Nate Diaz and Khamzat Chimaev at welterweight will headline the UFC 279 event in what will be Diaz’s final fight with the promotion.
UFC executive Hunter Campbell confirmed the news with the fight set for the Sept. 10th in Las Vegas, with Diaz set to become a free agent after the five-round bout.
The fan-favorite Diaz had recently become disgruntled with the UFC demanding to be released just a week ago. The 37-year-old demanded that the UFC find an opponent for him for the final fight on his deal so that he could leave the company, with his eyes set on a potential boxing bout with the YouTuber turned boxer Jake Paul.
The UFC has now granted his wish but Diaz will now have to take on a rampaging Chimaev who is yet to lose a fight in 11 pro bouts and is quickly becoming one of the most feared fighters in the Octagon.
Diaz (20-13) will be hoping that his boxing skills and a jiu-jitsu black belt can somehow counter the smothering grappling style of the Swede.
The American hit new heights of popularity after his two fights against Connor McGregor which rank second and fourth in the list of top UFC pay-per-view cards of all time.
On pay-per-view sales alone, a Nate Diaz vs Khamzat Chimaev bout makes sense but it might be one-way traffic in favor of the Swede when the two actually go head-to-head come September.
Diaz hasn’t stepped into the Octagon since June 2021, when Leon Edwards dominated him by unanimous decision with his last win coming in August 2019.
Chimaev has ransacked the 170-pound division since debuting in the UFC in 2020. He now sits at No. 3 after defeating Gilbert Burns in a “Fight of the Year” candidate in April.
