On Tuesday, the UFC made a shocking, sensational and
big revelation. Rising star welterweight contender Khamzat Chimaev will take on
Nate Diaz in the main event at UFC 279.
UFC chief business officer Hunter Campbell told broadcast
partner ESPN that Diaz and Khamzat Chimaev have verbally agreed to fight in the
welterweight main event at UFC 279, which takes place on September 10 in Las
Vegas.
Diaz and Chimaev could be a sensational showdown and
that's what the UFC tried to book last year. Diaz then turned down the fight.
As of last week, Diaz said the UFC had not officially offered another bout.
Diaz, who is clear he wants out of the promotion, expressed his interest in
exploring other avenues and said he felt the UFC was holding him
"hostage."
Diaz, one of the UFC's most popular fighters, was
recently reported to not only have one fight left on his contract but is set to
expire in October. This fight is the last on Diaz's contract
Chimaev is the UFC's fastest-rising star. The
28-year-old Chimaev is undefeated at (11-0 MMA 5-0 UFC) with a first-round
submission win over Li Jingliang in October 2021 after a long battle with
COVID-19 and an April Returned in 2022 with a unanimous decision win over
Gilbert Burns.
"I'm going to handle Nate Diaz's funeral with
the UFC," Chimaev told Okomoto through a representative.
With
the addition, the UFC 279 lineup includes:
Khamzat Chimaev vs. Nate Diaz
Shamil Abdurakhimov vs. Jailton Almeida
Norma Dumont vs. Danyelle Wolf
Irene Aldana vs. Macy Chiasson
Denis Tiuliulin vs. Jamie Pickett
Heili Alateng vs. Chad Anheliger
Melissa Martinez vs. Elise Reed