How Nate Diaz Helped Chris Avila Get a Fight At UFC 202
How Nate Diaz Helped Chris Avila Get a Fight At UFC 202
Chris Avila makes his UFC debut Aug. 20 at UFC 202, and main-event participant Nate Diaz helped make it happen.
The second installment of Conor McGregor versus Nate Diaz is just 12 days away now, and with no other UFC events between now and then, all attention is swiftly turning to the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada for Aug. 20's UFC 202.
Before Diaz and McGregor go at it for the second time in the main event, a warm-up act will take place earlier in the evening with one member of the 'Skrap Pack,' Diaz's team, and one member of SBG Ireland--McGregor's team--going at it lower down on the card.
Nate Diaz's training partner and longtime friend Chris Avila (5-2) will face Conor McGregor's SBG teammate Artem Lobov. Avila will be making his debut in the UFC, while Lobov has gone 0-2 in the organization since becoming a full-time member of the roster after his appearance during Season 22 of The Ultimate Fighter.
Speaking to FightMike MMA yesterday, Avila revealed that his training has been going well since he signed the bout agreement.
"Training has been going good ever since they let me know I would be fighting in the UFC," Avila said. "We got the camp going, got the whole eight-week camp, and we are just doing things the way that we always do. I've been doing a lot of training and a lot of travelling and stuff like that. I'm just ready to go now, I'm just ready to go to Vegas and get this 'W.'"
Avila then revealed how the fight came together in the first place, and he referred to the fact that Diaz had used his negotiating power to help his friend get his big opportunity.
"Nate told me, or one of the homies told me [about getting the fight]," Avila said. "They notified them and they got it all together through his deal, so he came at me and told me,'Hey, you got to get ready, because you are fighting on the same card as me.'
"We got to take what we can get right now, but we didn't want to really fight on the same card together. If that's what we got to do to get our foot in the door, then I'm going to fight his teammate, fight McGregor's teammate, on the same night as him."
Avila projected the same laidback coolness of his fellow teammates, but he also made it clear that he wasn't overlooking Lobov.
"He's going to be tough, I know he was on The Ultimate Fighter and stuff like that," Avila said. "I know he trains with McGegor and all that stuff like that so I've seen his fights and all that, but I'll be ready for him."
Before Diaz and McGregor go at it for the second time in the main event, a warm-up act will take place earlier in the evening with one member of the 'Skrap Pack,' Diaz's team, and one member of SBG Ireland--McGregor's team--going at it lower down on the card.
Nate Diaz's training partner and longtime friend Chris Avila (5-2) will face Conor McGregor's SBG teammate Artem Lobov. Avila will be making his debut in the UFC, while Lobov has gone 0-2 in the organization since becoming a full-time member of the roster after his appearance during Season 22 of The Ultimate Fighter.
Speaking to FightMike MMA yesterday, Avila revealed that his training has been going well since he signed the bout agreement.
"Training has been going good ever since they let me know I would be fighting in the UFC," Avila said. "We got the camp going, got the whole eight-week camp, and we are just doing things the way that we always do. I've been doing a lot of training and a lot of travelling and stuff like that. I'm just ready to go now, I'm just ready to go to Vegas and get this 'W.'"
Avila then revealed how the fight came together in the first place, and he referred to the fact that Diaz had used his negotiating power to help his friend get his big opportunity.
"Nate told me, or one of the homies told me [about getting the fight]," Avila said. "They notified them and they got it all together through his deal, so he came at me and told me,'Hey, you got to get ready, because you are fighting on the same card as me.'
"We got to take what we can get right now, but we didn't want to really fight on the same card together. If that's what we got to do to get our foot in the door, then I'm going to fight his teammate, fight McGregor's teammate, on the same night as him."
Avila projected the same laidback coolness of his fellow teammates, but he also made it clear that he wasn't overlooking Lobov.
"He's going to be tough, I know he was on The Ultimate Fighter and stuff like that," Avila said. "I know he trains with McGegor and all that stuff like that so I've seen his fights and all that, but I'll be ready for him."