The major changes comes just hours after Chimaev weighed in 7.5 pounds over the contracted weight for his headlining bout against Diaz.
Hours after Khamzat Chimaev failed to make weight at Friday’s official weigh-ins, UFC president Dana White has announced a major shakeup to the main card of UFC 279.
White announced on Instagram that the new main event for Saturday’s event in Las Vegas will now feature a welterweight bout between Nate Diaz and Tony Ferguson after Chimaev, Diaz’s original opponent, weighed in at 178.5 pounds, 7.5 pounds over the contracted weight of 170 pounds. The fight is still expected to be the 37-year-old Diaz’s last with the company.
Diaz (21–13, 15–11 UFC) and Ferguson (25–7) will compete in a five-round 170-pound bout after weighing in at 171 and 170.5 pounds, respectively.
White also announced Chimaev (11–0, 5–0 UFC) will now move up to face Kevin Holland (23–7), who weighed in at 179.5 pounds, in a five-round catchweight bout in the co-main event. Additionally, the shakeup created a new match between Holland and Ferguson’s previously scheduled opponents as Daniel Rodriguez (16–2, 179 pounds) and Li Jinglian (19–7, 170.5 pounds) will square off in a three-round 180-pound catchweight bout.
Friday’s major announcement came after Chimaev plunged Saturday’s main event into a sea of uncertainty after failing to make weight earlier in the day. His surprising weigh-in came only moments after Diaz weighed in at 171 pounds, the maximum limit for both fighters given the extra pound UFC allows for non-title fights.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding his status going into the bout, Chimaev, 28, appeared to not be too concerned about tipping the scale, as evidenced by the shrug he gave to reporters before smirking and saying, “That’s not bad.” As it turns out, the rising star will now miss out on the chance to compete in his first-ever UFC headliner.
UFC 279 is scheduled to take place Sept. 10 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, with the main card streaming live on ESPN+ pay-per-view beginning at 10 p.m. ET.
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