3 reasons why Khamzat Chimaev vs. Nate Diaz is the fight to make and 2 reasons why the UFC should avoid it

#2. Fight to avoid - The chance of Nate Diaz beating Khamzat Chimaev would be too much of a risk for the UFC

Nate Diaz could hurt Khamzat Chimaev's star power badly if he were to beat him

Khamzat Chimaev’s star is rising quickly right now. In order to maximize that potential and ensure he makes the promotion the most money possible, the UFC needs to ensure that he doesn’t lose.

‘Borz’ may well be talented enough to do that for the UFC based on what we’ve seen thus far. He may well have enough talent to defeat any fighter in the welterweight division right now. However, to match him with Nate Diaz, who could walk away from the promotion following the fight, would also be a major risk.

If Diaz were to hand Khamzat Chimaev his first loss, not only would it shatter the aura of invincibility that currently surrounds ‘Borz’, but it’d also smash any chance of him becoming a major star into pieces. More to the point, it’d hand Diaz massive power in any negotiations with the UFC. With competitors like Bellator MMA willing to throw big money around, the Stockton native might be able to name his price.

It isn’t like Diaz hasn’t spoiled the UFC’s plans before, after all. His famous defeat of Conor McGregor at UFC 196 derailed the Irishman’s momentum. While it didn’t affect the star power of ‘The Notorious’, he still lost his unbeatable reputation.

So would the UFC really want to risk Khamzat Chimaev losing his unbeaten record against a fighter who could then just walk away from the promotion? Looking at it like that, it seems like a silly move from all perspectives, meaning the UFC should avoid booking the fight.

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#1. Fight to avoid - Khamzat Chimaev should be matched with someone higher on the ladder

Khamzat Chimaev deserves to fight an opponent ranked higher than him on the ladder

Khamzat Chimaev clearly wants to become a major superstar with the UFC and appears to be well on his way to doing so. However, it’s clear from his interviews that his ultimate goal is to become the best fighter in the promotion.

To get to that level, ‘Borz’ will eventually need to capture the UFC welterweight title. While fans have already begun to wonder what would happen if he were to be given a title shot, the truth is that such talk might be premature.

Khamzat Chimaev’s recent win over Li Jingliang moved him into the top 10 at 170 pounds, but he’s still only ranked at No.10. Theoretically, at least, that means that nine fighters are currently ahead of him in the queue for a title shot. While the UFC could easily match him with Nate Diaz and then have him bypass those nine fighters with a win, from a sporting perspective, it makes far more sense for them to match him with someone higher up the ladder.

A win over, say, Stephen Thompson (No.5) or Neil Magny (No.8) might not hold the same weight with casual fans as a win over Diaz. However, it’d definitely be a better barometer of how Chimaev would do in a possible title fight.

The UFC doesn’t always book fights from a purely sporting perspective, but in this sense, they’d almost be better off doing so. Simply put, Khamzat Chimaev deserves to fight an opponent who’s still relevant as a title contender, not an aging veteran with one win to his name in the last five years.