According to the initial announcement from UFC, the focal match of the UFC 279 event will take place between Khamzat Chimaev and the person who challenged the Lightweight weighing championship belt, Nate Diaz. However, the plan for these two boxers to fight was soon broken when Khamzat Chimaev exceeded the weight of up to 3kg at the weight test before the event.
According to UFC's rules, too weight is one of the most serious violations of contracts. However, in the context of the event of preparation after 24 hours, the Organizing Committee has no other way but the new deal for fighters to attend the event. UFC intervened quite deeply when adjusting to 3 pairs.
More specifically, the overweight person is Khamzat Chimaev will fight Kevin Holland in the form of Catchweight weight (180 lb). Nate Diaz encountered opponent Tony Ferguson, one of the most experienced boxers of UFC. The remaining pair of newly divided matches is Li Jingliang Daniel Rodriguez (Catchweight 180 lb).
For Nate Diaz personally, this is also his last match against UFC before separating becoming a boss of a professional MMA competition system. Khamzat Chimaev did not guarantee the prescribed weight caused the British UFC farewell match to take place in unwanted direction.
Earlier, Nate Diaz once said he wanted to get Dustin Poirier or Conor McGregor but not UFC passed. As for Khamzat Chimaev, he is still lucky to play, because UFC often proved very strict with cases of exceeding the weight allowed before the competition.