It appears Nate Diaz has his next fight set in the UFC, with the veteran gearing up to take on undefeated welterweight Khamzat Chimaev.
UFC president Dana White recently filmed an episode of “The Pivot” in what looked to be a war room of sorts for the promotion. On the wall were a series of matchups for future cards and watchful eyes on social media caught some of the more prominent ones, including Diaz vs. Chimaev as the co-main event for UFC 276 on July 2.
Diaz has openly complained about not getting a fight, which would allow him to wrap up his contract with the UFC. He’s even openly asked for his release at times.
“I would like to request to be released from the UFC,” Diaz tweeted in March. “I apologize for asking online but you don’t give me a fight ASAP, I got s–t to do.”
More recently, he told the UFC he doesn’t want to fight Conor McGregor but that he’s been trying to get a fight.
“UFC, I been trying to fight everybody and no go, what’s the hold up? I’m not fighting Conor, he sucks,” Diaz stated. “I’ll fight someone. Quit slow rolling me, please. Thanks.”
@ufc I been trying to fight everybody and no go what’s the hold up 😡👊🏼 ?
I’m not fighting Conor he sucks.
I’ll fight some one quit slow rolling me please
Thanks
Khamzat Chimaev And Nate Diaz Sparred on Social Media
Chimaev and Diaz have been linked before, with White saying he was interested in making that fight a reality last year.
“We’re going to talk to Nate (Diaz) about it,” White told reporters. “One hundred percent (I’m interested in making that fight).
“This guy is like nothing anyone has ever seen. When you think about it, he’s got more UFC wins than he’s been hit inside the octagon. It’s insane. The other night they filmed his walkout on Instagram Live, and it broke the record. It’s the biggest Instagram Live we’ve ever done.”
White apparently followed through with that plan but Diaz was not game, calling Chimaev a “rookie.”
“They’re coming at me with (Chimaev) and I’m like, ‘Hold on, don’t disrespect me like that, trying to offer me a fight with a rookie,’” Diaz told TMZ. “I’m cool. You got four fights in the UFC. Don’t even talk my name. … There’s levels to this and I don’t even want to hear his name.”
Since then, Chimaev’s star has grown, most recently grinding out a win at UFC 273 against GIlbert Burns in a three-round war.
“Listen, man. Khamzat is a straight murderer, he’s a killer, he’s an absolute savage, and I don’t blame anybody for not wanting to fight Khamzat Chimaev,” White told TMZ.
Khamzat Chimaev Wants Shot at UFC Title
While a brawl with Diaz would be interesting and certainly lucrative for Chimaev, he’s been clear that he wants a shot at the title after dispatching of Burns. He recently tagged both welterweight champ Kamaru Usman and middleweight king Israel Adesanya in a tweet asking “who wants to fight.”
While Chimaev wants a champ, his most likely route to a title fight would be through Colby Covington, the top contender at 170 pounds.
“I will be happy if they do that [fight with Colby Covington] but I don’t think so,” Chimaev said prior to UFC 273. “That guy [doesn’t] want to fight me. He’s going to go to the cops. He’s going to go to the cops, call the cops. Dana White will be in jail if they make that fight. He talks too much in the media and then when he sees the face-to-face, he goes to the cops. He’s not that guy. To me, if I’m honest, the UFC has to kick him out. He’s a b–ch.”
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Leaked UFC Matchmaking Photo Reveals Nate Diaz’s Next Fight