Diaz and Ferguson are two of the most beloved fighters of the last decade
• 3 min read
A brand new fight card is upon us 24 hours before UFC 279 is set to begin. The promotion is back in Las Vegas with Saturday’s event set for the T-Mobile Arena, but everything that was slated for the top of the card changed after weigh-ins on Friday.
Khamzat Chimaev was set to take on Nate Diaz in the main event, but Chimaev missed weight by 7.5 pounds for their welterweight tilt. Tons of negotiating and waiting eventually led to a new bout atop the card with Diaz taking on fellow veteran Tony Ferguson.
“Nate Diaz and Tony, the fans have wanted to see this one forever,” UFC president Dana White said after the reshuffle. “It’s going to happen now before Nate leaves the UFC. It couldn’t have played out any better.”
Ferguson was originally expected to face Li Jingliang in the co-main event at welterweight, but got the call to move on and face his fellow veteran lightweight. Jingliang will also remain on the card and take on Daniel Rodriguez at a catchweight of 180 pounds.
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Rodriguez was expected to face Kevin Holland, but now Holland will take on Chimaev at a catchweight of 180 pounds as well. That fight will serve as the co-main event and is scheduled for five rounds.
“It’s not by coincidence that we stack guys in the same weight on the same card in case something goes wrong. It worked out,” White said. “Getting these guys to agree to different fights can be a little tough sometimes. We got it all done. We’re locked in.”
The undercard rounds out with another catchweight bout, this one on the women’s side when Irene Aldana and Macy Chiasson meet at 140 pounds. The bout was originally scheduled to take place at the bantamweight limit of 135 pounds, but Chiasson’s team asked for the extra allowance before weigh ins. And opening the festivities is a light heavyweight showdown between flashy strikers Ion Cutelaba and Johnny Walker.
Below is the complete fight card for UFC 279 along with the latest odds from Caesars Sportsbook. Check back all week long for the latest news, features and other content around this massive event.
UFC 279 fight card, odds
- Tony Ferguson -130 vs. Nate Diaz +110 , welterweights
- Khamzat Chimaev -420 vs. Kevin Holland +330, 180-pound catchweights
- Daniel Rodriguez -160 vs. Li Jingliang +135, 180-pound catchweights
- Irene Aldana -175 vs. Macy Chiasson +150, 140-pound catchweights
- Ion Cutelaba -220 vs. Johnny Walker +180, light heavyweights
- Hakeem Dawodu -230 vs. Julian Erosa +190, featherweights
- Jailton Almeida -700 vs. Anton Turkalj +500, light heavyweights
- Jamie Pickett -135 vs. Denis Tiuliulin +115, middleweights
- Jake Collier -440 vs. Chris Barnett +340, heavyweights
- Norma Dumont -420 vs. Danyelle Wolf +330, women’s featherweights
- Alatengheili -165 vs. Chad Anheliger +140, bantamweights
- Melissa Martinez -170 vs. Elise Reed +145, women’s strawweights
- Darian Weeks -125 vs. Yohan Lainesse +105, welterweights
UFC 279 info
- Date: Sept. 10
- Location: T-Mobile Arena — Las Vegas
- Start time: 10 p.m. ET (Main card)
- How to watch: ESPN+ PPV
UFC 279 countdown
- Staff predictions and expert picks for the main card
- Diaz vs. Ferguson set as new main event amid massive reshuffle
- Chimaev misses weight by 7.5 pounds, fight with Diaz off
- Chaos erupts backstage, White cancels press conference
- Brookhouse: Three best bets to consider on the card
- Mahjouri: Three fights to watch beyond the main event
- Diaz: ‘I didn’t call for and still don’t want‘ to fight Chimaev
- Campbell: Five biggest storylines to watch in Las Vegas
Who wins Diaz vs. Ferguson? And how exactly does each fight end? Visit SportsLine now to get detailed picks on every fight at UFC 279, all from the incomparable expert who’s up more than $13,000 on MMA in the past three years, and find out.
