"We really don't know what he's doing"- Chael Sonnen speculates about Nate Diaz's options after fighting out his contract at UFC 279

Chael Sonnen has put forth his opinion regarding Nate Diaz's potential plans after his fight against Tony Ferguson at tonight's UFC 279 event. It's the final fight on Diaz's current UFC contract and could be the last time he ever competes in the UFC. Diaz was initially set to face Khamzat Chimaev in the UFC 279 headliner, while Ferguson was to fight Li Jingliang in the UFC 279 co-headliner.

However, Chimaev missed weight by a whopping 7.5 pounds, which caused the UFC to re-shuffle three fights on the UFC 279 main card. Following Chimaev's weight debacle, MMA legends Diaz and Ferguson agreed to face one another in the UFC 279 headlining matchup. The switch saved the entire event from possibly being canceled.

In an edition of Beyond the Fight, Chael Sonnen suggested that Diaz and Ferguson saving UFC 279 could earn them high-profile matchups in their next respective UFC appearances.

Nevertheless, Sonnen indicated that while Ferguson will probably stay with the organization after UFC 279, Diaz's future is uncertain. He believes it's unclear as to whether Diaz will re-sign with the UFC, box YouTube megastar Jake Paul, or become a fight promoter. Sonnen stated:

"Now, if you look at Nate, we're given very limited information. But we, the audience, keep thinking that we have all the answers. I mean, we were certain, as recently as a month ago, that he was to fulfill his UFC contract so that he can go and fight Jake Paul. We all believed that."

"But then when we were confronted with the fact that Jake Paul is doing some business with Anderson Silva, and Nate Diaz is allegedly applying for a promoter's license of his own; all of a sudden, we go, 'We really don't know what he's doing.' We really, truly don't know what he's doing. But if you save the day, you're still a white knight."

Watch Sonnen discuss the topic at 2:47 in the video below:

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What's at stake for Nate Diaz at UFC 279?

Nate Diaz has consistently maintained that he intends to explore other combat sports options outside the UFC. That said, he's hinted that he might return to the UFC down the line. Presently, the consensus is that Diaz won't re-sign with the UFC in the immediate future.

Considering the aforementioned variables at play, the belief is that a loss against Tony Ferguson at UFC 279 would hurt the outgoing Nate Diaz's brand value. This, in turn, lowers the leverage Diaz would have in fight negotiations outside the UFC.

As of this time, Diaz's next move in the combat sports realm remains shrouded in mystery. Regardless, fans can expect details concerning his plans to unravel in the days to come.