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News, Blog and GuidesUFC 279 has been completely switched around after Chimaev missed weight, but the new match-ups are worth tuning in for. Here’s how to follow all the MMA action.
Gidget AlikpalaG_AlikpalaUpdate: Sep 9th, 2022 19:56 EDT
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MMA fighters were looking forward to a matchup on Saturday night in the T-Mobile Arena (Paradise, Nevada) between two of UFC’s most exciting and most popular fighters, undefeated Khamzat Chimaev of Sweden and Nate Diaz from California, with Tony Ferguson facing Li Jingliang at welterweight and Kevin Holland squaring off against Daniel Rodriguez at a catchweight of 180 pounds also at the top of the card.
However, things all changed when Chimaev sent the scales spinning a full 7.5 pounds over the limit of 171, weighing in officially at 178.5 pounds. Nate Diaz, who was already in no way keen for this fight, took one look at the Chimaev’s weight and said there was no way he was fighting. Notably Chimaev appeared to be entirely unbothered by being so overweight, merely shrugging his shoulders at the weight.
Chimaez was heavily favoured to win the bout, being a -1000 favorite over Diaz, with the American likely to head into retirement after Saturday night. The 37-year-old is on the last fight of his UFC contract.
Diaz is presumably delighted by the turn of events as he had earlier asked to be released from the UFC because he said he was not being given the fights that he wanted. He said that he didn’t want this upcoming fight, and that he views it as simply a way to give Chimaev more prestige.
Nate Diaz refuses to be the "fall guy" 🤬 #UFC279 📰 https://t.co/KFuBk1Iwum pic.twitter.com/1u1lqABTrb
— MMAFighting.com (@MMAFighting) September 6, 2022
UFC scambles to rejig card for Saturday night
Once the Khamzat Chimaev vs Nate Diaz fight was off, UFC organisers started talking to all six camps to see if there was a possibility of arranging three new fights. And they got there, meaning the top of the UFC 279 card looks as follows:
Nate Diaz will take on Tony Ferguson in a welterweight bout
