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UFC chief business officer Hunter Campbell told broadcast partner ESPN that Diaz and Khamzat Chimaev have verbally agreed to fight in the welterweight main event at UFC 279, which takes place on September 10 in Las Vegas.
Diaz and Chimaev could be a sensational showdown and that's what the UFC tried to book last year. Diaz then turned down the fight. As of last week, Diaz said the UFC had not officially offered another bout. Diaz, who is clear he wants out of the promotion, expressed his interest in exploring other avenues and said he felt the UFC was holding him "hostage."
Diaz, one of the UFC's most popular fighters, was recently reported to not only have one fight left on his contract but is set to expire in October. This fight is the last on Diaz's contract
Chimaev is the UFC's fastest-rising star. The 28-year-old Chimaev is undefeated at (11-0 MMA 5-0 UFC) with a first-round submission win over Li Jingliang in October 2021 after a long battle with COVID-19 and an April Returned in 2022 with a unanimous decision win over Gilbert Burns.
"I'm going to handle Nate Diaz's funeral with the UFC," Chimaev told Okomoto through a representative.
With the addition, the UFC 279 lineup includes:
Khamzat Chimaev vs. Nate Diaz
Shamil Abdurakhimov vs. Jailton Almeida
Norma Dumont vs. Danyelle Wolf
Irene Aldana vs. Macy Chiasson
Denis Tiuliulin vs. Jamie Pickett
Heili Alateng vs. Chad Anheliger
Melissa Martinez vs. Elise Reed
