Diaz-Ferguson to headline UFC 279, Chimaev faces Holland after weigh-in fail
UFC 279 has suffered a shocking turn of events.
The Khamzat Chimaev-Nate Diaz bout set for Saturday in Las Vegas has been called off after Chimaev missed weight Friday.
Instead, Diaz and fellow welterweight Tony Ferguson will square off in Saturday's main event, UFC president Dana White announced Friday.
Chimaev came in 7.5 pounds overweight after tipping the scales at 178.5.
The No. 3-ranked welterweight will now fight Kevin Holland in the co-main event. Both bouts will have five rounds. Holland, who weighed in Friday morning at 179.5 pounds, was previously scheduled to face Daniel Rodriguez in a 180-pound catchweight fight.
Meanwhile, Rodriguez is set to take on Li Jingliang - Ferguson's original opponent - in a three-round bout. Rodriguez weighed in at 179 pounds Friday morning, while Li came in at 170.5 pounds.
UFC 279 got off to a rough start after multiple backstage altercations between fighters forced White to cancel Thursday's press conference. White said Chimaev and Holland started the fracas before it spilled over to Diaz's team.
Diaz has only one fight left on his current UFC contract.