ММА. UFC 279
Khamzat Chimaev (Sweden) vs Nate Diaz (USA)
T-Mobile Arena (Las Vegas)
11.09.2022. 07:00 (UTC+3)
On the night of September 10-11, Las Vegas will host the big UFC 279 tournament. In the main event of the evening, the recent sensation Khamzat Chimaev will share the cage with the MMA last gangster Nate Diaz.
The bout will take place in the welterweight division. Chimaev is ranked number three in the division's official challenger rankings, Nate is not in the top 15. The Chechen Viking is the big favorite to win.
Khamzat Chimaev
Chimaev fought in Arabian Brave CF until 2020, but was suddenly invited to the UFC (when the league was short of fighters due to the global pandemic). He quickly smothered the experienced John Phillips in his first fight, and it was at this point that the timid talk of the birth of a new star began. Khamzat's next fights quickly silenced the skeptics – three early wins in the first round, several crazy records, and incredible fight with Gilbert Burns himself convinced almost everyone, that sooner or later (sooner is more likely, of course) Chimaev will become a champion.
His last fight was in April of this year with Gilbert Burns, the number two ranking at that time. The opponents did not refuse to be merciless, both of them knocked down more than once. The fight was very spectacular. And while Chimaev seemed to have lost the first half of the fight, he made up for it in the second and won by unanimous decision. It was his first victory on points, but he proved he could fight for three rounds as well.
Nate Diaz
This is the legendary gangster's last fight under contract and probably the last fight of his career. Surprising, of course, the league's decision, but whatever the case, Diaz has earned the right to walk away nicely. Except that there's a high probability that he won't leave the sport on his own two feet.
“It’s gonna be a little bit complicated for Diaz, a little bit because Chimaev is really young, he’s in the rush, he’s really confident, and I think Diaz is more on the end of his career so he’s not exactly the same. If you told me the Diaz that they had five years ago, six years ago it’s different, but today it’s going to be a little bit hard for Diaz. I think Chimaev is gonna finish him. Yeah, unfortunately, because I love Diaz.”
Diaz made history when he outboxed and then finished top-seeded Conor McGregor. But his other fights, both won and lost, were off the charts spectacular and bloody.
Tale of the tape
This fight is a tribute to Nate Diaz, and unfortunately there is no sports intrigue in it. But it will be bright, just a pity it won't last long. Here you can see the objective performance of the fighters to help you decide what to bet on.
| Measurement | Chimaev | Diaz |
| Age | 28 | 37 |
| Height (cm) | 188 | 183 |
| Record | 11-0 | 20-13 |
| Inside-the-distance wins | 10 | 16 |
| UFC Record | 5-0 | 15-11 |
| Last fight | Apr 9, 2022 | Jun 12, 2021 |
| Winning streak | 11 | 0 |
Expert Betting Tips
It's very sad, but Nate doesn't stand a chance in the second round. If he goes as he always does, he will be quickly finished. If he tries to wrestle, he will be quickly strangled. It's absolutely impossible to find a single fighting component where Diaz can compete with Chimaev. Except for spirit and courage, of course, but that won't affect the strength of his jaw in any way.
Bet365 offers odds of 1.12 for Khamzat’s victory, while Nate Diaz’s is estimated at 6.50. This tells a lot.
Other predictions
