Dana White: ‘Fair to Say’ Khamzat Chimaev Gets Title Shot with Win Over Nate Diaz

If Khamzat Chimaev defeats Nate Diaz in the UFC 279 main event next month, a welterweight championship fight could very well be in his future.

UFC president Dana White indicated as much when asked about what could be next for Chimaev with a win on Sept. 10 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Chimaev has taken the promotion by storm with wins in his first five appearances, including a decision triumph over Gilbert Burns in his last outing at UFC 273.

“It’s fair,” White said at the Contender Series press conference on Tuesday night. “I don’t ever do that s—t, but yeah, it’s fair to say if he wins, that’s the fight to make. [Usman has] already beat everybody twice in the top whatever, so yeah, that makes sense.”

On the other hand, White is not necessarily on board with Usman’s goal of moving up two divisions to challenge for the 205-pound belt, but he won’t stand in the way if “The Nigerian Nightmare” bests Leon Edwards at UFC 278.

“You know what doesn’t make sense? 205. But you know what? Look what the guy has done,” White said. “He said, ‘I want to go fight at 205.’ What am I gonna do? What am I gonna tell him, right? Why would you not give him the opportunity?”

White agrees that a potential Usman-Chimaev bout would be a blockbuster for the UFC. He cautions that overlooking Diaz would be a mistake, though.

“It’s huge. Especially if he wins the Nate fight, absolutely,” White said.

“I did a bunch of media today, and everybody’s counting Nate Diaz out … You can’t count anybody out. In this sport, you never know what’s going to happen. Anything is possible.”