"That could be a deal breaker" - Chael Sonnen shares possible theory for why Nate Diaz may have turned down Khamzat Chimaev fight
Khamzat Chimaev has laid down the marker in the UFC after his impressive run since joining the UFC. The Dagestani fighter has been compared to new Hall of Famer Khabib Nurmagomedov but is adamant about carving his own legacy.
One of his new admirers includes former UFC middleweight Chael Sonnen. 'The Bad Guy' has been impressed by the Swede since his debut, even notching up a tough victory over Gilbert Burns. However, a potential blockbuster fight for Khamzat Chimaev has been discussed with veteran Nate Diaz in the last few months. The fight has failed to materialize due to various issues, and Sonnen believes there is a certain reason for it.
In an episode of Beyond The Fight, Sonnen said:
"I'm a little bit light on the Chimaev angle, only because the first time I heard Chimaev was October, possibly November of last year, and it was for Nick Diaz. Then, somewhere near the end of 2022, it became Nate. But, that could be a dealbreaker. Nate has a code. A fight that was associated with his brother that he would never take in case his brother still wants it."
However, Sonnen's theory holds little validity after promotional president Dana White recently confirmed that Diaz had agreed to fight Chimaev.
Watch the full video below:
Georges St-Pierre names Khamzat Chimaev in list of fighters he'd hunt if he returns to UFC
Although Georges St-Pierre has no plans to return to the octagon, there are a few fighters in the UFC with who he would want to possibly match up. The Canadian picked Chimaev, Kamaru Usman, and Khabib Nurmagomedov as his dream fights if he were to return. In an interaction with BT Sport's Chamatkar Sandhu, St-Pierre had this to say:
"If I would have come back... I would want to be the best. So, I'd would the best guys. Maybe Usman, Chimaev and... Khabib, if he would stil be there."
Watch the clip below:
Khamzat Chimaev is 5-0 in the UFC, with utter domination in every fight barring his last. In his fight against Gilbert Burns at UFC 273, the Chechen-born Swede was made to work to continue his unbeaten streak.
The 28-year-old has made it clear that he is edging closer to being a major threat to welterweight champion Kamaru Usman. However, Khamzat Chimaev is only just getting started as he continues to make a name for himself in the UFC.