Nick Diaz’s Manager Asked About Marijuana Exemption Before UFC 183

Nick Diaz’s manager reportedly asked about obtaining a therapeutic-use exemption for marijuana ahead of his fight with Anderson Silva at UFC 183. MMAjunkie reports that according to documents in the legal battle ahead of Diaz’s hearing over his drug test for the fight, Diaz took several drug tests at the UFC’s office and Lloyd Pierson asked about the possibility of getting the exemption.

The documents are an opposition to a motion by Diaz’s team to kill the NSAC’s subpoena for the results of those test. According to the opposition, Pierson allegedly admitted that Diaz was having difficulty providing a clean test. The test was needed in order to get licensed per the terms of a 2012 suspension he received after his loss to Carlos Condit at UFC 143. Diaz eventually got a clean sample on January 28th which cleared the way for the Silva fight.

Pierson believes that any of the tests taken at that time would be kept secret beyond the clean sample unless Diaz authorized otherwise. The Nevada attorney general’s office is trying to obtain those records. Diaz’s reps are arguing that the disclosure of the pref-fight results will unfairly prejudice the commissioners against Diaz when deciding what sort of action, if any, to take against the fighter.

Diaz tested positive for marijuana metabolites after the fight. He is facing fines and the possibility of a lengthy suspension, as it is his third drug test failure. Diaz’s attorney wrote in the motion to quash the subpoena, “Prejudice will result from the adverse inference taken against Mr. Diaz from any test result disclosures. Unfairness will result from admitting evidence that is not relevant and in breach of confidentiality. The effect will surely be to undermine Mr. Diaz’s due process rights by the commission’s abuse of discretion.”

Nevada deputy attorney general Chris Eccles counters in the opposition, “Diaz did not file his application until January 28, only three days before the contest. Why did he wait so long to apply for a license for the biggest fight of his life? The answer is simple: Because he could not pass the required urine test.”

The hearing, which has been delayed several times, is scheduled for Monday. The NSAC has yet to rule on Diaz’s motion.