Nate Diaz Skips UFC 241 Media Day

wHeRe'S nAtE !? #UFC241 pic.twitter.com/RVIO5gOqnT

— UFC (@ufc) August 14, 2019

UFC 241's media day was set for Thursday, and when everyone arrived, one notable name was missing.

Fan favorite Nate Diaz is taking on Anthony Pettis in the co-main event of Saturday's pay-per-view card, but prior to media day, he informed the Ultimate Fighting Championship he would not be showing up to the event. According to ESPN, UFC president Dana White approved Diaz's request to skip media day. This included the ceremonial face-offs, as his opponent Pettis hit the stage without someone to stare down; as well as any interviews with media outlets including Sherdog.com, which is on assignment in Anaheim, California.

To justify his absence, Diaz spokesperson Zach Rosenfield said the following to ESPN: "Nate addressed the media at length yesterday after open workouts covering all topics." This was enough to allow Diaz to stay home on Thursday.

At his open workout on Wednesday, Diaz lit up a joint of cannabidiol (CBD) and passed it along to the fans. During his media scrum, he touched on topics including his upcoming fight with Pettis, his history with Conor McGregor as well as the joint he smoked. As the joint contained only CBD and not tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), Diaz will not be subject to any sanctions whatsoever.

When Diaz steps into the Octagon on Saturday, he will end a nearly three-year hiatus. His last fight came back at UFC 202, where he lost a majority decision to McGregor.