Nick Diaz just signed a new 3-fight deal with the UFC

After 16 months away from the cage, many folks were beginning to wonder if former UFC title challenger and three-time defending Strikeforce champion Nick Diaz may never come out of retirement after all. Earlier today, Diaz visited Zuffa HQ to work on on deal with the his old friends Dana and Lorenzo. Papers were signed, and photos were snapped.

He’s back @nickdiaz209 just signed a new bout agreement 2 fight! Details coming soon http://t.co/coguxLGhUIpic.twitter.com/BGlZriJjMW

— Dana White (@danawhite) July 24, 2014

The only specifics we have on the deal right now is that it’s of the three-fight variety and that Diaz is looking for an early 2015 return. Diaz said today in an interview on UFC.com that he’s looking for a fight that will get him a title shot. He also reiterated that the super fight with Anderson Silva everyone has been throwing around for a good year or so now is definitely still an option as far as he’s concerned. According a report from MMAFighting that looks to be the most likely scenario moving forward.

Since the retirement of Diaz’s last opponent, Georges St. Pierre, the 170 lbs division has opened up a bit and features tons of hungry competitors vying for a belt that now seems more attainable than ever with ‘Rush’ out of the picture. That said, all signs point to a major PPV showdown with ‘The Spider’ being on deck first for Diaz when he returns to the cage early next year.