UFC 279 LIVE: Diaz vs Ferguson and Chimaev vs Holland fight results tonight
Re-live updates from a drastically-reworked fight card at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena
Nate Diaz exited the UFC with a submission victory on Saturday, beating fellow fan favourite Tony Ferguson in the final fight of his UFC contract.
Diaz had been scheduled to take on the UFC’s fastest-rising star, Khamzat Chimaev, in the main event of UFC 279, but Chimaev weighed in seven-and-a-half pounds over the welterweight limit, causing the card to be drastically reworked. American Diaz ultimately took on compatriot Ferguson, who was originally due to face Li Jingliang. The Chinaman instead fought Daniel Rodriguez, whose original opponent Kevin Holland went up against Chimaev.
Diaz and Chimaev both emerged as submission winners from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, with 37-year-old Diaz forcing Ferguson, 38, to tap out to a guillotine choke in the fourth round, after Chimaev had submitted Holland with a D’Arce choke in the co-main event. “I outdid everybody on pay, I outdid everybody on surviving,” Diaz reflected on his UFC career in his post-fight interview. “I wanna get out [of] the UFC for a minute and show all these other fighters how to own up another sport. Then I’m gonna be right back here to get a motherf*****g UFC title.” Re-live updates from UFC 279 below.
UFC 279 LIVE
Next up is the main even! Nate Diaz vs Tony Ferguson at welterweight, five rounds scheduled.
UFC 279 LIVE
“I’m the most dangerous guy here, I’m coming for everyone,” Chimaev says.
“I don’t care about that s***,” he says about his failed weight-cut. “Doctors stopped me; I didn’t come to die in my bed, I came to die in the cage.”
UFC 279 LIVE
Khamzat Chimaev def. Kevin Holland via first-round submission (D’Arce choke, 2:13).
UFC 279 LIVE
Holland taps!!! Chimaev wins via first-round submission!!!
UFC 279 LIVE
Chimaev vs Holland – Round 1
The fighters touch gloves. Immediately Chimaev secures a takedown!
Holland scrambles well to ensure that Chimaev doesn’t take his back, but Chimaev at once gets another takedown.
Holland closes guard, and Chimaev looks to get off strikes, as the crowd chants “USA”.
Holland stands against the fence! He’s dragged down again, and Chimaev tries for a D’Arce choke.
Holland tries to roll away... He’s a jiu-jitsu black belt, but Chimaev is a phenomenal grappler.
UFC 279 LIVE
Thursday’s series of backstage incidents seemed to start with Chimaev kicking Holland.
UFC 279 LIVE
Holland, 29, is looking for a third straight win to improve his 23-7 (1 No Contest) pro record.
He had a terrific 2020, fighting five times and winning all of those bouts via finish, but in 2021 he lost two of his three outings before the final one was declared a No Contest.
He is 2-0 in 2022, however, with two finishes.
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