Epic fights in the UFC have been a massive selling point for the promotion. Fans of mixed martial arts pay Pay-Per-View for the mega fights they desire to see, and often they are treated with the same. Similarly, in the main event of UFC 279, the world of combat sports will be treated to an epic bout between Nate Diaz and Khamzat Chimaev.
UFC 279 is set to take place on 10th September 2022 at the T-Mobile Arena, in Las Vegas Nevada. While the card features many big names in the sport, the majority of fans look forward to the fight between Diaz and Chimaev.
This fight between the duo might not make much sense when it comes to the rankings. However, the bout is indeed a massive one. The stature of this fight can be guessed by the fact that even though there is no title on the line, the UFC decided to go with this non-title fight as their main event. There is no doubt that both Diaz and Chimaev are big names in the game, and a fight between them will help sell a lot of PPVs.
While this fight might make sense from a business point of view, stylistically too, the fight has all the ingredients to be what fans call a ‘Banger.” Let us take a look at what the main event of UFC 279 has in store for us.
A sneak peek into Khamzat Chimaev vs Nate Diaz
Khamzat Chimaev is a fighter on his journey towards UFC gold. While ‘Borz’ looks for a long and fruitful career in the UFC, Diaz on the other hand is serving the last fight on his contract. After this fight, fans might most likely never see the Stockton fighter in a UFC octagon.
Going into the fight, Nate Diaz does not have the momentum one might expect. The TUF season 5 winner has lost 3 of his last five fights. In his last bout against Leon Edwards at UFC 263, Diaz was dominated throughout five rounds. The only positive for him in the fight against Edwards was the fact that he hurt ‘Rocky’ in the last round. Chimaev on the other hand is undefeated in his MMA career. While he blazed past everyone in the UFC, Chimaev seemed to meet his match when he fought a tough fight against Gilbert Burns at UFC 273.
‘Borz’ is a massive favorite going into UFC 279. His pressure and constant takedown attempts will be something Diaz has to deal with. Considering the Stockton legend has struggled with the latter, it will be interesting to see the approach he takes. On the other hand, while Chimaev seems to be the favorite, one cannot discredit Nate Diaz. With his amazing boxing and equally good submission threats, facing Diaz is not an easy task. Over the years, Nate Diaz has also built an image of being a cardio machine. Considering this will be Chimaev’s first five-round fight in the UFC, it will be interesting to see how he does if the fight goes on for all five rounds.
While Diaz does not seem to have much to lose, this fight is a massive one for Khamzat Chimaev. A win can help him solidify his position in the welterweight division and challenge for the title. However, a loss will change the whole scenario at 170. Do you think Chimaev can win the fight and be the first man to finish Nate Diaz? Or will Diaz manage to grind Chimaev and obtain victory? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Also Read: Khamzat Chimaev reacts to Belal Muhammad rocking a t-shirt with a poster of their fight
