UFC 279: Khamzat Chimaev vs. Nate Diaz preview and prediction
By Joey LeMaster
A welterweight prospect has taken the sport by storm. He now finds himself in a fight against one of the biggest names in the sport.
Saturday, Sept. 10, UFC 279 takes place live from the T-Mobile arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. 13 fights take place on this incredible card with a headliner that everyone has their eyes on. Khamzat Chimaev is one of the fastest sugaring prospects to ever grace the UFC. His dominance and “I want to fight everyone” mentality have made him a fan favorite. After having a three-round war against Gilbert Burns, people wondered who would be willing to fight this man.
Insert Nate Diaz. Stockton’s own is a huge fan favorite. His exciting fights, the way he talks, and his willingness to fight anyone have made Diaz one of the biggest names in the sport. Now in the last fight on his current deal, he looks to make a statement against one of the fastest-rising prospects in the sport.
Khamzat Chimaev vs Nate Diaz: Who will get their hand raised at UFC 279?
The rise of Chimaev in the UFC has simply been incredible. He won his first two fights in the span of 10 days. Not only did he just win, but he outlanded his two opponents combined in significant strikes 83 to one. Just two months later he knocked out Gerald Meerschaert in just 17 seconds. Dana White saw the potential and gave Chimaev a ranked opponent in his fourth contest in the UFC. Chimaev dominated Li Jingliang and a monster was born.
Chimaev holds an overall record of 11-0 with nine of his fights ending by a finish. His strength has been a problem for all of his opponents. When it comes to his wrestling, his strength lets him take down anyone he wants, whether they’re defending the takedown or not. When it comes to his striking, his strength makes all of his punches hurt. Chimaev does not have the cleanest boxing in the sport. Every time he throws a punch, he has the intent to knock you out.
Chimaev is relatively new to the UFC and is still learning some things. Diaz on the other hand has seen it all. He holds an overall MMA record of 21-13 where he’s won 13 of his fights by submission. Diaz holds one of the craziest fight resumes in the sport. He holds victories over the likes of Conor McGregor, Donald Cerrone, and Anthony Pettis. His relentless cardio and brilliant Jiu-Jitsu have caused the UFC problems throughout the years.
This fight is very intriguing as each fighter’s weakness is the other fighter’s strength. Diaz has been known to take too many punches or shots in his fight. Having poor striking defense is something that can’t happen against Chimaev. He’s not someone who’s just trying to touch you. He wants to leave damage on your face and knock you out. On the other hand, Chimaev’s issue is his cardio. At the end of round three against Burns, Chimaev was exhausted. Even at the end of round two, he was breathing heavily. Diaz arguably has the best cardio in the sport. If this fight goes into rounds, Diaz could surprise the world. Unfortunately, I don’t see this fight going into the later rounds.
Prediction: Khamzat Chimaev via round two knockout
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