Nate Diaz is arguably one of the most popular fighters in the promotion. His honest personality and ability to speak his mind make him a fan-favorite fighter. Recently, it was announced that he agreed to fight fellow contender Khamzat Chimaev in the main event of UFC 279. ESPN reporter and famous journalist Ariel Helwani revealed UFC’s “Conor McGregor” tactic to make the UFC 279 card weak.
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ESPN’s Brett Okamoto reported this week that Nate Diaz would take on Khamzat Chimaev in the main event of UFC 279 at the T-Mobile Arena on September 10. With the UFC 280 card stacked with multiple title fights and other incredible matchups, fans were left wondering why none of the fights were shifted to the UFC 279 card.
They aren’t going to put a champ on that card because of Diaz’s presence, same way they rarely put champs on McGregor cards for a while now because they are big draws and don’t want to give a lesser draw champ the PPV points https://t.co/2ld1w5epoQ
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) July 21, 2022
One fan asked Helwani, “are they purposely making the Diaz\Khamzat card weak?” Helwani responded to this and explained UFC’s ugly tactic.
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He wrote, “They aren’t going to put a champ on that card because of Diaz’s presence, same way they rarely put champs on McGregor cards for a while now because they are big draws and don’t want to give a lesser draw champ the PPV points.”
Helwani explains that adding a championship fight to the card would move Diaz’s fight with Chimaev away from the main event. This is not ideal, as Diaz is a “big draw.” He also mentioned that this is the same tactic that the UFC has used for Conor McGregor in his past few fights.
Preview of Nate Diaz vs. Khamzat Chimaev
This matchup is fascinating for the fans as it will feature Diaz’s long-awaited return. But it won’t be an easy challenge for him, as he faces #3 ranked welterweight contender Khamzat Chimaev.
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Chimaev is UFC’s biggest prospect at the moment, winning all his fights in the promotion. His unparalleled ground skills and sublime striking skills have helped him rise to the top.
This fight will test Diaz’s grappling skills if Chimaev decides to take him down. Diaz arguably has superior striking skills but will be challenged in all other aspects of the fight. We will have to wait and watch to see who comes out on top.
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Also Read: Dustin Poirier vs Nate Diaz: Who Would Win?
What did you think of Helwani’s comments? Do you agree with him? Let us know by dropping your opinions in the comments below.