"Would be the worst fighter if he didn’t have a chin" - Fans react to Nate Diaz heading into UFC 279 as biggest underdog he's ever been in his career
Nate Diaz is no stranger to being a betting underdog in his fights. However, he's a fairly large one for his upcoming clash against Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 279. Perhaps Stockton's pride has never been as big of an underdog in his career as he is in this matchup.
Chimaev is currently listed as a -1150 favorite against Diaz, who comes in at +750 on popular sportsbook DraftKings. Some sportsbooks also have Diaz as high as +900 as an underdog heading into the matchup.
@verdicttournaments shared the Stockton native's massive underdog status on Instagram, which garnered a series of reactions from fans.
One fan opined that the 37-year-old fighter should be an even bigger underdog against the Chechen-born Swede, while another suggested that Diaz owes most of his success to his strong chin.
Some users expressed confidence in the Stockton native's chances against 'Borz' and seemed eager to bet on the UFC veteran for huge returns in the case of an upset.
Check out some of the fan reactions below:
What are Nate Diaz's chances against Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 279?
It's not hard to see why the odds are heavily stacked against Nate Diaz going into his fight against Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 279 on September 10. The consensus is that 'Borz' is the worst stylistic matchup for Diaz, with many expecting an easy win for the Chechen-born fighter.
However, if Diaz does pull off an upset, his durability will certainly play a huge factor in that. The Stockton fighter is also excellent at keeping his opponents at range with his boxing and perfectly timed jabs. Many believe that Diaz's best chance would be to survive the early rounds and pick off his opponent with his striking in the later rounds.
A high-level Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, Nate Diaz is comfortable on the ground and has submitted many opponents from his guard. This could pose a problem for Chimaev after he takes down Diaz by utilizing his wrestling. However, the 37-year-old will need to be careful as he might open himself up to ground-and-pound from his opponent.