Ariel Helwani details how UFC didn't want Nate Diaz to walk into potential Jake Paul fight "looking tremendous"
Ariel Helwani feels that the UFC wouldn't have matched Nate Diaz against Khamzat Chimaev had the Stockton native extended his contract with the promotion. Diaz is scheduled to take on Chimaev at UFC 279 in September.
Khamzat Chimaev 🤝 Nate Diaz, says Hunter Campbell.
#UFC279 | Details: bit.ly/3crkJLT https://t.co/Nbbc12X8OJ
This will likely be Diaz's last fight in the UFC as he plans to quit the promotion and focus on a potential crossover boxing match with Jake Paul, among other ventures. According to renowned MMA journalist Helwani, the promotion doesn't want Diaz to walk into a potential clash with Jake Paul "looking tremendous."
The Canadian believes that's why the UFC decided to book Diaz in a stylistically difficult matchup against the Chechen-born Swede instead of an opponent he'd have a better chance of defeating.
During a recent episode of The MMA Hour, Helwani stated:
"The general sentiment seemed to be, 'You re-sign, you'll get a Dustin [Poirier], you'll get a fighter like that, you'll get someone who is maybe at your level, [and if] you don't re-sign we're going to give you Khamzat... or we'll give you like a Colby type of fighter,' clearly a fighter who is a bad matchup right now at this stage in Diaz's career, stylistically. 'We are not going to let you walk out of the organization into a potential Jake Paul fight looking tremendous on a big win, we're gonna give you a wrestler, someone who is younger, who is on fire, who's one of the hottest prospects in the game.'"
Watch the video below:
Jake Paul betting on Nate Diaz to beat Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 279
YouTube star-turned-boxer Jake Paul will be likely rooting for Nate Diaz when the 37-year-old fights Khamzat Chimaev inside the octagon. Although 'The Problem Child' wants to face the Stockton native down the line, he favors Diaz in his upcoming fight with 'Borz'.
Paul recently took to Twitter to claim that he'll be putting his money on Diaz, who is an overwhelming underdog in the fight. Paul also jibed at Chimaev, claiming that the Chechen-born Swede is a "fake" version of Khabib Nurmagomedov.
"Betr believe I’m putting my money on Nate Diaz to win versus fake Khabib."
Betr believe I’m putting my money on Nate Diaz to win versus fake Khabib
Paul is currently 5-0 as a pro-boxer and is set to take on Hasim Rahman Jr. on August 6 at Madison Square Garden in New York.