Nate Diaz has made it clear he did not ask for the Khamzat Chimaev fight as Dana White said he did.
Diaz is set to headline UFC 279 against Chimaev, where the Stockton native is a massive underdog and not many are giving him a chance. It’s also a fight that some have said doesn’t make sense, but Dana White has said it is happening because Diaz asked for this matchup. The Octagon veteran says that is not true.
Nate Diaz vs Khamzat Chimaev Is the UFC at Work
“I’m the champion of the whole UFC, altogether, and I don’t give a f**k,” Diaz said to ESPN.
“And what they’ve got me doing right now is they’re acting like I called for this fight, which I didn’t call for and I don’t want and didn’t want and still don’t want. But I don’t give a f**k, I’ll fight anybody. But the pressure is on him, he’d better finish me. Because he’s the next killer in town, you know what I’m saying? The pressure’s on me because I better not get killed by the next killer, best in town – because they’re saying he’s the best in town. If I whoop his ass, they’re gonna say, ‘Oh, he wasn’t the best in town.'”
Diaz hasn’t fought since June of 2021 when he suffered a decision loss to Leon Edwards and before that suffered a TKO loss to Jorge Masvidal for the BMF belt. Earlier this year, he attempted to call out Vicente Luque for a fight. Now Diaz is set to fight out his UFC contract against Chimaev and says this entire fight is the UFC trying to build Chimaev off him.
“This fight isn’t even about this guy, it’s about making this guy,” said Diaz. “It’s about making this motherf****r. You guys aren’t going to let me go, because I’m the best fighter here? And you’re not going to let me go unless it’s off of somebody? I’ve gotta make somebody for you? Well, all right, you’re welcome, let’s make you. You’re welcome, UFC.”
UFC 279 goes down on Saturday, September 10 from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
