Sweet Chaos in Las Vegas: UFC 279
The Sept. 10th pay-per-view had plenty of question marks in its lead up. Fight Week took an unprecedented turn. Welcome to the world of MMA.
Real Gs come from California, America, motherfucker — Nate Diaz
The twists and turns that UFC 279 endured deserve to be documented in history books. Originally billed as the swan song for a beloved veteran, Nate Diaz (Stockton, CA) was finally set to finish out his contractual obligations and test free agency, after fighting in the octagon for 15 years.
A winner of The Ultimate Fighter reality series with global fanfare, his career is defined by bucking the system and defying the odds. Diaz had impatiently been waiting for this moment. Only one problem, the Ultimate Fighting Championship would not make it easy. They booked him against an undefeated terror, a rising star, the proverbial hitman to finish the job.
The card itself felt a tad thin on face value, with a handful of athletes being added just weeks prior. Featuring 13 bouts, there were three at the top to focus on:
- Nate Diaz vs. Khamzat Chimaev
- Kevin Holland vs. Daniel Rodriguez
- Tony Ferguson vs. Li Jingliang
So why does the poster above look drastically different? Let us rewind… What proceeded in Sin City was a bizarre chain of events and the most unlikely of scenarios shook up the sports world.
On Thursday of Fight Week, a press conference was set to take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Backstage a scuffle unfolded between undefeated Khamzat Chimaev (Chechynya, Russia) and Kevin Holland (Forth Worth, TX). Someone was kicked, water bottles were thrown, and trash talk ensued.
UFC President Dana White apologized to fans in attendance and declared the presser cancelled. He felt the energy had escalated too much, and the public’s safety was not worth the risk.
“This has never happened before in the history of the company.” — Dana White
During weigh-ins Friday morning, it became apparent the heavily favored Chimaev (now fighting out of Sweden) was overweight. A cardinal sin. He tipped the scales at 178.5, or 7.5 pounds over the limit. A massive miss. Diaz the consummate professional hit his mark of 171.
The UFC wanted Diaz to fail before exiting the promotion. Let’s not get it twisted. The matchup on paper facing Chimaev made zero sense. With 24-hours to go before the PPV, a musical chairs scenario took place. At 3 p.m. Friday the new lineup of fights were announced:
- Nate Diaz vs Tony Ferguson — Welterweight (170)
- Khamzat Chimaev vs Kevin Holland — Catchweight (180)
- Li Jingliang vs Daniel Rodriguez — Catchweight (180)
One might call this poetic justice. A fan-friendly, proper main event now took center stage between two OG’s of the fight game.
A mild 82° summer day set the tone for an action-packed event. Fans staggered into their seats near 4 p.m., with a handful of fights ending in judges decisions.
Now, allow me to introduce you to Chris Barnett (Zaragoza, Spain). The heavyweight came back from early trouble in R1 to finish his opponent in the 2nd. His “swag surfin” walk out was a beautiful big man dance.
Mexico’s Irene Aldana inflicted a filthy liver kick from the bottom, knocking her opponent out in the 3rd round. Highly entertaining.
On to the main three fights. After the deck was shuffled. Li Jingliang (Tacheng, China) lost a controversial split decision to Daniel Rodriguez (Alhambra, CA). He was already at a disadvantage, fighting a new opponent on a day’s notice + giving up 10 pounds. Social media pundits clearly scored the bout for “The Leech.” #Robbed
Potentially the most hated man in the sport, Khamzat Chimaev, absolutely rag dolled Kevin Holland. He did what many feared would happen in the original matchup versus Diaz.
It lasted just over 2 minutes, with zero strikes thrown. He forced a submission using a D’Arce choke, screaming on the mic afterwards to a chorus of boo’s.
It was finally time for the MAIN EVENT. Fans had been waiting years for this dream matchup, and it unexpectedly came to fruition the day before!
Tony Ferguson (Orange County, CA) held an epic 12-fight winning streak and an interim lightweight championship belt, before hitting a 4-fight skid. That is the cruel game they play. While a fan favorite in his own right, this night always belonged to Nate Diaz.
The battle offered a little of everything offensively. Powerful jabs, low leg kicks, a patent Stockton slap 👋🏻 and mental warfare. Diaz took a break midway through the 3rd round to the delight of the crowd and broadcast.
Ferguson eventually began to slow down, absorbing powerful punches. His face turned into a bloody mess. In the 4th round he shot for a takedown out of desperation.
Diaz took advantage, using his black belt jujitsu and submitted Tony with a guillotine choke. The California native ended the night — fittingly — at 2:09, his hometown area code.
The sold out crowd of 19,125 went berserk. Nate Diaz won in more ways than one. He earned a huge paycheck, got the W over a well-respected opponent, and earned professional freedom.
In his post-fight press conference Diaz spoke candidly about wanting to enter the boxing ring, launching Real Fight Promotions, and inevitably returning to the UFC.
Where do we go from here? What were my biggest takeaways? Diaz is a rare breed. A cult like figure who transcends the zeitgeist of mixed martial arts.
He doesn’t need a champion belt to cement his status; undeniably the people’s champ. Let us not forget about his big brother, Nick Diaz. The UFC veteran taught his younger sibling everything he knows and helped introduce the sport on mainstream platforms.
Nate will likely be ringside for the Jake Paul vs. Anderson Silva boxing match in October. If Paul proceeds to win, fans will be clamoring for this long rumored bout between MMA star and YouTuber turned boxer.
Diaz deserves to get paid handsomely outside the cage, and the trilogy fight with Conor McGregor will always be there. The double champ said so himself following UFC 279.
The UFC train will continue to roll on. With 25 consecutive live sellouts, the organization feels unstoppable. Television and PPV contracts with ESPN provide exposure the young sport needs to truly grow worldwide.
One thing remains certain, Nate Diaz has always been a real G.
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