Nate Diaz will fight Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 279 in what appears to be his swansong with the promotion. After well over a decade of fighting inside the octagon, Diaz is on the last fight of his contract and has been very vocal about wanting to leave the UFC.
The Stockton native has suggested that he may fight in the octagon again, but for now, he's eager to finish his contractual obligations and explore free agency. Speaking about Diaz's future, former UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping said in a video on his YouTube channel:
"What's going to happen if Nate Diaz wins? Well, if Nate Diaz wins, UFC will offer him another contract. We know Diaz probably wants to go off, I think he wants to box Jake Paul. I think he sees that as a way that he's going to get a massive payday, but he makes very good money in the UFC.
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I don't know the specifics, but Diaz is on several million dollars every time he fights, so you never know; he might stay because Leon Edwards is the welterweight champion of the world. And Leon Edwards has said that if he beats Chimaev, he will give him a shot at the belt."
Bisping noted that if the promotion offered Nate Diaz a new contract with a title opportunity against newly crowned champion Leon Edwards, we could see Diaz stay in the UFC. It's not a stretch, considering Diaz almost finished Edwards in their fight despite getting dominated for nearly all five rounds.
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Michael Bisping sees a submission as the only possible way for Nate Diaz to beat Khamzat Chimaev
After the fight between 'Borz' and Diaz was announced, many fans were furious at the UFC for giving the Stockton fight veteran such a tough outing in his final octagon fight.
'The Count' took to his YouTube channel to dispel notions that Diaz was booked in a mismatch. However, in the same video, Bisping stated that the only way he can see Diaz emerge victorious is by somehow pulling off a submission:
"Other than a submission, other than catching a submission, I really don't see a way where Nate Diaz can win this."
That said, the former UFC champion did laud Diaz for taking on such a difficult opponent and stated that the Stockton native could cause a huge upset, similar to when he beat Conor McGregor at UFC 196 and shocked the world.
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