fans, especially people who were anticipating a show on Wednesday. My apologies.”

Diaz did offer a few reasons for his decision, labeling the entire situation a bit of a miscommunication but also saying he didn’t really have any type of workout “skit” prepared for his fans (in contrast, Silva brought an entourage of some 20 people to assist in his presentation) and that he left the airport because he simply needed to go back home for some things he realized he forgot.

But was the no-show Diaz simply declining to worry about any bothersome media commitments, or is it all part of an expertly executed strategy to bring the spotlight directly in his direction?

Diaz almost gives a wry smile as he answers.

“It’s a big deal not showing up to something,” Diaz said.

For more on UFC 183, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.

Be sure to visit the MMA Junkie Instagram page and YouTube channel to discuss this and more content with fans of mixed martial arts.

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