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Texas Commission Will Test Nate Diaz for Marijuana Use Ahead of Jake Paul Fight

Nate Diaz and his brother Nick have been open about their use of marijuana throughout their careers.

Drew Beaupré

(Joe Camporeale/USA TODAY Sports)

Nate Diaz is no stranger to drug testing after his lengthy career with the UFC, but it appears he’s going to have to curb his marijuana use ahead of his boxing debut against Jake Paul.

The former UFC title challenger is scheduled to face “The Problem Child” in an eight-round boxing match on August 5 in Dallas, Texas. The bout will mark a return to Paul’s strategy of coaxing former MMA fighters into the boxing ring after suffering his first career loss to Tommy Fury, while Diaz will be competing for the first time since defeating Tony Ferguson in the final fight of his UFC contract.

READ MORE: Jake Paul Employee Calls Out Nate Diaz's Brother, Instantly Regrets It (Video)

Both Nate and his brother Nick have established themselves as two of the most popular figures in MMA due to their fighting styles and unique personalities, and neither fighter has ever been shy about their use of marijuana. During yesterday’s news conference promoting his fight with Paul, Diaz provided an incredulous reaction after he was informed by a media member that the Texas Athletic Commission doesn’t allow marijuana use. 

The UFC’s partnership with the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) helped usher in an era where the promotion’s fighters didn’t need to worry about testing positive for marjiuana, however Diaz’s boxing match with Paul will be overseen by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.

READ MORE: Jake Paul Gets Heated With Reporter During Press Conference For Nate Diaz Fight 

The TDLR’s zero-tolerance policy for marijuana will punish any athlete that exceeds 50 ng/ml of THC in their system, and MMA Fighting reportedly confirmed with a spokesperson for the regulatory body that those same requirements will be in effect for Paul vs. Diaz.

“Mr. Diaz will be held to the same rules as everyone else who competes in combative sports events in Texas.”

It will be interesting to see how Diaz decides to approach the Texas regulations ahead of his boxing debut, although it’s worth noting that the 38-year-old did manage to avoid running afoul of testing requirements even in the days when the UFC would still overturn the results of fights for marijuana use.

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