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UFC 279: Khamzat Chimaev vs Kevin Holland, Nate Diaz vs Tony Ferguson: how to watch online and on TV this weekend

UFC 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.

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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.

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

Khamzat Chimaev fights Kevin Holland at a catchweight of 180 pounds

Li Jingliang goes toe-to-toe with Daniel Rodriguez

How to watch UFC 279. Nate Diaz vs Tony Ferguson and Khamzat Chimaev vs Kevin Holland

  • Date: Saturday, Sept. 10, 2022
  • Time: PPV main card 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT
  • Main event cage walk: 1 a.m. ET / 10 p.m. PT (approximately)
  • Venue: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada
  • TV and live stream: ESPN+ PPV

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UFC 279 Nate Diaz vs Tony Ferguson and Khamzat Chimaev vs Kevin Holland

Main card

FIGHTERSDIVISION
Nate Diaz vs Tony FergusonWelterweight
Khamzat Chimaev vs Kevin Holland (co-main) vs. Tony FergusonCatchweight 180lb
Li Jingliang vs. Daniel RodriguezCatchweight 180 lb
Irene Aldana vs. Macy ChiassonWomen’s bantamweight
Johnny Walker vs. Ion CutelabaLight heavyweight

Prelims

FIGHTERSDIVISION
Hakeem Dawodu vs. Julian ErosaFeatherweight
Denis Tiuliulin vs. Jamie PickettMiddleweight
Jake Collier vs. Chris BarnettHeavyweight

Early prelims

FIGHTERSDIVISION
Norma Dumont vs. Danyelle WolfWomen’s featherweight
Chad Anheliger vs. Alateng HeiliBantamweight
Melissa Martinez vs. Elise ReedWomen’s strawweight
Darian Weeks vs. Yohan LainesseWelterweight

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