UFC

They've Stepped On The Scales In Las Vegas To Make It Official For Saturday's Pay Per View Event.

[Nate Diaz vs Conor McGregor](https://www.ufc.com/video/free-fight-nate-diaz-vs-conor-mcgregor-ufc-279-chimaev-diaz-vegas) [Nate Diaz vs Cowboy Cerrone](https://www.ufc.com/video/free-fight-nate-diaz-vs-donald-cowboy-cerrone-ufc-279-chimaev-diaz-vegas) [Khamzat Chimaev vs Li Jingliang](https://www.ufc.com/video/free-fight-khamzat-chimaev-vs-li-jingliang-ufc-279-chimaev-diaz-vegas) [Khamzat Chimaev vs Gilbert Burns](https://www.ufc.com/video/free-fight-khamzat-chimaev-vs-gilbert-burns-ufc-279-chimaev-diaz-vegas) [UFC 279: Chimaev vs Diaz](/event/ufc-279), Live From T-Mobile Arena In Las Vegas, Nevada. [ESPN+](https://plus.espn.com/ufc/ppv?ex_cid=DSS-OFF-UFC-INARTICLE-EN) PPV.

Diaz goes inward for what scares him most—and it's not facing Khamzat Chimaev in his final fight for UFC.

While 279 has its share of star power, it is by no means a contender for the deepest card of the year. People are going to see the best, so keep your eyes open.” That’s why I’m done with the promotion. Chimaev is the overwhelming odds favorite, but Diaz (20–13) has no issues being the underdog. That’s the plan. “I spent two years of my life fighting in Vegas. “I’m still going to fight, 100 percent,” Diaz says. With the exception of his last fight, where Gilbert Burns nearly knocked him out, Chimaev (11–0) has defeated opponents with relative ease. They can run, and they creep up on you.” But Diaz is human. “That was scary as f---. There is no opponent who frightens the MMA icon from Stockton, Calif.

Khamzat Chimaev missed weight by more than seven pounds on Friday, putting his welterweight bout with Nate Diaz in serious jeopardy ahead of UFC 279 on ...

Holland was 179.5 pounds and Rodriguez was 179 for their 180-pound catchweight bout. The news conference was ultimately canceled. Chimaev kicked Holland during the fight. Chimaev, 28, is one of the UFC's biggest rising stars and was a -1000 favorite, per Caesars Sportsbook. It's unclear what would happen contractually if Diaz, 37, does not fight Saturday. Diaz was 171 pounds.

Check out who the experts at CBS Sports are taking in the welterweight grudge match set to go down in Las Vegas.

Jingliang Jingliang vs. Aldana Cutelaba vs. Cutelaba Aldana vs. Chimaev has fought into the third round just once in his 11-fight pro career, but any disadvantages he may have compared to Diaz seem to end right there. Chimaev Chimaev vs. Rodriguez With such a massive main event on tap, the crew at CBS Sports went ahead with predictions and picks for the main card. Chimaev has bulldozed through his UFC opponents, with only former title contender Gilbert Burns managing to land more than a single strike on him.

Ahead of UFC 279 in Las Vegas on Saturday, ahead of a fight against Nate Diaz, Khazmat Chimaev came in weighing in at 178.5 pounds. I guess that wouldn't be too ...

except that’s a whopping 7.5 POUNDS over the welterweight limit. He was given one more hour to make weight, but I’m pretty sure it’s not humanly possible to shed 7.5 pounds in 60 minutes. Ahead of UFC 279 in Las Vegas on Saturday, ahead of a fight against Nate Diaz, Khazmat Chimaev came in weighing in at 178.5 pounds.

They've Stepped On The Scales In Las Vegas To Make It Official For Saturday's Pay Per View Event.

[Nate Diaz vs Conor McGregor](https://www.ufc.com/video/free-fight-nate-diaz-vs-conor-mcgregor-ufc-279-chimaev-diaz-vegas) [Nate Diaz vs Cowboy Cerrone](https://www.ufc.com/video/free-fight-nate-diaz-vs-donald-cowboy-cerrone-ufc-279-chimaev-diaz-vegas) [Khamzat Chimaev vs Li Jingliang](https://www.ufc.com/video/free-fight-khamzat-chimaev-vs-li-jingliang-ufc-279-chimaev-diaz-vegas) [Khamzat Chimaev vs Gilbert Burns](https://www.ufc.com/video/free-fight-khamzat-chimaev-vs-gilbert-burns-ufc-279-chimaev-diaz-vegas) [UFC 279: Diaz vs Ferguson](/event/ufc-279), Live From T-Mobile Arena In Las Vegas, Nevada. [ESPN+](https://plus.espn.com/ufc/ppv?ex_cid=DSS-OFF-UFC-INARTICLE-EN) PPV.

Chimaev (11-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC) dismissed a potential fight with Costa and the Brazilian accused “Borz” of only fighting smaller guys, referring to his last win ...

[The MacLife.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dglCeg3l8Dw) “Guys who you can beat and be a bully, but I’m not. He continued, “I have my business to do with Israel (Adesanya) and I will face him very soon. But Chimaev, you don’t need to call somebody to help you. Costa has one fight remaining on his UFC contract. “I know this guy don’t want this fight. [Paulo Costa](https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/tag/paulo-costa) doubts [Khamzat Chimaev](https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/tag/khamzat-chimaev) wants to fight him, mainly because of his size.

UFC 279 could be the final fight in the storied UFC career of fan-favorite Nate Diaz. Standing in front of him going out on a high is Khamzat Chimaev, ...

While it's possible this fight plays out with Collier grinding Barnett down to the decision, his range and cardio likely allow him to do whatever he wants while Barnett increasingly gasses out and becomes more and more open to a finish. Of the four women in this parlay, Aldana is the best finisher. As aggressive and often effective as he can be, Erosa tends to get hit just as much as he hits with a career 6.29 strikes landed per minute vs. He is, however, a sharp and effective striker who has the technique to work over Erosa in this fight. It's set up to be an interesting main event on top of a card loaded with intriguing fights from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday night, making it the kind of event that can draw plenty of interest from bettors. Standing in front of him going out on a high is Khamzat Chimaev, an absolute wrecking ball who has dominated the competition since making his UFC debut with two wins in a 10-day stretch in July 2020.

Swedish fighter Khamzat Chimaev missed the weight for Saturday's main event showdown with American Nate Diaz at UFC 279, throwing the card into further ...

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After Growing Up In The UFC, Macy Chiasson Feels Like Her UFC 279 Bout With Irene Aldana Is The Perfect Opportunity To Prove She's Ready To Compete WIth The ...

[Nate Diaz vs Conor McGregor](https://www.ufc.com/video/free-fight-nate-diaz-vs-conor-mcgregor-ufc-279-chimaev-diaz-vegas) [Nate Diaz vs Cowboy Cerrone](https://www.ufc.com/video/free-fight-nate-diaz-vs-donald-cowboy-cerrone-ufc-279-chimaev-diaz-vegas) [Khamzat Chimaev vs Li Jingliang](https://www.ufc.com/video/free-fight-khamzat-chimaev-vs-li-jingliang-ufc-279-chimaev-diaz-vegas) [Khamzat Chimaev vs Gilbert Burns](https://www.ufc.com/video/free-fight-khamzat-chimaev-vs-gilbert-burns-ufc-279-chimaev-diaz-vegas) [UFC 279: Diaz vs Ferguson](/event/ufc-279), Live From T-Mobile Arena In Las Vegas, Nevada. [Chimaev Isn't Here To Be A Normal Fighter](https://www.ufc.com/news/khamzat-chimaev-not-here-to-be-normal-fighter-ufc-279) While the big stage might tempt some fighters toward fighting outside of themselves in pursuit of a finish, Chiasson isn’t allowing that pressure to seep into her expectations. She takes those unlocked levels into her biggest test yet: a date with Irene Aldana at UFC 279: Chimaev vs Diaz. Editor Note: This article was published prior to the UFC 279: Diaz vs Ferguson event change. Most recently, Chiasson fought at featherweight for the second time in a row and earned a hard-fought split decision win over Norma Dumont. She’s in the thick of it in two divisions with plenty ahead of her, and that often clouds her view on what she has already accomplished. There’s maturing as a fighter within the UFC, and then there’s what Macy Chiasson is doing in her mixed martial arts career.

Nate Diaz remains in the top billing, where he will now face former interim lightweight champion Tony Ferguson. Li Jingliang and Daniel Rodriguez will meet in a ...

[actually got into it yesterday backstage](https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mma/2022/09/08/ufc-279-press-conference-canceled-backstage-issues/8028654001/). He made weight at 179.5 pounds for his previously-scheduled 180-pound contract weight bout against Rodriguez (16-2 MMA, 6-1 UFC). Holland (23-7 MMA, 10-4 UFC) was first to hit the scales Friday at official weigh-ins. -Irene Aldana vs. -Daniel Rodriguez vs. -Khamzat Chimaev vs. -Tony Ferguson vs. 11 UFC-ranked lightweight Ferguson (25-7 MMA, 15-5 UFC). Li Jingliang and Daniel Rodriguez will meet in a 180-pound contract weight bout to round out the changes to the main card. “It’s not by coincidence that we stack guys the same weight on the same card in case anything goes wrong, but yeah, it worked out. He most recently competed in April when he defeated Gilbert Burns. Getting these guys to agree to different fights can be a little tough sometimes, but we got ’em all done, they’re locked in.”

Nate Diaz will now face Tony Ferguson in the headline bout at UFC 279 after his original opponent, Khamzat Chimaev, missed weight by over seven pounds ...

[Kevin Holland](https://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/_/id/3943695/kevin-holland) in the UFC 279 co-headliner. Holland's original opponent was set to be [Daniel Rodriguez](https://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/_/id/4426312/daniel-rodriguez) in a 180-pound catchweight bout. [Nate Diaz](https://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/_/id/2335679/nate-diaz) now will face [Tony Ferguson](https://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/_/id/2560085/tony-ferguson) in the main event of the Saturday show at T-Mobile Arena. The UFC essentially booked this fight to get Chimaev a bout with a big star in Diaz in which he was expected to win. Chimaev kicked Holland during the backstage encounter. Diaz's original opponent, [Khamzat Chimaev](https://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/_/id/4684751/khamzat-chimaev), missed weight by 7.5 pounds Friday morning, coming in at 178.5 pounds for a 171-pound-limit bout. "It's going to happen now before Nate leaves the UFC. Ferguson weighed in at 170.5 pounds for that fight. Ferguson agreed to fight for five rounds against Diaz. Diaz had been scheduled for five rounds with Chimaev, but Ferguson vs. Chimaev's weight miss caused a chain reaction. We're locked in."

Khamzat Chimaev missing weight by 7.5 pounds on Friday caused a complete overhaul to Saturday's lineup.

Ironically, Diaz recently claimed that [UFC rejected his request for a fight](https://www.cbssports.com/mma/news/nate-diaz-pushes-ufc-dana-white-for-his-release-from-the-promotion-in-social-media-post/) against Ferguson. [feeding Diaz to Chimaev](https://www.cbssports.com/mma/news/nate-diaz-i-didnt-call-for-and-still-dont-want-to-fight-khamzat-chimaev-at-ufc-279/) on the veteran's way out of the promotion. Holland was originally scheduled for a 180-pound catchweight and was already in the ballpark of Chimaev's weight. Chimaev and Holland had repeatedly traded barbs in the months leading up to Saturday's event. Ferguson was originally scheduled to fight Li Jingliang, which has caused massive changes to the main card, set to take place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. "It's not by coincidence that we stack guys the same weight on the same card in case anything goes wrong, but yeah, it worked out.

LAS VEGAS -- Nate Diaz will take on fellow veteran welterweight Tony Ferguson at UFC 279 after Khamzat Chimaev badly missed weight for his main-event ...

Although Chimaev is facing hefty financial penalties for his mistake, he will stay on the card to face Holland in a 180-pound catchweight bout. The 37-year-old Diaz was a major betting underdog against Chimaev, one of the world's top welterweights, but his fight with Ferguson is expected to be much more competitive. Ferguson was scheduled to face Li Jingliang in the penultimate bout of UFC 279.

We're Back In The Fight Capital Of The World For Another Epic Evening. Let's Break It Down.

He landed on the wrong side of a stoppage last time out against Gabe Green, and aims to rebound from his first career loss with haste on Saturday. Since then, she’s split a pair of appearances in the 115-pound weight class and looks to recapture the form that produced good wins over Jasmine Jasudavicius, Jillian DeCoursey, and Hilarie Rose prior to her UFC call-up. The 25-year-old Martinez is a perfect 7-0 in her career with a wealth of kickboxing accolades to accompany her undefeated mixed martial arts record. And while it’s a tough test to say the least, Turkalj now has his foot in the door with the opportunity to kick it down at T-Mobile Arena. Almeida’s rookie campaign in the UFC began in February with a light heavyweight win over Danilo Marques, but got more intriguing when he ventured up to heavyweight and stormed through Parker Porter in May, extending his overall winning streak to 11 in the process. Five fights into his UFC tenure, Mongolia’s Alatangheili is 3-1-1 and coming off his most impressive performance to date — a first-round knockout win over Kevin Croom in April. But she missed weight for a featherweight assignment against Chiasson last time out and then dropped a split decision on fight night, leaving her in need of a rebound this weekend. A win for either man on the weekend has the potential to carry them into a date with a ranked opponent next time out. She’s 3-1 in her last four outings, including a first-round knockout of Ketlen Vieira, and once again feels on the precipice of submitting her name for title consideration. A fixture in the Top 15 for the last several years, “The Leech” rebounded from his one-sided encounter with Chimaev at UFC 267 by registering a second-round stoppage win over Muslim Salikhov in mid-July on Long Island. Since arriving, the 29-year-old “Trailblazer” has collected a pair of stoppage wins over veteran mainstays Alex Oliveira and Tim Means to rekindle thoughts that he’s a contender in the making. Undefeated in 11 professional starts and entering off a crucial unanimous decision win over Gilbert Burns in April, Chimaev now gets the opportunity to headline an event and potentially compete over five rounds for the first time.

Khamzat Chimaev is a rising talent in the UFC, but his latest misstep — missing weight — makes him a hard fighter to trust.

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Kevin Holland is scheduled Saturday to face Daniel Rodriguez in a 180-pound bout on the UFC 279 pay-per-view main card at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

I looked at the rankings on Tuesday, and I was f–king unranked at middleweight and unranked at welterweight. So I was sitting in the room one night, middle of the night, I woke up. [I’m] supposed to be going to sleep, got school the next morning, got work the next morning, but I was like, “Alright, cool. It was kind of confusing that I was once ranked at [185]. I have a decent buzz behind my name, and as long as I keep collecting dubs [wins], it’s kind of hard to turn that down. If I could f–king retire from fighting and be as good as that guy at coaching and be as good as my manager at managing, then I think I’d be doing a really good justice to the MMA community; more justice than I’m doing now, so that’d be awesome. That’s probably more likely what I’ll do, so I can have a consistent job base, and open up a couple of small businesses, coach a few fighters with the guys that I came up with in the game and then try to become just as good as James Krause. And then I looked up, and I was like, “Oh, f–k, I’m two weeks out from the fight.” And then I realized I needed to go start training. I just wanted to use a little bit of the popularity I have to help push him. I like helping other fighters get sponsors and stuff like that, so I don’t mind the whole management scene, so probably management and probably open up a gym one day. But I felt like Big Mouth was a real universal name. A: I just felt like Trailblazer wasn’t really like a rapping name.

Multiple last-minute changes were made to the UFC 279 pay-per-view event after Khamzat Chimaev missed weight Friday morning.

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Khamzat Chimaev's mouthing off, backstage brawling, and coming in underweight has UFC 279's main event in limbo.

The proposed changes to Saturday’s UFC card haven’t been announced by the company as of late Friday afternoon. That led to drastic changes being proposed to the card. Switching an entire card the day before fights is unprecedented as fight camps specialize for weeks on opponents’ tendencies and how to stop specific fighting styles like jiu-jitsu and kickboxing.

When White awakened on Friday, the main event was a welterweight bout between Nate Diaz and Khamzat Chimaev. Tony Ferguson was scheduled to meet Li Jingliang in ...

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The star welterweight's status for his upcoming clash with Nate Diaz is jeopardy heading into Saturday night.

Barring a change in Chimaev’s status, UFC is reportedly already preparing a backup plan and “working to finalize it, though it involves multiple parties agreeing to a change in circumstances,” The undefeated welterweight stepped on the scale for official weigh-ins Friday and weighed in at 178.5 pounds, 8.5 pounds over the contracted weight of 170 pounds. The main event for Saturday’s UFC 279 is in jeopardy after Khamzat Chimaev failed to make weight ahead of his anticipated clash with Nate Diaz.

Khamzat Chimaev dismissed questions about his issues on the scale before vowing to 'f*ck up' new opponent Kevin Holland at UFC 279.

I come here (to) f*ck everybody. “I don’t care, I want to smash everybody. Chimaev is one of [the three main card matchups](https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2022/09/ufc-279-news-khamzat-chimaev-out-kevin-holland-vs-nate-diaz) that were shaken up following Chimaev’s huge weight miss for what was supposed to be his main event bout against Nate Diaz. “They wear makeup for the HD cameras, and that’s as simple as it is.” Holland would beg to differ. Holland (23-7 MMA, 10-4 UFC) vs.

Khamzat Chimaev's coach explained what led to a backstage brawl prior to the scheduled UFC 279 press conference on Thursday: Andreas Michael said Chimaev ...

[Ariel Helwani](https://twitter.com/arielhelwani/status/1568293314775875591) of BT Sport followed up by reporting that Chimaev missing weight was due to a "medical issue," although further specifics were not available. While there would undoubtedly be interest in Chimaev vs. Andreas Michael said Chimaev was alone with Kevin Holland and his group backstage before Chimaev hit Holland with a "boot in the chest," and then Nate Diaz and his team got involved:

This guide covers how to watch UFC 279 Chimaev vs Diaz on iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, or any device on the web.

Keep in mind there’s [no longer support for the third-gen Apple TV](https://9to5mac.com/2020/05/08/ufc-fight-pass-app-no-longer-supports-the-third-generation-apple-tv/). However, Fight Pass only offers access to the early prelims, while Chimaev vs Diaz requires a [PPV purchase with ESPN+](http://bit.ly/3274n0b). [32% discount](http://bit.ly/3274n0b) ($99.98, reg. If you’re already an ESPN+ subscriber, the [fight costs $74.99](http://bit.ly/3274n0b). Read on for how to watch UFC 279 on iPhone, Mac, Apple TV, and the web. UFC main card fights are exclusive to

UFC 279 will now have Nate Diaz-Tony Ferguson on the card after Khamzat Chimaev weighed in 7 1/2 pounds over the limit.

Although Chimaev is facing hefty financial penalties for his mistake, he will stay on the card to face Holland in a 180-pound catchweight bout. Featherweight Hakeem Dawodu and Heavyweight Chris Barnett also missed weight for UFC 279, but will stay on the card in their original bouts. Ferguson was scheduled to face Li Jingliang in the penultimate bout of UFC 279.

The major changes comes just hours after Chimaev weighed in 7.5 pounds over the contracted weight for his headlining bout against Diaz.

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. 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. 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.

A day after the official press conference for UFC 279 was called off for the first time in history due to a skirmish backstage involving four fighters and ...

[Nate Diaz](https://hypebeast.com/tags/Nate-Diaz). [September 9, 2022] In lieu of the news, the UFC quickly set up whole new matchups, bumping [Tony Ferguson](https://hypebeast.com/tags/Tony-Ferguson) up to the main event against Diaz, and setting Chimaev up against fellow rising star Kevin Holland in a 180-pound catchweight bout over five rounds. [September 10, 2022] Last-minute switches to the main event matchups were made as one of the [UFC](https://hypebeast.com/tags/UFC)‘s brightest prospects, [ Khamzat Chimae](https://hypebeast.com/tags/Khamzat-Chimaev)v, missed weight by a shocking 7.5 pounds, tipping in at 178.5 pounds for the middleweight bout.

MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom breaks down the main card for UFC 279, which takes place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Gannett may earn revenue from Tipico for audience referrals to betting services. Ferguson, who is officially 3-2 against UFC-level southpaws, should find some early success as the more diverse attacker and aggressive starter. Tipico has no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. UFC fighters Khamzat Chimaev left, and Kevin Holland exchange words during a ceremonial weigh-in for the UFC 279 mixed martial arts event Friday, Sept. [Khamzat Chimaev](https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/tag/khamzat-chimaev) and [Kevin Holland](https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/tag/kevin-holland). Aside from being a superior striker in boxing range, Aldana has underrated counter grappling and clinching that could come to light in this fight. See Tipico.com for Terms and Conditions. UFC president Dana White keeps the fighters separated. Both men are action fighters at heart, but Walker has become overly conservative while Cutelaba’s wildness can still cost him at times. [Nate Diaz](https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/tag/nate-diaz) and [Tony Ferguson](https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/tag/tony-ferguson) makes much more sense from a matchmaking perspective. [Ion Cutelaba](https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/tag/ion-cutelaba) and [Johnny Walker](https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/tag/johnny-walker). [Irene Aldana](https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/tag/irene-aldana) meets [Macy Chiasson](https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/tag/macy-chiasson) on the main card.

This PPV offers many chances to place a wager, including the top moneyline, prop and parlay choices.

Of the four women in this parlay, Aldana is the best finisher. While it's possible this fight plays out with Collier grinding Barnett down to the decision, his range and cardio likely allow him to do whatever he wants while Barnett increasingly gasses out and becomes more and more open to a finish. He is, however, a sharp and effective striker who has the technique to work over Erosa in this fight. As aggressive and often effective as he can be, Erosa tends to get hit just as much as he hits with a career 6.29 strikes landed per minute vs. It's set up to be an interesting main event on top of a card loaded with intriguing fights from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday night, making it the kind of event that can draw plenty of interest from bettors. And opening the festivities is a light heavyweight showdown between flashy strikers Ion Cutelaba and Johnny Walker.

Check out a complete list of UFC pay-per-view and Fight Night events scheduled for 2022.

Main event Event Take a look below at the current UFC event schedule for 2022. Nate Diaz, expected to be fighting out his contract on Saturday, was set to face rising contender Khamzat Chimaev in the main event of UFC 279. Can't get enough boxing and MMA? The second half of 2022 is heating up in a big way for UFC.

Veteran Fan-Favorite Makes His Welterweight Debut Saturday At UFC 279.

[Hakeem Dawodu's Journey To The Top Starts Now](https://www.ufc.com/news/hakeem-dawodus-journey-top-starts-now-featherweight-ufc-279-chimaev-diaz) [Irene Aldana Sees The Path To The Title](https://www.ufc.com/news/irene-aldana-sees-the-path-to-the-title-bantamweight-ufc-279-chimaev-diaz) [UFC 279: Chimaev vs Diaz](/event/ufc-279), Live From T-Mobile Arena In Las Vegas, Nevada. The only drive for Ferguson is his desire to reassert himself as one of the scariest propositions in the UFC. “I’ve been putting in the f***ing effort and the work, and I feel like I’m getting better every time. [Chimaev Isn't Here To Be A Normal Fighter](https://www.ufc.com/news/khamzat-chimaev-not-here-to-be-normal-fighter-ufc-279) A bad weight cut can leave your body completely drained on fight night, lacking the energy to perform optimally. [Reasons To Watch UFC 279](https://www.ufc.com/news/reasons-to-watch-ufc-279-chimaev-vs-diaz-las-vegas-ferguson-holland-turkalj) When it comes down to it, I’ve seen so many changes in this sport…being a part of all this is amazing.” Despite it being only four months since that knockout loss to Chandler, when offered UFC 279 opponent Li Jingliang, Ferguson took the opportunity straight away. At UFC 279: Chimaev vs Diaz, Ferguson will be competing at 170 pounds for this first time in 11 years. So, maybe you think Ferguson would be on the same path, especially after suffering his first KO defeat to Chandler.

The two fought each other twice in their UFC careers, with both fighters winning one bout.

The event will finally end his contractual obligations to UFC. “Congrats Nate Diaz on making it to the end of his contractual obligations with the UFC, and as a bonafide superstar goer,” he wrote. McGregor and Diaz split the first two fights against each other, both in 2016, but a deciding third fight hasn’t come to fruition like it once felt like it would. It’s like, when we match up, we’re going to match up. It’s for sure going to happen at some point… [Diaz will fight Tony Ferguson](https://www.si.com/mma/2022/09/09/dana-white-announces-nate-diaz-tony-ferguson-will-headline-ufc-279) on Saturday night after his original opponent, the undefeated Khamzat Chimaev, [failed to make weight](https://www.si.com/mma/2022/09/09/khamzat-chimaev-misses-weight-ufc-279-main-event-nate-diaz).