Report: Lawler-Diaz moved up to middleweight at UFC 266

Robbie Lawler and the returning Nick Diaz agreed to change their UFC 266 bout to a middleweight contest, sources told MMA reporter Ariel Helwani.

The two veterans were initially slated to meet at welterweight. The scrap will remain a five-round affair.

Lawler and Diaz are gearing up for a highly anticipated rematch of their UFC 47 bout, which took place in April 2004. Diaz won that fight via second-round knockout.

UFC 266 will mark Diaz's first trip to the Octagon in six years. He competed at 170 pounds throughout his prime before moving up to 185 pounds for his last UFC fight in 2015.

Lawler has extensive experience at both welterweight - at which he was once champion - and middleweight. He's fought exclusively at 170 pounds since 2013.