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
It looks like it was a short right straight that dropped Barnett.
UFC 279 LIVE
Collier vs Barnett – Round 1
Collier with a front kick to the body; Barnett with an outside low kick. Now Collier blocks a spinning back kick to the body, before clinching Barnett and tripping him neatly.
Collier flattens out Barnett and immediately takes the back! He throws some punches and hammer fists, and Barnett is warned by the referee to move!
He gives up his neck, however, but the rear naked choke is only over his chin! Barnett is able to twist and stand, but his jaw looks off... Could it be broken?
He makes it to the buzzer in any case!
UFC 279 LIVE
Collier vs Barnett – Round 1
An early knockdown for Collier! He pours on punches now with Barnett backed up against the fence.
Barnett comes back with his head down, swinging for the fences, but Collier is able to evade most of the strikes!
Barnett has also been cut above his left eye after a couple of nasty elbows. The blood is leaking into the eye.
Barnett tries to get back to basics, throwing some low kicks, and Collier is already slowing down after that early onslaught.
UFC 279 LIVE
The regular prelim card begins with Jake Collier vs Chris Barnett at heavyweight!
Barnett actually came in at 267.5lbs on Friday, over the heavyweight limit.
UFC 279 LIVE
Welcome to our round-by-round live coverage of the UFC 279 prelims!
First up, here are the early prelim results:
Norma Dumont def. Danyelle Wolf via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)
Alatengheili def. Chad Anheliger via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Elise Reed def. Melissa Martinez via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28 29-28)
Yohan Lainesse def. Darian Weeks via split decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29)
UFC 279 LIVE
We’re just 10 minutes away from the UFC 279 prelims!
We’ll have all the early prelim results for you very shortly, before we begin our round-by-round coverage of the remaining prelims and then the main card – so, sit tight!
UFC 279 LIVE
Here is a look back at the moment Chimaev missed weight, before the UFC 279 card was (rejigged and) saved:
Khamzat Chimaev misses weight for Nate Diaz fight at UFC 279 then jokes on Twitter
Chimaev came in at 178.5lbs for his welterweight bout with Nate Diaz, at the end of a week in which the Russian-born Swede also reportedly started a backstage fracas
UFC 279 LIVE
Want to know how to watch tonight’s fights?
UFC 279 will air live on BT Sport in the UK, with the broadcaster’s app and website also streaming the bouts.
In the US, ESPN+ will stream the action live, as will the UFC’s Fight Pass.
More information here:
How to watch Nate Diaz and Chimaev fights at UFC 279 tonight
How to watch Nate Diaz and Chimaev fights at UFC 279
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