Nate Diaz set to headline UFC 279 against Khamzat Chimaev

Nate Diaz will be fighting out his UFC contract at UFC 279.

According to ESPN’s Brett Okamoto, Diaz will headline UFC 279 on September 10 against Chimaev. The event will take place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, and will serve as the final fight of Diaz’s contract.

Khamzat vs. Nate. UFC 279 on Sept. 10 at T-Mobile Arena. Main event. Five rounds. Verbally agreed, per UFC Chief Business Officer Hunter Campbell. It is the final fight on Nate Diaz’s current UFC contract. pic.twitter.com/p7lrcoroH0

— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) July 19, 2022

Diaz has been vocal in wanting to fight out his contract as he says he felt the UFC was holding him hostage. He had been vocal in wanting to fight ASAP and he now has gotten his wish.

“My objective is I want to get out of my contract and they are slow rolling me, trying to keep me in contract,” Diaz said to The MMA Hour. “I’ve been doing all I can, I’ve never asked for so many fights in my life… When I’m trying to make them happen, they are not letting me get in there and finish my contract…

“I just want to depart, I’m over the whole UFC roster as of right now,” Diaz continued. All the guys that they can offer or the guys I’m asking for everybody has been used and abused, it’s a recycled division, the lightweight and welterweight divisions (are) all recycled guys. I feel like there are no worthy opponents for me at the moment so I want to step out and recover from this whole shit. When the time is right, when there is a whole new batch of guys in here doing something good that is when I will be back… I don’t feel like I have anything else to do in the UFC. I’m ready to move on.”

Nate Diaz (20-13) is coming off a decision loss to Leon Edwards back at UFC 263 last June and prior to that, he suffered a TKO loss to Jorge Masvidal for the BMF belt. In his career, he holds notable wins over Conor McGregor, Anthony Pettis, Jim Miller, and Donald Cerrone among others.

Khamzat Chimaev (11-0) beat Gilbert Burns by decision last time out at UFC 273 and he has been linked to a fight with Diaz for quite some time. The Swede is 5-0 in the UFC with wins over Li Jingliang, Gerald Meerschaert, Rhys McKee, and John Phillips. This will be the first five-round fight of his career.

Who do you think will win, Nate Diaz or Khamzat Chimaev?