Previous thread on the subject
Nates has 3 first round KOs in the UFC (Sell fight may have been stopped too soon). He is in his thirties so they may feel he will have more composure in a championship fight then some of the younger fighters from the show. He trains with Team Quest, so he will be able to go pretty deep with 5 five minute rounds (If he can avoid Rich). And Rich said it himself that he only had 3-4 fights before his title shot.
My thoughts are he doesn't deserve the shot so soon, but but there are not many choices at this moment, and Rich needs a fight. He is good enough to keep Rich honest, but thats it. He will get caught at some point, in the fourth is my prediction.
Now if Nate trains with Kenny Florian, we would have a new champ by elbow from fetal position.
