UFC 279 looks totally different than it did 48 hours ago.
In MMA, seasoned followers have learned to expect the unexpected. Yet still, surprises come, as was the case Friday during weigh-ins when Khamzat Chimaez showed up nearly eight pounds over the welterweight limit.
The weigh-in issue resulted in a shuffle of matchups, including a new main event of Nate Diaz vs. Tony Ferguson – five rounds. The co-main event is now a grudge match between Chimaev and Kevin Holland – five rounds. Additionally, a bout between Li Jingliang and Daniel Rodriguez at a 180-pound contract weight serves as the featured bout.
Dana White announced the news on Instagram Live one hour before ceremonial faceoffs.
UFC 279 takes place Saturday at T-Mobile with the main card on ESPN+ pay-per-view after prelims on ESPNNews and ESPN+.
Scroll below to see what the MMA community had to say about the unusual UFC 279 main card opponent shuffle.
Dana White
Going live at 6pmET/3pmET #UFC279 pic.twitter.com/sWeEysvbZW
— danawhite (@danawhite) September 9, 2022
Luke Thomas
Are they waiting for tennis to be over before making this #UFC279 announcement?
— Luke Thomas (@lthomasnews) September 9, 2022
Matthew Wells
They're live on IG, y'all. #UFC279
— Matthew Wells (@MrMWells) September 9, 2022
Mike Bohn
Dana White announces on SportsCenter for #UFC279
Nate Diaz vs. Tony Ferguson
Khamzat Chimaev vs. Kevin Holland
Li Jingliang vs. Daniel Rodriguez— Mike Bohn (@MikeBohn) September 9, 2022
Nolan King
Both Nate Diaz vs. Tony Ferguson and Khamzat Chimaev vs. Kevin Holland will be five rounds, per Dana White. #UFC279
— Nolan King (@mma_kings) September 9, 2022
Dana White's announcement
Jeff Molina
Fight game is wild 🤯 https://t.co/tWAM1P1ksY
— Jeff Molina (@jmolina_125) September 9, 2022
Belal Muhammad
Let’s gooo we got a fight card!! Big respect to all the fighters willing to shuffle up the opponents…. fighters fight!!!
— Belal Muhammad (@bullyb170) September 9, 2022
Johnny Munoz
Better fight card honestly #UFC279
— Johnny Muñoz (@KidKvenbo) September 9, 2022
Jon Anik
Per Dana White on Sportscenter, it is UFC 279: Diaz v. Ferguson. :) #UFC279
— Jon Anik (@Jon_Anik) September 9, 2022
Cody Brundage
Maybe khazmat is just a big advocate for fighter pay because he got everyone a raise 😂 😂
— Cody Brundage (@CodyBrundage185) September 9, 2022
Billy Quarantillo
Did #UFC279 just get better or worse??!
— Billy Quarantillo (@BillyQMMA) September 9, 2022
Marcelo Rojo
Buenísimo como la arreglaron 💯 voy con nate , d rod, y espero que Kevin holland le hablé y se le meta en la cabeza a khamZat por 5 rounds
— Pitbull 🇦🇷 Rojo (@pitbull_rojo) September 9, 2022
Joe Solecki
This is poetic justice…. I think I’m using that right? Good for Diaz and good for Ferguson and in my opinion, significantly more intriguing than the original main event. https://t.co/ws6hNGaqGX
— Joe Solecki (@JoeSolecki) September 9, 2022
Derek Brunson
Nate Diaz vs T Ferg & Chimaev vs. Holland . Both 5 rounders . This got weirdly good , real fast ! 🔥🔥🔥 #UFC279
— Derek Brunson (@DerekBrunson) September 9, 2022
Daniel Cormier
Card may be better, that is why the @ufc is the best fight company in the game. In hours not only is the card better but matchups are real even! Gonna be a fun night! #UFC279 pic.twitter.com/7Rw1Dq9Yd0
— Daniel Cormier (@dc_mma) September 9, 2022
Josh Thomson
I always knew it wasn’t @darrentill2 fault. It was the people he was hanging out with. 🤣 pic.twitter.com/uuYZKzWTfg
— Josh Thomson (@THEREALPUNK) September 9, 2022
Megan Olivi
What a day it has been .. #UFC279
Nate Diaz v Tony Ferguson
Khamzat Chimaev v Kevin Holland
Li Jingliang v Daniel Rodriguez
.. lookin forward to these faceoffs!— Megan Olivi (@MeganOlivi) September 9, 2022
Li Jingliang
Still awaiting word on Li Jingliang’s blue custom suit and how it factors in. #UFC279
— Brendan Fitzgerald (@BrendanFitzTV) September 9, 2022
Brett Okamoto
Per Nate Diaz’s reps, still the final fight of his deal. Five round main against Tony Ferguson.
— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) September 9, 2022
Dan Ige
Fighters fight #UFC279
— Dan Ige (@Dynamitedan808) September 9, 2022
Lerone Murphy
The record number of catch weights 😅 this is wild. Some very interesting match ups here 👀 https://t.co/CoHAF06c4Z
— LERONE MURPHY (@LeroneMurphy) September 9, 2022
Matt Frevola
— Matt “The Steamrolla”Frevola (@SteamRollaa) September 9, 2022
Manager Tim Simpson
On Li Jingliang from his manager Tim Simpson. pic.twitter.com/fPWHgx9GSG
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) September 9, 2022
"Big" John McCarthy
Mike Davis
Kelvin Gastelum
Aiemann Zahabi
Paulo Costa
Kai Kamaka III
Like anything, Mma can be so double standard. There can be a miss weight and not much will happen from it, maybe there is, but you also can miss weight being a big name and things can still workout 🥶. Hard to find the words for the tweet, hope it makes sense
— Kai Kamaka III (@kaiboikamaka) September 9, 2022
Dan Tom
I definitely have some thoughts on these new #UFC279 matchups and will be going live on my YouTube channel post ceremonial weigh-ins to talk about new picks and potential plays (possibly with a special guest)…
Stay up to date by subscribing here: https://t.co/EaV8P7vutv pic.twitter.com/WCiPY2Exht
— Dan Tom (@DanTomMMA) September 9, 2022
Charles Johnson
This aged well @joerogan 😂😂 https://t.co/FumLjKPM3D
— Charles "InnerG" Johnson (@InnerGmma) September 9, 2022
Darren Till
Nate gets the fight he deserves…
Khamzat gets to smesh Holland…
& Li & D.Rod will actually be a sick fight, plus Li fighting a guy 10 pounds heavier than him.
What a G!!— D (@darrentill2) September 9, 2022
Michael Chiesa
I agree 100%. Leech is the man. https://t.co/ZetR3EEa3a
— Michael Chiesa (@MikeMav22) September 9, 2022
Ben Askren
Diaz knocks out Ferg in 4th round! https://t.co/eYGpIf9Egs
— Funky (@Benaskren) September 9, 2022
Kevin Iole
For those asking, Khamzat wasn’t fined for missing weight. He’s in a new bout at a catchweight and he made that weight. So fines for Dawodu and Barnett because they missed weight and are fighting same opponent. Khamzat is fighting a 180-pound catchweight, so no fine. #UFC279
— Kevin Iole (@KevinI) September 9, 2022
Ben Fowlkes
Fight sports are, quite frankly, insane. Even more so when we go through all this bullshit about matchmaking and bout agreements and promo and then the day before the fight it’s like, eh but what if we just put all of you in a jar and shake it up? We must love chaos or something.
— Ben Fowlkes (@benfowlkesMMA) September 9, 2022
Phil Baroni
Its a work. Easy cut. Maybe to change odds @MMAOdds easy cut. I can cut 8 to 10 in an hour. https://t.co/mAC28jdXyc
— phil baroni (@philbaroni) September 9, 2022
David Michaud
I think there should be a promotion that has like 12 guys in one weight all scheduled to fight but they don't know who their opponent will be. They make weight then draw names to see who gets matched up. Then we see who is really a fighter, who can fight whoever without prep
— David Michaud (@bulldawg_170) September 9, 2022
Fabio Cherant
279 is honestly better now
— Fabio Cherant (@Buffalomma8) September 9, 2022
Will Harris
I wonder if the media and fans are going to go light on Khamzat missing weight by 7 pounds and still say he needs to fight for the title next. He did say he wanted the winner of Izzy vs Alex… #UFC279
— Anatomy of a Fighter (@WillHarrisAOAF) September 9, 2022
Alexander Volkanovski
I don’t want to reward all the shit that went down…but these fights just got way better!! #UFC279
— Alex Volkanovski (@alexvolkanovski) September 9, 2022
Jalin Turner
909 & 209 🫡 pic.twitter.com/JfsGiEb6mv
— Jalin Turner (@JalinTurner) September 9, 2022
Kevin Holland
Big Mouth @Trailblaze2Top can’t wait to meet face-to-face with @KChimaev 👀 #UFC279 pic.twitter.com/ma2DIi30yu
— UFC (@ufc) September 9, 2022
Chad Dundas
A better card than we started with. Yet again the UFC slips on a banana peel, lands with one foot in a roller-skate, slides across the room, flips out an open window and plummets six stories before landing safely on a big pile of money. I hope all the fighters got PAID. https://t.co/yelGgmhZL3
— Chad Dundas (@chaddundas) September 9, 2022
Matt Brown and MacMally
Haha this is perfect https://t.co/XTWlcALzNe
— Matt Brown (@IamTheImmortal) September 9, 2022
Danny Segura
I have to admit, there's a sense of relief with this whole mess. Felt a bit uneasy with Nate Diaz facing Khamzat, and Tony Ferguson vs. "The Leech." Tough fights for them.
Diaz vs. Ferguson was the move all along. And it came together under the wildest circumstances. #UFC279
— Danny Segura (@dannyseguratv) September 9, 2022
Simon Samano
No doubt it took a lot of work behind the scenes, but it’s amazing how the UFC fell into a better pay-per-view lineup — and also Nate Diaz gets the type of send-off fight he deserves. LFG! #UFC279 https://t.co/G9fsCscFEb
— Simon Samano (@SJSamano) September 9, 2022
Ariel Helwani
Caposa
They actually did the right thing. Thank fucking god
— caposa (@Grabaka_Hitman) September 9, 2022
Daniel Rodriguez
Ode Osbourne
This is why the #UFC is one of the most exciting organizations in the world.
Are you not entertained?!?
•
NEW PICKS ‼️
•#Diaz #khamzatchimaev
•@UFC#entertainment #UFC279 #MMANews pic.twitter.com/c6OoxC0MQG— Ode' ⭕️sbourne 🇯🇲 (@OdeOsbourne) September 9, 2022
Ricky Simon
I like these match ups more than the originals 😂 https://t.co/DW5HFCHhSC
— Ricky Simón (@RickySimonUFC) September 10, 2022
Angela Hill
How am I more hype for this than before?! https://t.co/WcGNVcQBrj
— Angela Hill (@AngieOverkill) September 9, 2022
Charles Oliveira
Tell me your picks…#UFC279 https://t.co/XPqViSf6iL
— Charles 'DoBronxs' Oliveira (@CharlesDoBronxs) September 9, 2022
Travis Barker
Fight week is always entertaining when my brother @NateDiaz209 is fighting
— Travis Barker (@travisbarker) September 10, 2022
Uros Medic
Genius Marketing and adaptability.. no wonder this company has taken over the world. For all the sports fans out there, do yourself a favor and add:
“See at least one UFC event live” to your bucket lists folks,
you can thank me later #ufc279— Uroš Medić (@urketaraketa) September 10, 2022
Randy Costa
Do you think Khamzat’s stock dropped at all after everything that’s happened?
Cancelled press conference, completely botched weight cut, etc— Randy Costa (@RandyCosta135) September 10, 2022
Al Iaquinta
Nate and Tony last of the real…
Barstool fat rainbow hair nonsense overweight good riddance after this— Al Iaquinta🗽 (@ALIAQUINTA) September 10, 2022
Aleksandar Rakic
Went for a little sleep here.
Have all my boys agreed to play with each other? 🤔@ufc#UFC279#matchmaker— Aleksandar Rakic (@rakic_ufc) September 10, 2022
Adrian Yanez (via @joeyfights)
I don’t think I ate or blinked much today covering all the #UFC279 drama… 😅😂
Current Mood — @yanezmma: pic.twitter.com/lQuoDzDgfM
— J. Torres (@joeyfights) September 10, 2022
Manager Oren Hodak
Bags on bags 💰 for this man @Trailblaze2top
Man knows his worth and #UFC came to play. The deal is now actually official. #ufc279 #callbigmouth pic.twitter.com/p9so7kRFfG— KOreps (@ko_reps) September 10, 2022
Mike Jackson
So, no embedded? #UFC279
— Mike Jackson, Esq. (@TheTruthJackson) September 10, 2022
