Khamzat Chimaev has the opportunity to knock off a UFC legend ahead of him. Now he just has to make sure that said legend shows up.
The undefeated welterweight, who’s currently No. 3 at 155 pounds in MMA Fighting’s Global Rankings, is set to fight Nate Diaz in the main event of UFC 279 on Sept. 10 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Since 2013, Diaz’s debut, he has only made eight octagon appearances. His most recent loss — to Leon Edwards in a unanimous decision at UFC 263 June 2021 — is his first fight in 19 after several failed matchups. So one can understand if Chimaev is skeptical about whether the fight is going to happen.
“I still don’t believe that guy’s going to come and show up,” Chimaev said on The MMA Hour. He’s a skinny boy. We will see what’s happening. I’m just waiting for the 10th of September – it doesn’t matter who. If he wants to fight [185 pounds], then we can do that… just show up. I can fight [at 185 or 205 pounds], it doesn’t matter.”
Adding further intrigue to the contest is the fact that the UFC 279 headliner marks the last fight on Diaz’s current contract. The Stockton, Calif., star’s future is unclear, but on multiple occasions he has asked for the UFC to release him, so it is distinctly possible that Diaz will soon end his 15-year relationship with the promotion.
This narrative isn’t important to Chimaev. He plans to approach it as he did all his other fights. He is still amused at the idea of making a mark on Diaz’s notorious persona.
” “It doesn’t really matter to me,” Chimaev stated. “If they give Kamaru Usman to me, I’ll do the same.” For me, it doesn’t matter. He just fights. His fights are still deadly. He is a fighter, and I am happy that he fights with me.
“He is one of the legends. Like everyone else saying “gangster, Gangster”, I will show you who the real gangster. We’re all from Chechnya. As I mentioned, we were raised [with] during the war. And we have the gangsters as our breakfast .”
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Chimaev is a heavy favorite heading into the contest, in no small part due to his 11-0 record, which includes 10 finishes and a recent win over top welterweight contender Gilbert Burns. Diaz, who has only won one fight in the 2016. era, seems to be a step behind competition. But Chimaev is looking forward to share the cage with a fighter he’s long admired.
” When my manager said it was done, I replied that that’s great, and that this is perfect for us,” Chimaev stated. The guy is going out, making money and good name. Nate said he doesn’t like me. … I like that guy, I grew up on him.
“I was in school when he was fighting in the UFC. He is amazing and it’s amazing that I get to fight him. It’s not something I can do, but I will see it.
“Now I fight with the men I was watching. American men, Chechnya. I saw them. They are now my .”
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Coming off of the first decision win of his career, Chimaev doesn’t expect to go the distance when he fights Diaz. The bout will last five rounds and is Chimaev’s first fight. He plans to do what he usually does and be the fourth fighter to stop Diaz.
“I just go in and smash his face,” Chimaev said. If we strike, I knock him unconscious. And if we fall, I smash his head or submit to him. We’ll see, whatever, for me it doesn’t matter. I have no game plan, and that ***.. My coaches don’t know what I want to do, and I rarely talk with them about it. I just train what my coach said in my training. If he calls for me to take him down I will. However, if I hear him say, “jab, move,” I’ll listen.
” I then go to fight, doing exactly what I did in sparring. Sometimes it is take him down and submit him. Then I understand I have to do it in the cage as well when I come to the fight. You don’t get to see my game plan. You fight like you fight.”
“One round, two rounds,” Chimaev said of his prediction on when the fight will end. “We’ll see.”
