Halfway by means of UFC 274 the UFC last but not least announced the specifics of UFC 276, their huge Global Battle 7 days card in Las Vegas on July 2nd.
Headlining the card is Israel Adesanya vs. Jared Cannonier for the middleweight title. And in the co-major function: Alexander Volkanovski vs. Max Holloway 3 for the featherweight title. Lacking from the card: a rumored bout between growing star Khamzat Chimaev and OG badass Nate Diaz.
The UFC experienced hardly ever formally teased that combat for UFC 276, but a online video unveiled by the Pivot Podcast captured pictures of the promotion’s matchmaking wall. Showcased in the co-most important slot for the party: Chimaev vs. Diaz. Sadly it by no means made it into the remaining line-up.
Requested about the bout at the UFC 274 put up-struggle press convention, UFC president Dana White stated the offer with the matchmaking leaks.
“Yeah, some of those people are just placeholders,” White mentioned. “So when we go in there, we’ll have placeholders in put. None of that things are carried out deals. Some of these are just placeholders. Some of them are performed, and some of them aren’t.”
Asked if he was even now interested in putting jointly a Khamzat vs. Nate combat, White reported “Yeah.”
But when pressed on the standing of the fight he replied “I really do not know.”
Khamzat Chimaev looks like he’d accept a combat with a bear if the UFC supplied it to him, so the huge question is in which Nate Diaz’s head is. On Twitter, Diaz is all bluster about seeking a battle yesterday. It is unclear particularly what is stopping that from happening, but the UFC consistently demanding he experience Chimaev tells you some thing about the promotion’s willingness to do the job out a deal that is in Nate’s ideal passions.
The MMA Hour’s Ariel Helwani not long ago spoke on the Diaz vs. Chimaev struggle, shedding some mild on Nate’s existing placement.
“When I say some thing which is type of an plan, far more frequently than not except I explicitly say otherwise, it is rooted in actuality,” Helwani reported. “So a few of weeks back I said I wouldn’t be surprised if Nate Diaz just says ‘Give me Khamzat so I can get on my merry way.’ Recall when I said that? Again to the earlier assertion: a lot more generally than not, rooted in simple fact. All right?”
“Is it a accomplished deal?” he continued. “No. Is there anything there? Yeah, there is a thing there. But I really don’t know what is heading to take place.”