‘He won’t be the same’: UFC star Khamzat Chimaev still targeting Nate Diaz fight

Chimaev’s UFC run has been sctintillating, with a welterweight title shot seemingly not far away

Russian-born Swede Khamzat Chimaev is 11-0 with 10 finishes (@ufcrussia via Instagram)

Khamzat Chimaev is still keen on fighting Nate Diaz, vowing that his fellow UFC star ‘won’t be the same’ if they are to go head to head.

Fan favourite Diaz has long been reported to have one fight left on his UFC contract, with the American having been unable to agree upon an opponent.

Chimaev has been rumoured as a metaphorical dance partner for Diaz, 37, who was recently pictured seemingly urinating outside of UFC’s headquarters amid his contract dispute with the promotion.

Chimaev is 11-0 as a professional mixed martial artist, having won his first 10 fights via stoppage before edging past former UFC welterweight title challenger Gilbert Burns last time out.

Russian-born Swede Chimaev beat the Brazilian via split decision in April after three brutal rounds, having previously absorbed just one significant strike across four UFC bouts.

“No, it’s never been close [to a done deal],” Chimaev said about a clash with Diaz, speaking on the Blockparty podcast.

“The skinny boy... When I said, Let’s fight,’ I was good weight, good shape. Now I’ve been lifting weights, I go up like three kilograms. Now he says, ‘Let’s fight.’

Nate Diaz last fought in June 2021, losing to Leon Edwards via decision (Getty Images)

“He was thinking: ‘Is August too early to cut weight?’ I don’t care, I’m going to cut my weight and fight with him if he’s ready. I’ll smash that boy, he won’t be the same Diaz anymore.”

Chimaev’s searing run since joining the UFC in 2020 has seen him earn the No 3 spot in the welterweight rankings. As such, he is likely just one win away from a title shot.

Champion Kamaru Usman will defend the belt against Leon Edwards in August, in a rematch seven years in the making, while Chimaev has been linked with potential fights against No 1 welterweight Colby Covington and fifth-ranked Belal Muhammad.

“The Diaz fight is good for us, but skinny boy is scared and he didn’t answer,” said Chimaev, 28.

“We will see. Belal said ‘yes’. I don’t care, I’ll fight everyone. Let Leon fight with Usman. Who wins there, I’ll go for his head; I’ll take his head and take the money.

“I can take [Diaz’s] brother [Nick] as well. I’ll take his f***ing brother and we can smash him, too.”