Cesar Gracie, Diaz’s longtime trainer and manager, met with Dream Event Producer Keiichi Sasahara at Strikeforce this past weekend in San Jose, Calif., to discuss the possibility of Diaz competing either Oct. 6 or 22. Gracie said Sasahara expressed an interest in the outspoken 28-year-old facing Japanese legend Hayato Sakurai, but that talks were in the preliminary stages.

Despite being forced off Saturday’s “Carano vs. Cyborg” card in San Jose, Diaz remains in line to fight Jay Hieron for the newly-created Strikeforce welterweight title, possibly as early as December, though the fight hinges on his re-licensure and the result of the likely DREAM fight.

According to California State Athletic Commission Assistant Executive Officer Bill Douglas, Diaz could be tested for re-licensure in a matter of weeks, with Gracie and Diaz saying he’ll cease using prescribed marijuana for ADHD during that time to pass the screening while also working on passing a “Theraputic Usage Exemption” program that would allow fighters to use banned substances if prescribed by a doctor for a medical condition.

“After having seen the replays of Diaz’s fights over the course of his career, I truly believe that this kid has what it takes to really make for some very entertaining fights within boxing,” said Chargin in a release announcing the signing. “While some would state that he’s merely a slugger possessing a good chin and a heavy work-rate, there’s something about his rhythm and fighting intelligence that really caught my eye.”

Diaz’s next fight, either his boxing debut or MMA return, has not yet been announced.

Fanhouse learned of the news on Monday afternoon from Ken Pavia, Hieron’s manager.

As reported earlier Monday, Diaz will be replaced on the August 15 “Carano vs. Cyborg” card in San Jose by one-time UFC fighter Jesse Taylor, who is currently riding a seven-fight winning streak.

Taylor and Hieron will meet in a three-round, non-title fight on the Showtime-televised card.

SEE PREVIOUSLY:

• Jesse Taylor Approved to Fight Jay Hieron at “Strikeforce: Carano vs. Cyborg” If Nick Diaz Fails To Be Licensed
• Diaz May Have Jeopardized His Title Bout

Stay tuned to MMAFrenzy.com for the latest Strikeforce news and Strikeforce rumors.

As MMAFrenzy.com reported earlier today, Diaz, who missed a scheduled Friday drug test, has until 3pm PT today to show up and submit a sample for the mandatory pre-fight screening before he’d be pulled from the fight. If Diaz makes today’s deadline, results from the test would be available on Thursday.

Diaz previously tested positive for marijuana in 2007, which caused his gogoplata submission of Takanori Gomi to be changed to a no contest, and was pulled from an EliteXC card last year due to his disclosed use of medical marijuana, but passed an April drug screening before his Strikeforce bout against Frank Shamrock.

Taylor (13-3), a finalist on The Ultimate Fighter 7, was removed from the finale following a drunken rampage in Las Vegas and went on to be cut by the UFC after suffering a first-round submission loss to CB Dollaway in his lone fight inside the Octagon. “JT Money” has since gone 7-0, most-recently defeating Dong Sik Yoon at DREAM 10 last month.

If Diaz fails to show for today’s test, Strikeforce is expected to announce the news and name a replacement to fight Hieron on the Showtime-televised card before the end of the day. However, if Diaz submits his sample in time, MMAFrenzy.com will pass along results from the test once they’re available on Thursday.

The recently-finalized card for the event is:

MAIN CARD (Showtime-televised)

• Gina Carano vs. Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos
  Strikeforce Women’s 145-pound Championship (vacant)
• Nick Diaz vs. Jay Hieron
  Strikeforce Welterweight Championship
• Renato “Babalu” Sobral (c) vs. Gegard Mousasi
  Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Championship
• Gilbert Melendez (c) vs. Mitsuhiro Ishida
  Strikeforce Interim Lightweight Championship

PRELIMINARY CARD

• Mike Kyle vs. Fabricio Werdum
• Mike Cook vs. Scott Lighty
• David “Tarzan” Douglas vs. Justin Wilcox
• Zak Bucia vs. James Terry
• Isaiah Hill vs. Alex Trevino

Jeff Monson plead guilty to charges related to spray-painting graffiti on the Washington state Capitol on Tuesday, and was forced to surrender his passport as part of a plea deal, which may force his to withdraw from several upcoming bouts abroad. [The Olympian]

Pictured: Jeff Monson

[Kris Karkoski contributed to this post]

Gracie Mag first-reported the likely replacement on Tuesday, adding that Phil Baroni was nixed by Showtime as a replacement for the fight and an agreement with Takanori Gomi could not be reached.

Strikeforce has not yet confirmed whether the newly-created Strikeforce welterweight title will still be on the line for the Diaz-Hieron matchup as was planned when Diaz was to square off in a rematch with Riggs.

Diaz (20-7) has won five-straight, including recent victories over Frank Shamrock and Scott Smith, while Hieron, who was to fight Paul Daley at the recently-canceled August 1 Affliction: Trilogy event, has also won five in a row,  most-recently defeating Jason High via first-round knockout in January.

On Monday, a light heavyweight championship bout pitting title-holder Renato “Babalu” Sobral against Gegard Mousasi was added to the Showtime-televised event, which is headlined by Gina Carano vs. Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos, though a lightweight championship unification fight between Josh Thomson and Gilbert Melendez scheduled for the event could be scratched.

Click here for the latest Strikeforce news and Strikeforce rumors.

The bout for the newly-created Strikeforce Welterweight Championship was set to be featured on the Showtime-broadcast of Strikeforce’s August 15 event, which takes place at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California and also features Gina Carano vs. Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos for the Strikeforce 145-pound Women’s Championship, a lightweight championship rematch between title-holders Josh Thomson and Gilbert Melendez, and Fabricio Werdum battling an opponent to-be-named after his original foe, Strikeforce heavyweight champ Alistair Overeem, withdrew from the contest earlier this week.

Diaz will reportedly remain on the August 15 card, taking on an opponent to-be-named, which is expected to be announced soon.

Stay tuned to MMAFrenzy.com for the latest Strikeforce news and Strikeforce rumors.

[Pictured: Joe Riggs]

The Showtime-televised event, which takes place at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California, features three other title bouts as Gina Carano and Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos meet for the Strikeforce 145-pound Women’s Championship, heavyweight champ Alistair Overeem takes on Fabricio Werdum, and lightweight champions Josh Thomson and Gilbert Melendez unify their titles.

In their previous meeting in early-2006 at UFC 57, Riggs topped Diaz by unanimous decision but even more memorable than their fight inside the Octagon was the one that took place after they left the cage, as the pair brawled at the hospital.

Diaz (20-7) has won five-straight, including recent victories over Frank Shamrock and Scott Smith, while Riggs (31-11) has won back-to-back fights over Luke Stewart and Phil Baroni.

For the latest Strikeforce rumors check out the MMAFrenzy.com MMA rumors section.

[Pictured: Joe Riggs]