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
Li vs Rodriguez – Round 2
Lots of feinting from Li, who then times a right cross well. He throws a right overhand that appears to connect.
A hard low kick then a front kick to the body by Li, who is just out of range as Rodriguez looks to establish his jab.
UFC 279 LIVE
Li vs Rodriguez – Round 1
Li catches a kick then evades a spinning back fist attempt. He kicks low now.
Li is staying nice and relaxed, but he won’t be for much longer! He’s too casual with a kick, and Rodriguez counters with a clean one-two – a left then right hook!
Li regains composure and trips Rodriguez with a low kick late in the round.
UFC 279 LIVE
Li vs Rodriguez – Round 1
Rodriguez catches Li with a couple of left hooks. He’s noticably the bigger man.
Rodriguez kicks to the body now, before Li responds in kind. Lots of forward pressure from Rodriguez.
UFC 279 LIVE
Khamzat Chimaev misses weight for Nate Diaz fight at UFC 279 then jokes on Twitter
UFC 279 LIVE
Let’s try to be as clear as possible... UFC 279 was supposed to end with these three fights:
Nate Diaz vs Khamzat Chimaev (welterweight); Tony Ferguson vs Li Jingliang (welterweight); and Kevin Holland vs Daniel Rodriguez (catchweight).
Instead, UFC 279 will end with these three fights:
Diaz vs Ferguson (welterweight); Chimaev vs Holland (catchweight); and Li vs Daniel (catchweight).
That’s all because Chimaev missed weight.
UFC 279 LIVE
Next up: Li Jingliang faces Daniel Rodriguez in a catchweight fight.
“The Leech” Li was due to fight Tony Ferguson at welterweight, but Ferguson is now taking on Nate Diaz in the main event following Khamzat Chimaev’s failed weight-cut.
As such, Ferguson’s original opponent Li fights Rodriguez, who was due to face Kevin Holland.
Holland instead faces Chimaev.
Makes sense?
UFC 279 LIVE
Aldana vs Chiasson – Round 3
Oh, it’s all over! Aldana with a remarkable finish!!
She’s on the mat but catches Chiasson with an up-kick to the body, her heel landing to Chiasson’s liver!
Chiasson collapses, and there’s some confusion until the result is announced! What a unique ending to the fight.
Irene Aldana def. Macy Chiasson via third-round TKO (up-kick, 2:21).
UFC 279 LIVE
Aldana vs Chiasson – Round 2
More elbows from Chiasson! What a turnaround from her. She tries for a rear naked choke then an arm-triangle, but neither is quite there for her.
Still, a great round for her. The women are surely tied heading into the final frame.
UFC 279 LIVE
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