The UFC 279 will be remembered as the last fight for Nate Diaz in the UFC. The icon of so many fans is moving away from the organization, and his final opponent will be Khamzat Chimaev, the star on the rise, and arguably one of the most talented in the entire welterweight division. Many say this battle is not right for Diaz, who could suffer a tough beating against the Russians.
Stay with us for five minutes and see the preview, odds, and pick for the event.
Khamzat Chimaev VS Nate Diaz Preview
Khamzat Chimaev
The Russian has 11 wins and no losses, winning 10 of his battles inside the distance, six via KO, and four by submission. His only decision victory was in the latest bout against Gilbert Burns, the former title challenger. It was a true test for Khamzat who tested all the aspects of his fight and eventually ended up on the winning side.
Borz, as the fans call him, is a relentless wrestler, for many, the only one who can challenge Usman in that area. According to the words of his sparing partners, Chimaev’s power is incredible for the division, which gives him the edge over rivals. Also, his long reach and powerful striking are yet another reason for his impressive record.
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Before Burns, Khamzat beat Li Jingliang, Gerald Meerschaert, Ikram Aliskerov and less notable fighters. Diaz will be the biggest name in his CV if he manages to defeat him.
Nate Diaz
At 37 years of age, the gangster from Stockton is not as he used to be in the past, and that is only his fault. Instead of fighting in his prime, Diaz made pauses which ate his best years, and a chance to become an even bigger figure in the UFC and MMA in general.
His record is 20 wins and 13, but in the past four bouts, he has only one victory, against Anthony Pettis in August 2019. After that triumph, Diaz lost to Masvidal and Leon Edwards in June 2021. He had a chance to take down Rocky in that fight, yet he chose to make fun of him.
Diaz is a black belt in Jiu Jitsu, and 11 of his wins are on the mat via submission, only five by a KO. He holds wins over Conor McGregor, Michael Johnson, Gray Maynard, Cowboy Cerrone, and many other solid fighters.
Khamzat Chimaev VS Nate Diaz Prediction
Chimaev is an absolute favorite here, and the odds on him are very low, but for a reason. The Russian is nine years younger, his frame is bigger than Diaz’s, and overall he is in better physical shape than the veteran American. Diaz’s cardio is questionable, while on the other side, we saw Khamzat relentless against Burns, though in three rounds.
If the battle goes down to the ground, Khamzat will have an edge, because his power is significantly greater than Diaz’s. If it stays on feet, the Russian is quicker. We saw that Nate couldn’t compete with Edwards when it came to exchanges in the middle of the octagon. That is why we pick Chimaev to win this one, inside the distance.
Pick: Chimaev 1/10 at BetXchange
