Here’s everything you need to know about the UFC 279s fight card, including Khamzat Chimaev vs. MMA legend Nate Diaz and Tony Ferguson vs. Lee Singliang. Dana White sees a positive to retooling the UFC 279s card, with Nate Diaz facing Tony Ferguson, Kevin Holland facing off against Khamzat Chimaev, and Li Jingliang facing Daniel Rodriguez.
In addition to Nate Diaz vs. Tony Ferguson, UFC President Dana White announced Khamzat Chimaev would now face Kevin Holland at a catchweight of 180 pounds, while Li Jingliang would face Daniel Rodriguez (originally scheduled to face Holland) at also catchweight of 180.
UFC President Dana White announced late Friday that Nate Diaz will now take on Tony Ferguson in the main event, which is also scheduled to go five rounds. Nate Diaz is in the final fight of his contract with the UFC 279 organization and has indicated it will be his final bout with the promotion, at least for the time being.
After Khamzat Chimaev missed weight for his upcoming bout against Nate Diaz at UFC 279, UFC had to scramble to get things back on track. The UFC had booked the fight, in essence, to give Khamzat Chimaev a bout against a bigger star, Nate Diaz, that he was expected to win. He got into a verbal scuffle with middleweight Paulo Costa at UFC Performance Institute Wednesday, and Thursday, before UFC 279s press conference, got into an exchange with Kevin Holland.
If Kamaru Usman wins a fight in the middleweight division, I think it is going to be long coming back, and he may even retire. Khamzat Chimaev is top three, he gotta just wait, but I am taking the Nate Diaz fight, Nate Diaz is not ranked, but he is popular, everybody loves him, everybody talks about that gangster, shit. A welterweight fight between Khamzat Chimaev and former Lightweight Title challenger (and The Ultimate Fighter 5 Lightweight Champion) Nate Diaz was initially expected to headline the event.
A new main event featuring Diaz versus The Ultimate Fighter 13 winner and former interim UFC lightweight champion Tony Ferguson, originally scheduled to fight Li Jingliang in a welterweight match, was later scheduled. Tony Ferguson was originally scheduled to face Li Jingliang, causing major changes to the main card, set for the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Tony Ferguson also makes his debut in the 170-pound weight class as he faces Li Jingliang in a co-main event. Additionally, Khamzat Chimaev is instead facing Kevin Holland, who was scheduled to take on Daniel Rodriguez, Daniel Rodriguez, in a five-round fight at a 180-pound catchweight.