“Original Conor McGregor” Nick Diaz recounts heartwrenching story of his girlfriend’s suicide

The Diaz haters may see the fighter in a different light after this incredibly raw interview.

Moments after the NSAC handed him a five year ban from MMA, Nick Diaz opened up about his dark past to MMAFighting.com. Diaz explained high school girlfriend started seeing his friend Bart to make him jealous. Although he admitted to getting into fights as a teenager, Diaz was reluctant to confront Bart because he carried a gun. Two nights before he began his professional career, Stephanie told Nick that she loved him. The following night would be the last time he would see her alive.

Before I ever had my first pro fight, July 5, 2000, Bart had a party at his house. The night before, Stephanie had told me she loved me. After the party, I was gonna go back to her house with her brother -- he was my best friend -- but some friends weren't doing well and headed to my house. So I had to go. An hour later I got a call from her mom saying, 'Are you with Stephanie?' She came straight to my house to get me, took me up and down the Frontage Road on Highway 99 by my Grandma's house next to their trailer park. There was a wreck on the freeway. I jumped the fence and saw only one car and ambulances. She had walked and killed herself on the freeway. The girl I loved more than anything had tried to kill herself for the third time and succeeded.

Diaz revealed that Stephanie was an "avid student" and was heading to college, having overcome a tough upbringing "living in a trailer park where everyone was on dope."

I would run seven miles and back to her grave just to promise her I would make it as a fighter like she knew and had told me she knew and was proud of me.

The former Strikeforce champion then went on to stake his claim as the reason why Conor McGregor has become such a huge MMA superstar.

I'm the original Conor McGregor. I'm the original model of Conor McGregor. He wouldn't be who he is if it wasn't for me. Nothing against him. I'm the original real deal. I never did steroids in my entire life. I had to learn how to fight the real way and the right way. That's way I'm the best fighter in the entire world.