Not being a medical doctor or a mental health professional, I am not making a diagnosis, but below is a different take on what may be going on.
NicoSuave said:
Now, let's examine some of Nick Diaz's behaviors over the past couple of years:
[*]Vocalized his love of the Pride style of fighting, and an unwillingness to evolve with the times (unwillingness to adapt).
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Most people do not like change. It is why there is so often a big gap in how the different generations see the world. It is also why, in the US, we often forgive or dismiss "casual" racism in older people (they grew up in a different time). That's not to say that there aren't a lot of people that can adapt or that like change, just that a person not adapting is fairly common (and actually more normal than people that like change).
[*]Disappears multiple times during fight week (abnormal behavior/anxious impulse).
[*]Misses press events (abnormal behavior/anxious impulse).
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Both Diaz brothers have trouble communicating what they are actually thinking. This leads to feelings of being misunderstood at best, and being targeted at worst. In either case, this would not make most people want to talk with the media. The trouble communicating could be related to a learning disorder or ADHD, rather than autism. What I think is telling is that if you remove the media, Nick is generally fairly talkative and affable. If it was really related to autism, I would expect the behaviors to be more consistent across social situations.
[*]Smokes weed at the worst possible times (abnormal behavior, anxious impulse, bad routine).
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You obviously do not live in California or Stockton. These are neither abnormal or impulse behavior (well, no more than eating is). I know fewer Stocktonites that don't smoke than that do, and I know business leaders, teachers, cops, firefighters, and council members. I would not be surprised if criminals riding in the back of a police cruiser get handed a lit joint by the arresting officers. Also, the only reason it is a bad routine is that he has a job where he gets tested.
[*]Runs triathlons out of boredom (good routine).
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I agree this shows signs of mental illness. Only crazy people run for fun, or at all.
[*]Unwillingness to leave the Skrap Pack (unwillingness to adapt).
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Not leaving your herd is a genetically pre-programmed behavior. People that are able to do that are actually the abnormal ones.
[*]Fought Joe Riggs in a hospital (abnormal behavior).
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Upbringing, and being from Stockton. Stockton has always had a high crime rate and lots of gang activity. Many people don't know this, but Stockton is a huge inland port (huge tanker ships can actually float all the way in from the ocean), and a lot of drugs come through the city. Two of the past three years Forbes has claimed Stockton the most miserable place in the country to live (worse than Detroit). The sad thing is that Stockton is actually better off now than when Diaz was growing up. Not to say all Stocktonians would fight in a hospital, just that it's a pretty rough and tumble kind of place.