Dana White admits that a fight against Khamzat Chimaev “wouldn’t have been good” for Nate Diaz

By Chris Taylor - September 23, 2022

Dana White recently reflected on the failed ‘Khamzat Chimaev vs. Nate Diaz’ bout that was supposed to headlined UFC 279.

Dana White

Diaz (21-13 MMA) and Chimaev (12-0 MMA) were of course slated to headline UFC 279 earlier this month in Las Vegas. However, after ‘Borz’ missed weight by a whopping 7.5lbs, the fight card was ultimately reshuffled in an effort to keep both Nate and Khamzat on the card.

In the end it was Diaz defeating Tony Ferguson by fourth round submission in the welterweight headliner, this after Chimaev steamrolled Kevin Holland in the 180lbs catchweight co-main event.

Khamzat Chimaev, Nate Diaz

With UFC 279 now in the rear-view mirror, Dana White says that in hindsight it is probably a good thing that ‘Diaz vs. Chimaev’ never came to fruition – at least for the Stockton native.

“After you watch the fight, you realize Khamzat vs. Nate Diaz would have been f**king – that wouldn’t have been good,” White said on “The Action Junkeez Podcast” (h/t MMAJunkie). “Khamzat, I know the fans got pissed at him for not making weight and everything else, but Jesus f*cking Christ. What he went out and did to Kevin Holland – did you see Kevin Holland post the picture the other day that his eyes were all red from the f**king choke? I mean, holy sh*t.”

Dana White told reporters at the UFC 279 post-fight press conference that Chimaev’s weight miss was a “problem” and suggested that ‘Borz’ would likely be competing at middleweight moving forward.

Khamzat hinted that he was moving back up to 185lbs earlier today on social media, a post which received criticism from ‘The Stockton Slugger’.

https://twitter.com/SandhuMMA/status/1573454000644571136

“Duh I retired you from 170 dumb f**k” – Diaz replied to Chimaev’s post.

Are you surprised by the recent comments from Dana White regarding the failed Diaz vs. Chimaev bout? Share your thoughts in the comment section PENN Nation!


Topics:

Dana White Khamzat Chimaev Nate Diaz UFC UFC 279