Hours after Khamzat Chimaev failed to make weight at Friday’s official weigh-ins, UFC president Dana White has announced a major shakeup to the main card of UFC 279.
White announced on Instagram that the new main event for Saturday’s event in Las Vegas will now feature a welterweight bout between Nate Diaz and Tony Ferguson after Chimaev, Diaz’s original opponent, weighed in at 178.5 pounds, 7.5 pounds over the contracted weight of 170 pounds. Diaz (21–13, 15–11 UFC) and Ferguson (25–7) will compete in a five-round 170-pound bout after weighing in at 171 and 170.5 pounds, respectively.
White also announced Chimaev (11–0, 5–0 UFC) will now move up to face Kevin Holland (23–7), who weighed in at 179.