Ariel Helwani believes the UFC is offering Nate Diaz a fight against Khamzat Chimaev because he's considering free agency
Ariel Helwani believes the only reason Nate Diaz is being propped up against Khamzat Chimaev is because he's in the last fight of his UFC contract.
With just one bout left on his current deal, Nate Diaz is seemingly in the final chapter of his association with the UFC. However, he may face one of the toughest opponents he's ever encountered in his swansong in the promotion.
In a recent article, Ariel Helwani drew parallels between Diaz's situation and that of Andrei Arlovski.
"Put it this way, If Diaz went to the UFC today and said, Forget free agency, let’s just sign a new six-fight deal right now, I guarantee they’d give him someone like Vicente Luque next," wrote Ariel Helwani.
Dana White all in on Nate Diaz vs. Khamzat Chimaev
Having ragdolled Li Jinliang at UFC 267, Khamzat Chimaev recorded a statement win. The fact that he managed to get in a short conversation with UFC President Dana White in the middle of the fight boggles the mind.
White is currently high on the Swede's potential and believes a fight between Nate Diaz and Khamzat Chimaev would most certainly be extremely exciting.
“We’re gonna talk to Nate about it. One hundred percent. One hundred percent, this guy is like nothing that anybody’s ever seen. When you think about, he’s got more UFC wins than he’s been hit inside the octagon," Dana White told TMZ Sports.
All said and done, a fight against Chimaev for Diaz's farewell bout in the UFC would certainly bring in a lot of eyes. Whether Nate Diaz accepts the fight, however, is something that remains to be seen.
Nate Diaz is coming off a unanimous decision loss to Leon Edwards. Diaz still finds himself in mainstream notoriety, despite having lost three of his last four bouts.