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Nate Diaz and Khamzat Chimaev have traded barbs in the recent past regarding a much-discussed potential fight. UFC honcho Dana White recently revealed that Diaz had actually accepted the fight against 'Borz'.
According to White, Diaz refused to take the fight after initially accepting it. Additionally, the UFC boss stated that the matchup hasn't come to fruition yet due to a multiplicity of reasons. The 52-year-old recently said on The Jim Rome Show:
"To be honest with you right here, off the top of my head, this thing has played out back-and-forth so many different ways. Yes, we tried to make that fight. He wanted the fight then he didn't want the fight. But Nate Diaz did accept the fight with him [Chimaev]."
Watch White's appearance on The Jim Rome Show below:
The idea of a potential outing between Diaz and Chimaev initially crept up due to a matchmaking board leak. Chimaev immediately issued a callout to the Stockton native and subsequently accused the veteran of ducking him.
Diaz later stated that he was unable to secure the booking despite his best efforts. Chimaev claimed that the Stockton native only accepted the fight after 'Borz' had moved up in weight. However, he is still eager to fight Diaz even if it comes at the cost of a severe weight cut. In his most recent interview, Dana White also stated that a potential outing between Diaz and Chimaev isn't completely off the books yet.
Dana White is obliged to give Nate Diaz a fight
Nate Diaz last competed in June 2021, coming up on the short side of a unanimous decision against Leon Edwards. Diaz has since been eager to get booked, with one fight remaining on his UFC contract.
In a recent callout demanding his UFC release, Diaz also hinted at a potential outing against Jake Paul. According to UFC president Dana White, he is obliged to offer every fighter three fights a year. White noted that he would have to pay Diaz for not fighting if the Stockton native wasn't offered his quota of fights. The 52-year-old said during a press conference in Salt Lake City:
“I owe him a fight? We’ll get him a fight. Tell me when there isn’t something crazy going on with Nate Diaz. It’s just the way he operates. It’s just part of what he does. Listen, like I always say, I owe guys three fights a year. Right. So if I don’t get them the fights, I have to pay them."
He continued:
"I owe you three fights a year by contract. If I don’t get you three fights a year then I have to pay you to not fight. If I’m not living up to my end of the obligation, then obviously I owe him some money. And obviously, that’s not the case.”
Watch White weigh in on Diaz's next fight below:
