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- UFC 279 will stream live on September 10, with the main card starting at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
- Nate Diaz will fight Tony Ferguson in the main event after Khamzat Chimaev failed to make weight.
- The main card is a pay-per-view fight that costs $ 75 in addition to an ESPN+ subscription ($ 10/month).
In an unprecedented move, UFC has shuffled the matchups for the main event of UFC 279 less than 24 hours before the fight, with the headlining fighters now preparing to face entirely different opponents.
Khamzat Chimaev is one of UFC's up-and-coming welterweight stars, but he weighed in at more than 7 lbs over the division's limit one day before his scheduled match with UFC veteran Nate Diaz. Diaz reportedly refused to face Chimaev in a catchweight match, leading UFC to renegotiate the scheduled fights on the main card.
After shuffling some matchups around, Chimaev will now face Kevin Holland, while Diaz will fight Tony Ferguson, and Li Jingliang will take on Daniel Rodriguez. Chimaev versus Holland and Diaz versus Ferguson are both scheduled for five rounds. Jingliang versus Rodriguez will proceed as a three-round fight.
Chimaev is undefeated through 11 matches, with 10 victories coming by knockout or submission. Diaz was once one of UFC's biggest welterweight stars, handing Conor McGregor his first UFC defeat in 2016 before losing by decision in a rematch. However, Diaz has only fought three times over the last five years, including back-to-back losses to Jorge Masvidal and current champion Leon Edwards.
How to watch UFC 279
You can watch the main event of UFC 279 on ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET on September 10. The main card requires an ESPN+ subscription ($ 10/month) and an extra pay-per-view fee of $ 75.
Before the main event, UFC Fight Pass subscribers can watch the early prelims at 6 p.m. ET. The prelims will then start at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN News and ESPN+
You can access the ESPN+ app on all major mobile and streaming devices, including Amazon Fire, Apple, Android, Chromecast, PS4, Xbox One, Roku, and Samsung smart TVs.
Ways to save on the UFC 279 pay-per-view price
If you plan on signing up for ESPN+ to watch UFC 279, you can take advantage of a special discounted bundle.
New subscribers can purchase a year-long ESPN+ membership with access to UFC 279 included for a total of $ 124.98. That's about 30% off the regular combined price of an annual plan and a PPV match. Following your first year of service, ESPN+ will then renew for the regular annual price of $ 100.
Here's the fight card for UFC 279: Diaz vs. Ferguson
Early Prelims — 6 p.m. ET, 3 p.m. PT on UFC Fight Pass
- Darian Weeks versus Yohan Lainesse [Welterweight]
- Melissa Martinez versus Elise Reed [Women's strawweight]
- Chad Anheliger versus Alatengheili [Bantamweight]
- Norma Dumont versus Danyelle Wolf [Women's featherweight]
Prelims — 8 p.m. ET, 5 p.m. PT on ESPN News, and ESPN+
- Jake Collier versus Chris Barnett [Heavyweight]
- Denis Tiuliulin versus Jamie Pickett [Middleweight]
- Jailton Almeida versus Anton Turkalj [Catchweight]
- Hakeem Dawodu versus Julian Erosa [Featherweight]
Main Card — 10 p.m. ET, 7 p.m. PT on ESPN+
- Johnny Walker versus Ion Cutelaba [Light heavyweight]
- Irene Aldana versus Macy Chiasson [Women's bantamweight]
- Li Jingliang versus Daniel Rodriguez [Catchweight]
- Khamzat Chimaev versus Kevin Holland [Catchweight]
- Nate Diaz versus Tony Ferguson [Welterweight]
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