Khamzat Chimaev is scheduled to make his UFC title shot in the middleweight division at UFC 319 on August 16, where he will face reigning champion Dricus du Plessis. The Chechen fighter expressed relief that a previously scheduled fight against Nate Diaz did not happen, a moment that reshaped his career path and ultimately led him toward his current championship opportunity.

Chimaev’s Journey to the Middleweight Title Fight

Chimaev earned his spot at UFC 319 by defeating two former middleweight champions, Kamaru Usman and Robert Whittaker. These victories established him as a dominant force and positioned him to challenge South African fighter Dricus du Plessis, who is attempting to defend his title for the third time. Chimaev’s climb to this point was not straightforward; initially, he aimed for the welterweight title but lost that opportunity due to a significant weight miss in 2022. This setback ultimately forced him to move up to middleweight, opening the door for his upcoming bout.

Reasons Behind Chimaev’s Relief Over the Canceled Nate Diaz Fight

Following a demanding match against Gilbert Burns, many believed Chimaev was poised to challenge for the welterweight title. His next potential fight was against UFC star Nate Diaz in a highly anticipated pay-per-view main event in 2022. However, Chimaev missed weight by 7.5 pounds, causing the UFC 279 card to be reshuffled. Diaz subsequently fought Tony Ferguson in his final UFC bout, while Chimaev defeated Kevin Holland decisively in one round.

At a post-fight press conference, Chimaev shared his relief over the missed matchup with Diaz, admitting he feared the consequences had they actually fought. He bluntly stated:

“I don’t understand thinking (he) can win against me,”

—Khamzat Chimaev

Chimaev continued, explaining the potential danger Diaz was lucky to avoid:

“Diaz has to thank God he didn’t fight me. If I fought him, I would kill him. I’d be in jail, so maybe I have to be happy.”

—Khamzat Chimaev

He also highlighted the age difference and his own intensity in the sport:

“Did you see that fight (Diaz vs Ferguson)? Did you see the guys get tired? Did you see how they kicked? How they punched? How they wrestled? How they grappled? The guy is old. I’m the young guy. I’m the killer.”

—Khamzat Chimaev

This weight miss and failed fight opportunity ultimately pushed Chimaev to move into the middleweight division, where he will fight for the title at UFC 319.

Dan Hardy Describes the Planned Diaz-Chimaev Fight as an ‘Assassination Attempt’

Former UFC title challenger Dan Hardy echoed Chimaev’s thoughts about the scheduled fight with Diaz. Hardy, who had expressed interest in boxing Diaz prior to UFC 279, criticized the UFC’s approach to pairing Diaz with Chimaev, viewing it as a setup intended to end Diaz’s UFC career harshly.

Speaking on the Freedom Pact podcast, Hardy said:

“Imagine Nate Diaz (fighting) Khamzat Chimaev. We all know what that was. We all knew what that was.”

—Dan Hardy

He went on to express relief that the fight did not occur and doubted the UFC’s transparency regarding the situation:

“Fortunately it worked out that fight didn’t happen, and then what did we get from Dana the week after? ‘It’s a good thing that fight didn’t happen. That would’ve been really bad.’ Like yeah, man.”

—Dan Hardy

Hardy concluded with a harsh assessment of the UFC’s intentions:

“I don’t have to buy your bulls— anymore, because I know it’s bulls—. You know what you’re doing. It was an assassination attempt. They were trying to bury (Diaz) before he left his UFC contract.”

—Dan Hardy

Looking Ahead to UFC 319 and Chimaev’s Title Bid

With the Nate Diaz fight behind him, Khamzat Chimaev now focuses entirely on his middleweight title shot against Dricus du Plessis. Du Plessis has been a dominant champion in the division, undefeated within the UFC and defending his belt twice successfully. Chimaev aims to derail that run and claim the championship for himself, continuing his unbeaten streak in MMA.

This opportunity represents a pivotal moment in Chimaev’s career, reflecting how a missed weight and a canceled fight have redirected his rise to the top. The upcoming fight will showcase whether he can capitalize on this shift and become the new middleweight king.