Nick Diaz says he is 'way more of a dangerous fighter' than he showed in his first fight with Robbie Lawler, as the UFC star revealed he is going to be 'really unstoppable' on his return 'having made the right decisions'.

UFC president Dana White has confirmed that Diaz will come out of retirement again at the age of 38 to compete against Lawler in a rematch at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on September 25.

UFC 266 will be headlined by a fight for the featherweight championship between current title holder Alexander Volkanovski and top-ranked contender Brian Ortega.

Having spent a considerable amount of time away from the sport, Diaz now feels back to his best physically as he insists he has been putting that time out to good use.

“I’m actually way more of a dangerous fighter than I was when I fought Robbie Lawler the first time,” Diaz said on the latest episode of UFC Countdown.

“I’m going to be really unstoppable having made the right decisions.

"I'm going to beat Robbie again."

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Diaz, 38, knocked out Lawler in the first round at UFC 47 in April 2004.

But Lawler is expecting a different outcome when they meet for the second time in a week's time. 

“Getting a fight, getting a win vs. him it doesn’t really matter what happened in the past – 17 years later it’s almost like it never happened,” Lawler told MMA Junkie.

“Obviously we’re very young at that time. He took the fight to me, hit me with some good shots and it wasn’t my night.

"I’ve grown a whole bunch. He’s developed his skills. It’s a different fight. Same guy, just a little different.”

Nick Diaz will face Robbie Lawler at UFC 266 in Las Vegas on September 25.

Both fighters will be looking to get back to winning ways when they touch gloves at the T-Mobile Arena on September 25, with their careers potentially on the line. 

And Lawler reckons Diaz will be comfortable going the distance if the fight lasts that long. 

“I think he’s been training this whole time,” he added.

“He’s a guy that likes to dabble, help his brother out.

"He obviously has jiu-jitsu and a good jiu-jitsu game as well as boxing.

"I think he’s going to come in shape and bring his tools and try to beat my a--.

"I think he’s going to be in shape, ready to go 25 minutes.

"That’s his makeup. He comes to fight. He likes to push pace. He can go 25.”

BMF champion Jorge Masvidal is hoping to face the winner of Nick Diaz vs Robbie Lawler.

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