Nate Diaz will fight Tony Ferguson in the main event of UFC 279 after Khamzat Chimaev missed weight for their scheduled bout.
Diaz, 37, was due to meet No.3 welterweight contender Chimaev in the final fight on his UFC contract but officials axed the match-up after Chimaev missed weight by 7.5lb. Diaz had earlier weighed in at 171lb, leaving the UFC without a main event.
Ferguson, 38, was scheduled to fight Li Jingliang in the co-main event, with both fighters stepping on the scale at 171lb. And with Diaz refusing to accept a catchweight fight with Chimaev, the UFC pulled Ferguson from his fight with Jingliang to pit him against Diaz in a five-round main event. Chimaev, meanwhile, will take on Kevin Holland - who himself was due to face Daniel Rodriguez - in a five-round clash.
