“Biggest fighter in UFC history,” Jake Shields says Nate Diaz must defeat Khamzat Chimaev to prove naysayers wrong
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Jake Shields (L), Khamzat Chimaev (L) vs Nate Diaz(R) fight poster
Nate Diaz is back this weekend. The 37-year-old, always a fan favourite, has been away from the sport for a year after his loss to Leon Edwards. In the meanwhile, he has been focusing on giving back to the community, by coaching upcoming MMA talents. To prove his dedication to the cause of the sport, he recently also announced his own UFC promotion, reportedly called Real Fight Inc.
This weekend, however, his sights will be firmly set on the towering man across the octagon. Khamzat Chimaev is a phenom, touted to be UFC champion ever since he made his debut. Across all his fights, ruling out the one against Gilbert Burns, Chimaev has ragdolled and played with his opponents before submitting or knocking them out.
In Nate Diaz, however, he will run into a different sort of animal. The Stockton native is the realest of the real fighters, and stays true to the streets. His iconic Stockton slap is known to rile opponents up, before beating them mercilessly to end up with a victory.
Could beating Khamzat Chimaev be the swansong veteran Nate Diaz deserves? Jake Shields believes so
Diaz has had his share of troubles with the UFC. Despite being one of the greatest servants for the promotion, the UFC has seemingly robbed him of a chance to go out the way he deserves to go out. No doubt, the Diaz brothers have brought a decade and a half’s worth of entertainment to the sport we have come to adore, and to see both of them either giving up (Nick, against Robbie Lawler last year) or being fed to an upcomer has left a slightly sour taste in fans’ mouths.
According to Jake Shields, ex-Strikeforce Middleweight champion and long time friend of Diaz, he could prove everyone wrong. Speaking to Helen Yee, he said “The odd-makers are looking past Nate, but I think he (Nate Diaz) is one of the best in the game, he has tons of experience. Khamzat is a good fighter, but I think he’s going to be surprised if he thinks he’s going to go in there and throw Nate around…it’s going to be a different story.”
He added, “Nate’s looking sharp…if he wins this, he will be the biggest fighter…probably… in UFC history.” Clearly, Shields’ statement emphasizes never underestimating the power of the “Stockton Slap”. In all seriousness, however, Nate Diaz always possesses the ability to turn the fight in his favour in the blink of an eye.
Cue the fight against new Welterweight champion Leon Edwards – Diaz was getting dominated for a good 5 rounds, when in the last minute, Diaz terribly stunned the Briton, had him on wobbly knees and us hoping. But, a win was not in the cards.
Khamzat Chimaev, is a different story altogether. Touted by many to be one of the most ruthless fighters on the whole UFC roster, he could seriously give Nate problems, however much fight fans would wish that not to happen. Who do you think wins on Saturday?
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Udayan Mukherjee
(382 Articles Published)