UFC 279: Diaz vs. Ferguson | Event Profile, Full Results & Legacy
- Ariel Helwhiney
- 5 hours ago
- 9 min read
Introduction
UFC 279: Diaz vs. Ferguson took place on Saturday, September 10, 2022 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. It was the most chaotic 24 hours in UFC history — the night Khamzat Chimaev missed weight by 7.5 lbs at the Friday weigh-in, triggering an emergency card reshuffle that produced one of the most entertaining PPV cards of 2022. The card produced an estimated 800,000 pay-per-view buys after the dramatic build.
The original card had Khamzat Chimaev vs. Nate Diaz as the main event, Kevin Holland vs. Daniel Rodriguez as the co-main, and Tony Ferguson vs. Li Jingliang on the main card. At the Friday weigh-in, Chimaev stepped on the scale and read 178.5 lbs against a 171-lb welterweight limit — a 7.5-lb miss. He had multiple weigh-in attempts on the calibrated scale and could not get the weight down. The Nevada State Athletic Commission declared the Chimaev-Diaz bout off.
Within 12 hours of the weigh-in, UFC matchmakers had rebuilt the card. The new main event was Nate Diaz vs. Tony Ferguson at welterweight. The new co-main was Khamzat Chimaev vs. Kevin Holland at a catchweight of 180 lbs. Daniel Rodriguez moved up to fight Li Jingliang at welterweight. The card that followed was widely identified as one of the most entertaining UFC PPVs of 2022.
Nate Diaz submitted Tony Ferguson via guillotine choke at 2:52 of round four — the final UFC fight of his career, ending his 14-year UFC run with a finish over the man who had been Khabib Nurmagomedov's #1 contender during the COVID era. Khamzat Chimaev submitted Kevin Holland via D'Arce choke at 2:13 of round one. Daniel Rodriguez fought Li Jingliang to a unanimous decision win. The card produced four post-fight bonuses.
Contents
Quick Stats
📅 Date: Saturday, September 10, 2022
📍 Venue: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
👥 Attendance: 19,121 (full capacity)
💰 Gate: $8.0 million
📺 PPV Buys: ~800,000
📡 Broadcast: Pay-per-view (ESPN+ in USA)
🏆 Main Event (new): Nate Diaz vs. Tony Ferguson — Welterweight (170 lbs, 5 rounds)
✅ Result: Diaz def. Ferguson via Submission (guillotine choke) — R4, 2:52
🥇 Co-Main (new): Khamzat Chimaev def. Kevin Holland via Submission (D'Arce choke) — R1, 2:13 — Catchweight (180 lbs)
The Build-Up
The original card had Khamzat Chimaev vs. Nate Diaz as the main event — a stylistic mismatch on paper that the UFC had marketed aggressively. Chimaev was 11-0 with five UFC finishes coming off his UFC 273 Fight of the Year contender over Gilbert Burns. Diaz was 21-13 and had publicly stated UFC 279 would be his final UFC bout before pursuing boxing under his BMF brand. The bout was framed as Chimaev's confirmation as a top-three welterweight contender, with Diaz cashing out on his way to the boxing world.
Then the weigh-in happened. At the Friday morning weigh-in, Chimaev stepped on the scale and read 178.5 lbs against a 171-lb welterweight limit — a 7.5-lb miss. He had multiple weigh-in attempts on the calibrated scale and could not get the weight down. By the standard MMA practice, a miss of this magnitude makes the contracted bout impossible — the weight differential was simply too dangerous for the lighter fighter (Diaz weighed in at 169.5 lbs). The Nevada State Athletic Commission declared the bout off.
Within 12 hours of the weigh-in, UFC matchmakers had rebuilt the card. The new main event was Nate Diaz vs. Tony Ferguson at welterweight — a fight Diaz had wanted for years; both men had become symbols of the Khabib-era UFC and had circled each other for nearly a decade. The new co-main was Khamzat Chimaev vs. Kevin Holland at a catchweight of 180 lbs — Holland having moved up from his original welterweight bout against Daniel Rodriguez. Daniel Rodriguez moved across the card to face Li Jingliang at welterweight.
The reshuffle produced a card that critics described as more entertaining than the original. Tony Ferguson — coming off a fourth consecutive UFC loss including the UFC 274 front-kick KO by Michael Chandler — was the natural style matchup with Diaz. The PPV buy projections for the rebuilt card actually exceeded the original projections.
Main Event: Diaz vs. Ferguson
Rounds one and two were Ferguson's. The veteran pressed forward through every minute, scored a takedown in round one, and landed sustained combinations in round two. Diaz absorbed significant damage to his right eye — it was swelling and bleeding heavily by the end of round two. The judges had it 20-18 Ferguson.
Round three was the turning point. Diaz used his cardio advantage to grind through Ferguson's striking pressure, landed sustained combinations on the cage, and visibly hurt the veteran in the final minute. Ferguson's striking output dropped as his cardio failed; he was visibly fatigued by the end of round three. The judges had it 29-28 Ferguson going into round four.
Round four ended it. At 2:30 of the round, Diaz landed a clean left hand that wobbled Ferguson, secured the clinch against the cage, and worked into a tight guillotine choke at 2:45. Ferguson defended for seven seconds before tapping at 2:52. Nate Diaz had finished his final UFC fight with a submission of one of the most-respected lightweights of the modern era. The T-Mobile Arena erupted.
Diaz climbed the cage and pointed to the crowd. In his post-fight interview, he was characteristically blunt: "That's it. I'm done with the UFC. I'm going to do my own thing now." The crowd chanted his name through the closing ten minutes of the broadcast. Diaz left the cage with a 14-year UFC tenure and a final UFC ledger of 21-13.
Diaz did not return to the UFC. He boxed Jake Paul on August 5, 2023 — a unanimous-decision loss — then rematched Jorge Masvidal in MMA at Real American Freestyle in July 2024 (a UD loss) and returned to MMA in 2025 with sporadic outings under the BMF brand. He remains one of the most-respected figures of the modern UFC era.
For Tony Ferguson, the loss was his fifth consecutive UFC defeat. He extended the streak to eight by 2024 — the longest active losing streak in modern UFC history — before being released by the UFC in May 2025.
Co-Main Event: Chimaev vs. Holland
Khamzat Chimaev needed only 2:13 to finish Kevin Holland. The 180-lb catchweight gave him a 9-lb advantage at the cage, and he used every ounce. Chimaev shot a double-leg takedown at 0:30, secured Holland's back at 1:30, worked into a tight D'Arce choke at 2:00, and locked the angle. Holland tapped at 2:13. Performance of the Night.
The TKO of Holland was Chimaev's sixth UFC win and his sixth UFC finish. His undefeated streak stood at 12-0 after the win. He would not weigh in successfully again until UFC 294 in October 2023 — a short-notice middleweight bout against Kamaru Usman that he won by unanimous decision. He defeated Robert Whittaker at UFC 308 in October 2024 by first-round submission, then missed weight again at UFC 308 and was stripped of the title shot before fight night.
For Kevin Holland, the loss was his first UFC submission defeat. He has remained an active UFC fighter into the mid-2020s and rebounded to win his next four UFC bouts. The catchweight loss was contextualised as a Chimaev-specific result rather than a Holland decline.
Full Results
Main Card (Pay-Per-View)
Nate Diaz def. Tony Ferguson — Submission (guillotine choke) — R4, 2:52 — Welterweight
Khamzat Chimaev def. Kevin Holland — Submission (D'Arce choke) — R1, 2:13 — Catchweight (180 lbs)
Daniel Rodriguez def. Li Jingliang — Unanimous Decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27) — Welterweight
Irene Aldana def. Macy Chiasson — KO (punches) — R1, 4:50 — Catchweight (140 lbs)
Johnny Walker def. Ion Cutelaba — TKO (punches) — R1, 1:08 — Light Heavyweight
Preliminary Card (ESPN/ESPN+)
Denis Tiuliulin def. Jamie Pickett — TKO (punches) — R2, 4:23 — Middleweight
Hakeem Dawodu def. Julian Erosa — Unanimous Decision (29-28 ×3) — Featherweight
Chidi Njokuani def. Melsik Baghdasaryan — Split Decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28) — Middleweight
Jailton Almeida def. Anton Turkalj — Submission (rear-naked choke) — R1, 4:51 — Heavyweight
Bonuses & Awards
🥇 Performance of the Night: Nate Diaz — $50,000 for the fourth-round guillotine choke submission of Tony Ferguson in his final UFC fight.
🥇 Performance of the Night: Khamzat Chimaev — $50,000 for the first-round D'Arce choke submission of Kevin Holland.
🥇 Performance of the Night: Kevin Holland — $50,000 (in recognition of stepping in on under 24 hours notice). The UFC issued the bonus despite the loss as a gesture for his role in saving the card.
🥇 Performance of the Night: Johnny Walker — $50,000 for the first-round TKO of Ion Cutelaba.
Records & Milestones
• Khamzat Chimaev missed weight by 7.5 lbs — the largest weight miss for a main event in UFC history at the time.
• Same-day full card reshuffle — the most chaotic 24-hour rebuild in UFC main event history.
• Nate Diaz's final UFC fight — ended his 14-year UFC career with a finish over Tony Ferguson.
• Four Performance of the Night bonuses issued — unusual for a single PPV, reflecting the chaotic build and unexpected entertainment value.
• Tony Ferguson's fifth consecutive UFC loss — part of his eventual eight-fight losing streak, the longest active in UFC history.
Legacy & Impact
UFC 279 is remembered as the most chaotic 24 hours in UFC history. The Chimaev weight miss — 7.5 lbs over the welterweight limit — forced a same-day card reshuffle that produced one of the most entertaining UFC PPVs of 2022. The rebuilt card outperformed the original on PPV buys, in-cage entertainment value, and post-fight bonuses.
For Nate Diaz, UFC 279 was the formal close of his UFC career. He had been with the promotion since 2007 — a 14-year run that included the BMF belt win over Jorge Masvidal, the two Conor McGregor fights, and one of the most-loved fanbases in UFC history. The submission of Tony Ferguson — in his final UFC fight — was the kind of finish that confirmed his legacy as one of the most beloved welterweights of the modern era.
Diaz did not return to the UFC. He boxed Jake Paul on August 5, 2023 (UD loss), rematched Jorge Masvidal in MMA at Real American Freestyle in July 2024 (UD loss), and has remained active under the BMF brand into the mid-2020s. He retired from MMA officially in 2025.
For Khamzat Chimaev, the weight miss permanently coloured his UFC career narrative. He did not weigh in successfully at welterweight again. He moved up to middleweight at UFC 294 in October 2023 (UD win over Kamaru Usman on short notice), defeated Robert Whittaker at UFC 308 in October 2024 by first-round submission, then missed weight again at UFC 308 and lost the title shot.
For Tony Ferguson, UFC 279 was his fifth consecutive UFC loss. He extended the streak to eight by 2024 — the longest active losing streak in modern UFC history — before being released by the UFC in May 2025.
FAQ
How did Chimaev miss weight by 7.5 lbs?
Reportedly because of a botched weight cut. Multiple sources suggested Chimaev had been sick during fight week and had been unable to complete the standard 24-hour rapid water cut. Chimaev's previous fight (Burns at UFC 273) had also been difficult — he had reportedly weighed in at 170.5 lbs after a brutal cut. The UFC 279 cut went beyond his physical capacity to safely reduce. The 7.5-lb miss was the largest in a UFC main event at the time.
How did UFC matchmakers rebuild the card in 24 hours?
Coordinated reshuffling. UFC matchmakers worked through Friday night and Saturday morning to rebuild the bouts: Nate Diaz vs. Tony Ferguson (the originally scheduled Ferguson-Li Jingliang bout was scrapped to free Ferguson), Khamzat Chimaev vs. Kevin Holland at 180-lb catchweight (Holland moved up from his original Daniel Rodriguez bout), and Daniel Rodriguez vs. Li Jingliang at welterweight. The reshuffle required cooperation from all four fighters — each had to accept a new opponent on under 24 hours notice. The fact that all four agreed produced one of the most entertaining cards of 2022.
Did Nate Diaz return to the UFC?
No. UFC 279 was his final UFC fight. Diaz pursued his BMF boxing brand and went on to box Jake Paul on August 5, 2023 (UD loss), rematched Jorge Masvidal in MMA at Real American Freestyle in July 2024 (UD loss), and has remained active under the BMF brand into the mid-2020s. He retired from MMA officially in 2025. His final UFC ledger was 21-13.
What happened to Chimaev's welterweight career?
It effectively ended at UFC 279. He did not weigh in successfully at welterweight again. He moved up to middleweight at UFC 294 in October 2023 for a short-notice bout against Kamaru Usman (UD win), defeated Robert Whittaker at UFC 308 in October 2024 by first-round submission, then missed weight again at UFC 308 and lost the title shot. He has remained a top-three middleweight contender into the mid-2020s but has not held a UFC title.
Why did UFC issue four Performance bonuses?
Three for spectacular finishes (Diaz, Chimaev, Walker) plus an unusual fourth bonus to Kevin Holland in recognition of stepping in on under 24 hours notice to accept the Chimaev catchweight bout. The fourth bonus was a gesture of gratitude from the UFC for Holland's role in saving the card; he accepted the loss but received the bonus regardless. The four-bonus issuance was the most for any UFC PPV of 2022.
How does UFC 279 compare to UFC 278?
UFC 279 drew approximately 800,000 PPV buys versus UFC 278 (500,000) three weeks earlier — a 300,000-buy jump driven entirely by the dramatic build of the same-day card reshuffle. The Friday weigh-in chaos and the rebuilt main event of Nate Diaz vs. Tony Ferguson produced PPV interest that exceeded what the original Chimaev-Diaz main event had projected. UFC 279's $8.0 million gate was one of the highest UFC PPV gates of 2022.
Comments