Nate Diaz (Dave Mandel/Sherdog)

Why Nate Diaz Could Have Had A Big Upset of Khamzat Chimaev

The unexpected revelation that Khamzat Chimaev and Nate Diaz were going to face off was the most recent story to rock the UFC universe. The news had elicited a variety of responses. On the one hand, Chimaev might be the UFC’s next great thing, but on the other, Diaz is a living legend who has altered the perception of the sport among fans. If you are also fan of then  read this bet365 sportsbook review to know more about the exciting news associated with sports.

Khamzat Chimaev has quickly climbed to No. 3 in the welterweight ratings since being acquired by the UFC. MMA enthusiasts and competitors, however, think that the Stockton gangster might have triumphed despite predictions made by oddsmakers. In his matchup with Khamzat Chimaev, Nate Diaz had a good chance of pulling off a major upset of the following five factors:

1. The original gangster of the UFC

The Diaz Brothers are those rare athletes who can back up their phrases and put on truly outstanding battles, which is why they have been able to develop a cult-like following among UFC fans.


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Whoever his competitor is, Nate Diaz is not concerned. No matter who they are or what weight class they are in, he respects them all similarly and is eager to enter the ring with anyone. Because his competitors are aware that they are facing a fighter who has faced the best in the division, the Stockton native excels at psychological warfare.

2. A difficult standup game

Any fighter can benefit from having a good standup play and the ability to utilize blunt force trauma, regardless of their experience. Even if a fighter excels in grappling, wrestling, etc., they will ultimately lose if they cannot deliver powerful attacks in standup combat.

One of the clearest instances of this is a UFC fighter like Francis Ngannou, who has found greatness despite having subpar grappling abilities thanks to his amazing standup abilities. Nate Diaz, though, has been showcasing the power of his standup game for more than 15 years. According to UFC statistics, Diaz scores 67 percent of important attacks while standing compared to Khamzat’s 41 percent. Diaz was a real danger to Khamzat when it regards standing and attacking.

3. A triathlete’s stamina

90 percent of Khamzat Chimaev’s MMA matches have ended in the opening frame, as can be seen by quickly scanning his record. In all but one of the subsequent fights, his match with Gilbert Burns, which Chimaev won by decision was decided in the second round. For Nate Diaz, most of his battles have continued past the initial round. A fighter who employs almost limitless stores of endurance to wear down his opponents is a rarity, and the Stockton product is one of them. Diaz frequently performs in triathlons, which perhaps contributes to his almost limitless stamina.

4. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu by Nate Diaz

Nate Diaz is well-known for his accomplished stand-up performance, but he is also an accomplished Brazilian jiu-jitsu instructor. Fans presumably rarely see examples of boxers knocking Diaz down because of this. Khamzat Chimaev, on the other hand, is a wrestler-turned-fighter who has three Swedish National gold medals to his credit.

5. The impact of experience

Even the finest fighters have a relatively short shelf life in the MMA scene. The UFC is nothing like that, as fame frequently loses way to the physical toll fighting takes on its participants. There are, however, a select handful who have endured the years and tested the years to gain a tremendous amount of expertise.

Nate Diaz is a fighter with 15 years of UFC experience, giving him a wealth of knowledge about the octagon. Experience can be just as important in mixed martial arts as any other talent; an expert fighter knows how to maintain composure under pressure.

Unfortunately, fans did not get to see the two men fight, as they were both given new opponents due to last-minute shake-ups.


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