Vargas open to fighting MMA's Diaz if the price is right

Fernando Vargas said he’d be willing to fight Nick Diaz, a Mixed Martial Arts fighter, but the money would have to be right.

Diaz, Strikeforce’s middleweight champion, wants to fight Vargas in September or October, according to a blog post on Sherdog.com.

Diaz’s manager, Cesar Gracie, said that Vargas has been contacted about a possible fight and is interested but Vargas told RingTV.com that he knows nothing about it.

Vargas pulled out of a comeback fight against Henry Buchanan, scheduled for this Saturday, because of pneumonia.

"Nobody has contacted me or my team about a fight with Nick Diaz for a supposed September fight,” said Vargas. “I have not been in the gym, but I have been running and keeping myself in shape. If they're serious about fighting me, then put the money where their mouth is and let's see what they're talking about."

Gracie said he wants Diaz to make a big splash in his first boxing match.

“We're looking at some guys with name recognition,” Gracie told Inside MMA co-host Kenny Rice. “Maybe not the top guy in the world, necessarily, but someone that the public knows. I would love (Fernando) Vargas to get in there with (Diaz). “I know they've contacted (Vargas), and he's very interested. We've actually already signed on the dotted line ourselves for that fight, and we're waiting for (Vargas to sign) now.”

Diaz implied in an interview with Inside MMA, on HDNet, that he’s unhappy with MMA.

“[MMA] doesn't have anybody else for me to fight right now,” Diaz said. “I'm better than all these guys they have. The guys … ranked above me, I'm sure they don't want to fight me. I don't see much of a future in this sport for me. I honestly don't, especially if there's not a whole (lot) of money going on."

The interview with Diaz and Gracie will air at 6 p.m. PT / 9 p.m. ET on Friday on HDNet.