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Join 411’s Live UFC 279 Coverage

September 10, 2022 | Posted by Robert Winfree
UFC 279 Image Credit: UFC

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MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view, 10 p.m. ET)
Nate Diaz (171 lbs.) vs. Tony Ferguson (171 lbs.)
Khamzat Chimaev (178.5 lbs.)* vs. Kevin Holland (179.5 lbs.) – 180-pound catchweight
#14 Li Jingliang (170.5 lbs.) vs. Daniel Rodriguez (179 lbs.) – 180-pound catchweight
#4 Irene Aldana (137.5 lbs.) vs. #10 Macy Chiasson (139.5 lbs.) – 140-pound catchweight
Ion Cutelaba (205.5 lbs.) vs. #12 Johnny Walker (205 lbs.)

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPNews/ESPN+, 8 p.m. ET)
Hakeem Dawodu (149.5 lbs.)* vs. Julian Erosa (146 lbs.)
Jailton Almeida (216.5 lbs.) vs. Anton Turkalj (214 lbs.) – 220-pound catchweight
Jamie Pickett (185.5 lbs.) vs. Denis Tiuliulin (186 lbs.)
Chris Barnett (267.5 lbs.)* vs. Jake Collier (265 lbs.)

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 6 p.m. ET)
Norma Dumont (146 lbs.) vs. Danyelle Wolf (146 lbs.)
Heili Alateng (135 lbs.) vs. Chad Anheliger (135.5 lbs.)
Melissa Martinez (113.5 lbs.) vs. Elise Reed (115.5 lbs.)
Yohan Lainesse (171 lbs.) vs. Darian Weeks (170.5 lbs.)

Hello everyone and welcome to 411mania’s LIVE coverage of UFC 279, I’m Robert Winfree and I’ll be your host for the evening. So. . . yesterday happened. This card looked very different 48 hours ago, but then the weigh ins happened and everything went up in smoke. The original main event was Nate Diaz taking on Khamzat Chimaev, but Chimaev missed weight by 8 pounds or so and Diaz wasn’t interested in accepting a new fight with him under those conditions. It worked out OK though because at the press conference Chimaev had an altercation with Kevin Holland, who was fighting Daniel Rodriguez on this card at a catchweight of 180 pounds, so they were able to move Chimaev to fighting Holland. The original co-main event was Li Jingliang welcoming Tony Ferguson back to welterweight, but Ferguson got bumped into main event status to take on Nate Diaz so now Li battles the other odd man out, Daniel Rodriguez. This is all to say nothing of the other weight issues, we had a heavyweight miss weight in the form of Chris Barnett, Hakeem Dawodu missed pretty badly for featherweight, and several other fighters needed the aid of the towel to hit the mark. All in all it’s been a very chaotic fight week, which is kind of poetic for the last fight on Nate Diaz’s current deal and potentially his last fight in the UFC at all. Overall this isn’t a terribly stacked card but with how wild the build has been I wouldn’t be shocked if we get a fair amount of craziness in the fights themselves.

UFC 279 comes to the world from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. Jon Anik, Joe Rogan, and Daniel Cormier will be calling the action with Megan Olivi doing the roving reporter bit. As for the rules we’re using most of the newer ones but you still only need one hand on the mat to be considered downed but we’ve got instant replay and a fight can be restarted after replay is used if that’s applicable to the situation. Also we’re in the 30 foot cage instead of the 25 footer installed at the Apex.

The broadcast opens with a recap of the series of events which led to our card being shuffled around.

Darian Weeks has gone 0-2 in the UFC, now he finds himself in pretty dire need of a win because an 0-3 start could easily end his time with the promotion. Yohan Lianesse suffered his first professional loss in his UFC debut earlier this year, now he’s looking to bounce back and secure that important first UFC win. The odds are close but favor Weeks at -120 to an even +100 for Lainesse.

Welterweight Bout: Yohan Lainesse (8-1, 171 lbs.) vs. Darian Weeks (5-2, 170.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Lainesse is an inch and a half taller with four inches of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get us going. Lainesse starts showing the jab as he circles, Weeks doesn’t seem too intent on cutting him off yet. The “woo’s” start early, but with the limited crowd that shows up to the first prelims on a Vegas card that’s to be expected. Bit of a leg kick from Lainesse. Lainesse lands a right hand. Both men are swinging a little wide but Lainesse is keeping his punches a tad straighter. Lainesse lands another right hand. Weeks lands a knee to the body. They trade leg kicks. Side kick to the knee from Weeks buckles the lead leg of Lainesse for a second but he stays upright and resumes moving around. Weeks pushes forward and punches into a clinch, then grabs a front choke and uses it to snap Lainesse down to his knees. Lainesse is able to break the grip and stand then separate. Weeks blocks a few punches but he’s still struggling to corral Lainesse. Bit of a left hook from Lainesse. Weeks lands an uppercut in close. Lainesse goes southpaw to land a body kick. Weeks keeps poking at the legs then lands a body shot as the last blow of the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Lainesse but there’s an argument for Weeks

ROUND TWO: They touch gloves again. Lainesse bets back to circling and Weeks resumes following him. Bit of an oblique kick from Weeks. Weeks keeps showing side kicks or modified stomps to that lead leg of Lainesse but Lainesse doesn’t seem to be hampered by them yet. They trade lefts and Lainesse drops to a knee for a second. Both men start feinting a bit as they circle. Lainesse keeps bringing his guard high, if Weeks feints he could follow up with a basically free body shot. Left hook from Lainesse but his output has dropped in this round pretty significantly. Weeks tries a double leg, they hit the fence and Weeks is able to lift and slam Lainesse but Lainesse bounces right up and separates. Lainesse misses a right, and Weeks responds with a body shot. Weeks lands a front kick then a left hook. Double leg from Weeks, Lainesse fights up from his knees and they wind up clinched on the fence. They break with a knee from Weeks. Bit of a left hook from Lainesse. Weeks defends a takedown and lands a right hand. They end the round with a left from Lainesse.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Weeks, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: They touch gloves for the final round. Lainesse gets back to circling, and he blocks a few punches from Weeks. Bit of a one two from Lainesse. Weeks is still struggling to cut off Lainesse and it’s a real problem for him. Lainesse avoids a double leg and they hit the fence clinched up. Weeks lands a few knees before they break. Weeks tries a single leg but Lainesse defends and again we’re clinched on the fence. Lainesse tries to use a double wrist lock to break the single leg of Weeks on the fence, nothing comes of it and Weeks lands a spinning elbow as they break. Lainesse lands a leg kick. Bit of a left hook from Weeks. Front kick from Weeks, Lainesse lands a jab. Lainesse lands a body kick, Weeks returns it. Inside leg kick from Weeks. Both men miss punches in close. Front kick from Weeks lands. Lainesse grabs a standing guillotine, nothing comes of it and he separates then tries a flying knee which doesn’t land and both men miss punches as the clock runs down.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Weeks but could go either way, 29-28 Weeks overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Yohan Lainesse via split decision (28-29, 29-28 x2)

Well I don’t agree but it’s hardly wrong given how that fight went. Mic time for Lainesse, he plays with the crowd and calls the fight close and knows his gas tank is kind of an issue because of his power and he’s happy to have fought for three rounds. On behalf of the viewers, we’re not with you there. Asked about getting his first UFC win he says he cost himself in his UFC debut and calls the UFC win the most beautiful feeling in the world.

Melissa Martinez is undefeated coming into her UFC debut, now she’s looking to begin her UFC run with a win. Elise Reed has gone 1-2 in the UFC and she’s coming off of a loss to Sam Hughes, now she’s trying to get her UFC record back to the .500 mark and start finding her footing in the promotion. The odds are with Martinez at -175 to a +145 underdog status for Elise.

Strawweight Bout: Melissa Martinez (7-0, 113.5 lbs.) vs. Elise Reed (5-2, 115.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Reed is an inch taller while Martinez has three inches of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get us going. Bit of a high kick from Reed. Martinez is showing side kicks right away. Reed lands a leg kick, then Martinez lands a right hand to counter. Left hook from Martinez off balances Reed for a second, she seems to have a timing edge already. Some stance switching form Martinez, but she fires a front kick and Reed counters with a right hand that floors her but Martinez bounces up and starts coming forward again. Reed starts coming forward now, Martinez is doing a lot of stance switching but seems to favor southpaw at the moment. Body kick from Reed. Martinez hits a takedown, Reed bounces right up and they wind up clinched on the fence. Both women work some knees but not much is happening here. They jockey for position for a bit then separate. Martinez blocks a head kick. Reed misses a wheel kick. They clinch up again, and trade knees as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Reed but there’s an argument the other way

ROUND TWO: Martinez comes out southpaw again. Inside leg kick from Martinez. Reed is pushing forward more now, and Martinez lands a front kick. Martinez keeps circling, she eats a right hand while avoiding an exchange on the fence. Reed lands a right, but Martinez lands a counter left that seems to stun Reed for a second. Martinez is the one coming forward now, Reed lands an inside leg kick. Inside leg kick from Martinez. Another inside leg kick from Martinez. Reed avoids a few punches but can’t counter. Reed forces a clinch and they hit the fence. They fight for position along the fence then break and Reed lands a left hand. Martinez lands a left hand. Martinez forces a clinch and we’re back on the fence. They’ll end the round in the clinch.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Martinez, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: Martinez comes forward right away, and Reed cracks her with a right hand. Front kick from Martinez. Bit of a left from Martinez. Inside leg kick from Martinez. They both land punches in close. Another inside leg kick from Martinez. That lead leg of Reed is in some trouble now. Bit of a left from Martinez. Martinez hits a takedown into full guard. Reed kicks her off and regains her feet but eats a knee along the way. They start clinch fighting again and we get some knees going back and forth. Reed lands a knee to the head. Takedown from Reed and she lands punches while Martinez wall walks. Another trip from Reed and she lands in side control. Martinez gives up her back while standing and Reed lands punches then gets the back standing. Reed spins Martinez down again and lands more punches from the ride position as Martinez stands. Martinez gets chest to chest in the clinch, Reed lands a knee to the body. Some more knees from Reed as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Reed, 29-28 Reed overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Elise Reed via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

No interview for Reed.

Chad Anheliger is on a 10 fight winning streak that includes a late fight stoppage in his UFC debut in February, now he’s looking to continue that momentum and start making his case for fighting even bigger names going forward. Alateng Heili has gone 3-1-1 in the UFC but is coming off of a win and is looking to continue building momentum in the very stacked bantamweight division. Alatengheili is the favorite at -165 to +140 for Anheliger.

Bantamweight Bout: Heili Alateng (15-8-2, 135 lbs.) vs. Chad Anheliger (12-5, 135.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Anheliger is an inch taller while Alatengheili has two inches of reach. They touch gloves to get us going. Anheliger is circling right away. Both men show the jab and low kick, they’re just range finding right now. Neither man has found much yet, they’re still getting a read on each other. Alatengheili lands a leg kick. They split a few jabs. Bit of a right from Anheliger. Alatengheili is pushing forward now, I’m not sure what happened but Anheliger is retreating and looking to regroup. Anheliger lands a calf kick. Alatengheili lands a left hook that staggers Anheliger, but Anheliger fires back with a combination. Bit of a right from Alatengheili after he slips a punch. Anheliger lands a jab. Hard right from Alatengheili stuns Anheliger, Anheliger is hurt and bleeding from the nose as he circles and looks to recover. Calf kick from Alatengheili then an overhand right. Anheliger is badly hurt, but he still lands a left hook. Some impressive patience from Alatengheili as he’s stalking Anheliger rather than getting sloppy. Body kick from Alatengheili. They trade rights, then Anheliger lands a left hook. Anheliger will see the end of the round though.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Alatengheili

ROUND TWO: Alatengheili lands a hard calf kick to start the round. Another calf kick from Alatengheili. Anheliger misses a left. Bit of a right from Anheliger. Alatengheili lands another calf kick. Anheliger lands a left to the body then a right hand. Alatengheili jabs the body. Left to the body from Alatengheili. Left hook from Alatengheili is partially blocked but he got Anheliger backing up. Another left from Alatengheili, Anheliger is still upright and looking to counter though. Anheliger avoids a clinch attempt. Alatengheili lands a right hand. Calf kick from Anheliger. Alatengheili lands a left hook. Bit of a right from Anheliger and he avoids the counter. Alatengheili lands a left to the body, Anheliger didn’t like that one. Both men land left hooks. Anheliger misses a spinning back kick. They feint away the final couple of seconds.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Alatengheili but much closer, 20-18 Alatengheili overall

ROUND THREE: Both men show the lead hand again. Alatengheili lands a calf kick. Single leg from Alatengheili and he gets on top then stands over Anheliger. Some leg kicks from Alatengheili but Anheliger is keeping him at bay with his legs for the moment and the ref stands them back up. Anheliger lands a calf kick, that was a hard one. Bit of a one two from Anheliger. Alatengheili avoids a few punches then lands a left. Both men avoid rights, then Alatengheili fires a partially successful head kick. A left from Alatengheili lands in close. Inside leg kick from Alatengheili, then a calf kick behind it. Bit of an uppercut from Anheliger. Alatengheili lands another leg kick, this time Anheliger returns it. Single leg from Alatengheili, he gets on top as Anheliger tries a guillotine. Alatengheili gets his head free quickly and lands strikes from top position as the clock runs down.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Alatengheili, 30-27 Alatengheili overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Alatengheili via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

Solid performance from Alatenheili who continues to build some momentum. No interview for the winner.

Norma Dumont has gone 3-2 in the UFC but she’s coming off of a loss and is now trying to avoid her first losing streak. Danyelle Wolf made her professional MMA debut on the Contender Series back in 2020 and has been out of action since then, she was a relatively successful amateur boxer now making the switch to MMA and now tries to take out a more proven MMA fighter and begin establishing herself in the UFC. Dumont is the -390 favorite while a Wolf win would payout at +320.

Women’s Featherweight Bout: Norma Dumont (7-2, 146 lbs.) vs. Danyelle Wolf (1-0, 146 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Wolf is four inches taller with three inches of reach advantage, she’s also eight years older. They touch gloves to get us going. Some feinting from both women, and Dumont starts switching her stance early. Bit of a right from Wolf. Leg kick from Dumont. Dumont lands a side kick. Bit of a jab from Wolf, she’s still a bit outside her distance but she’s starting to measure it at least. Wolf lands a right hand. Dumont lands a leg kick. A right from Dumont stuns Wolf for a second. Wolf lands a solid right of her own then a left hook. It looks like Wolf might have a better feel for the distance now. Wolf lands another left, her jab is starting to land more consistently. Bit of a right from Dumont. Wolf lands a left hook. Another jab from Wolf. Dumont lands a right hand to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Dumont but a close one

ROUND TWO: They touch gloves again. Wolf gets back to working the jab, which she lands. Dumont lands a couple of leg kicks, then Wolf jabs the body. Left hook from Wolf. Dumont lands another leg kick. Both women miss punches. Right hand then a left hook from Wolf, Dumont grabs a clinch and hits an outside trip and gets on top in full guard. Wolf kicks Dumont off and stands but eats some punches before Dumont clinches again. Some knees from Dumont as she’s got Wolf on the fence. They break without issue. Dumont misses a spinning back kick. Wolf lands a few jabs then Dumont cracks her with a right hand and clinches again. Dumont lands some punches in the clinch. Wolf is able to push free and reset. They trade punches in close. Wolf lands a right hand to counter a leg kick. Dumont lands another right which drops Wolf and she gets on top in full guard where the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-8 Dumont but a marginal one, 20-17 Dumont overall

ROUND THREE: They touch gloves for the last round. Wolf gets back to working her lead hand. Dumont grabs a single leg and dumps Wolf down then mounts the legs in open space. Wolf hip escapes to half guard. Hammer fists from Dumont, then some punches while Wolf tries to tie up her arms. Wolf kicks Dumont off but Dumont stands over her and lands some leg kicks. Wolf scoots to the fence then Dumont lands a left hook as she returns to the mat. Dumont moves to side control and lands some lefts. Full mount for Dumont now, she lands another punch along the way. Wolf gets half guard but Dumont passes to 3/4 mount and lands punches. Half guard again for Wolf but Dumont is controlling and lightly mauling her. Dumont lands another few punches and looks to pass again. Elbows from Dumont now, and she’s nearly in full mount. A few more elbows from Dumont close out the round.

SCORECARD: 10-8 Dumont, 30-25 Dumont overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Norma Dumont via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27 x2)

Not giving Dumont at least one 10-8 seems just wrong. Mic time for Dumont and her translator after the win, she puts over Wolf but calls herself a good striker and the more experienced MMA fighter. She wanted to be sure she showed off her grappling in this fight and is very happy that she could strike as hard as a high level boxer. To close she calls herself the active and relevant opponent at featherweight and would like a title shot near the end of the year.

Jake Collier has been trading wins and losses dating all the way back to 2014, he’s coming off of a loss though and is hoping that pattern will hold long enough to avoid his first ever losing streak. Chris Barnett made a bit of history because while he’s not the first heavyweight to miss weight he did miss by half a pound more than Justin Tafa did, Barnett lost a technical decision back in April and is now trying to get his UFC record to an even 2-2 with a win. Collier is a heavy favorite at -460 while the +370 payout on Barnett might be a tempting value bet given the volatility at heavyweight.

Heavyweight Bout: Chris Barnett (22-8, 267.5 lbs.) vs. Jake Collier (13-7, 265 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Collier is a significant six inches taller but only has two and a half inches of reach advantage. Collier gets right after it with strikes, Barnett seems happy. Barnett goes southpaw but eats a left hook then a right hand from Collier drops Barnett. Barnett fights up to his feet and they start swinging in the pocket with both men finding some success. Collier lands a knee. More pressure from Collier, one of his elbows cut Barnett at some point during that bit of insanity. They clinch up and Barnett lands an elbow as they break. That left eye of Barnett is badly hurt, it’s swelling closed and cut. Front kick from Collier. They clinch up and Collier lands a few knees to the body before Barnett slips free. Left hand from Barnett lands, he’s doing a lot of stance switching. Collier punches into a clinch, then they break without incident. Bit of a right from Collier. Barnett lands a leg kick. Leg kick from Collier. Spinning back kick from Barnett. They punch into another clinch and Collier hits an outside trip and gets on top in full mount. Collier gets the back and lands punches, Barnett is struggling to deal with the big man on top of him. Both hooks in for Collier, he grabs a choke attempt but it’s just a neck crank and Barnett is fine. Collier bails on the crank but he’s got control still on the back of Barnett. Barnett fights to his knees and regains his feet then they trade lefts. Collier lands a left hook to close the round. We might not get a second with how banged up Barnett is.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Collier, borderline 10-8

ROUND TWO: That cut is below Barnett’s eye but the swelling is still concerning. The doctor is in to check on Barnett’s eye, apparently he can see well enough to continue fighting, I’m not sure how advisable that is but I’m not the doctor. Barnett’s mouth is off too, something’s wrong with the left side of his mouth. One two from Barnett land. Seriously, Barnett looks a little bit like he had a stroke with that facial position. Collier eats a couple of punches then lands a stiff jab that backs Barnett up. They clinch then Barnett lands a body kick. Another clinch and Collier lands a few knees, he tries a takedown but Barnett avoids it and gets on top. Barnett unloads with punches as he gets the back. Full mount for Barnett, he unloads with hammer fists and punches. Collier keeps moving enough to keep the fight going but he’s struggling with the bigger man sitting on him. More punches from Barnett and the ref steps in to stop the fight.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Chris Barnett via TKO, punches, at 2:24 of Round 2

Mic time for Barnett after our first finish of the night, he plays with the crowd to start. He says heavyweights like him and Collier make for exciting heavyweight fights and thanks the crowd for the love and thanks them from the bottom of his heart. He jokes about Collier being a liar because his prefight interview was all “we’re gonna got out there and swing” after they clinched. When talking us through the finish he mentions he’s a turtle shell if you let him on your back because he’s not going anywhere, and promises to do better each time for the fans.

Here’s the finish, just nice accuracy in the ground and pound while on top. It helps that Barnett is a very big man and that makes getting him off of you even harder.

Denis Tiuliulin lost his UFC debut back in March and now he’s trying to rebound with that all important first UFC win. Jamie Pickett has gone 2-3 in the UFC and is coming off of a loss, now he’s looking to avoid another loss and get his UFC record back to the .500 mark. This one is close on the odds but they’re with Pickett at -130 against +110 for Tiuliulin.

Middleweight Bout: Jamie Pickett (13-7, 185.5 lbs.) vs. Denis Tiuliulin (10-6, 186 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Pickett is an inch taller with three inches of reach advantage. Southpaw for Pickett, and they touch gloves to get us going. Side kick from Pickett lands. Tiuliulin blocks a head kick. Solid left from Pickett then a head kick to follow up. Pickett lands a body kick, Tiuliulin lands a right hand to counter though. Another body kick from Pickett. Tiuliulin lands a body kick, then Pickett returns it. Pickett tries a takedown, they wind up clinched on the fence though. Elbow from Pickett as they break. Tiuliulin lands a right hand. Pickett avoids a right hand then lands a right hook. Pickett might already be slowing down. Right hook from Pickett lands. Tiuliulin is still pressing forward now, he’s looking to force Pickett into bad positions. Right hand from Tiuliulin lands. Pickett lands a bit of a high kick. They trade power hand punches, but the pressure of Tiuliulin is getting to Pickett now. Tiuliulin lands a right hand, then another and they trade in the pocket. Pickett lands a body kick. Tiuliulin fires a body kick but it strays into the groin and Pickett drops as we get a time out. That definitely sounded like a low blow, and the replay shows it glanced off the cup but definitely made some contact. Pickett recovers pretty quickly and we’re back to fighting after about a minute. Tiuliulin lands a body kick. Both men miss punches in close, then Tiuliulin lands a right hand. They just kind of circle away the final seconds.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Tiuliulin but could go either way

ROUND TWO: They touch gloves for the second round. Tiuliulin gets right back to pressure. Both men show body kicks as they circle. Bit of a left from Pickett. Pickett lands a body kick. Bit of a one two from Tiuliulin then a body kick. Pickett lands a left hand. Tiuliulin is doing a pretty decent job of cutting Pickett off as he circles, and he lands a couple of body shots. Pickett blocks a head kick. Tiuliulin lands a right hand then unloads with some punches during a brief clinch. Pickett lands a left hand but Tiuliulin doesn’t care. They clash on kicks and Pickett took another kick to the groin so we’ve got time out. Replay shows the knee of Tiuliulin hit the groin for sure as they traded kicks. Pickett takes about 50 seconds but the ref takes a point from Tiuliulin for the second low blow and we’re back to fighting after a shade over a minute total time out. Tiuliulin lands some punches on the restart, he’s looking to force the issue now. Pickett lands a left but eats a counter elbow. Tiuliulin lands a right hand, then another one and an elbow. Tiuliulin is able to grab a clinch and drops Pickett with an elbow. Pickett rolls to his knees as Tiuliulin gets on top then winds up rolling to full guard. Tiuliulin easily passes to side control and lands some elbows. Pickett rolls to his knees and stands but he’s still hurt as they break. Tiuliulin lands a right hand. Both men land long range punches then Tiuliulin avoids a takedown attempt. More elbows from Tiuliulin in close, the left eye of Pickett is swelling. Tiuliulin lands a knee in the clinch, then one to the head that drops Pickett. Tiuliulin gets on top in the ride position and lands punches until the ref waves off the fight.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Denis Tiuliulin via TKO, knee and punches, at 4:52 of Round 2

Pretty solid performance from Tiuliulin, who gets an interview with his translator. He opens with English to say he loves Vegas and thank the UFC for being the best MMA organization in the world, then puts over Pickett for the good battle. He says he’s always ready and is ready to fight again this year.

Some nice posture control from Tiuliulin on the finish here, he uses the frame with his left arm to keep Pickett partially doubled over and is able to land enough knees to drop him. From there Pickett is too beat up and tired to mount the necessary defense.

Jailton Almeida has gone 2-0 in the UFC and hasn’t lost an MMA fight since 2018, now he’s looking to continue building that momentum and begin establishing himself as a genuine rising force in the promotion. Anton Turkalij is undefeated and took this fight on relatively short notice when Shamil Abdurakhimov ran into visa issues hence the odd catchweight of 220 pounds, he’s looking to score a significant upset and get his UFC career going with a metaphorical bang. The odds are heavily with Almeida at -660 to a +490 payout on Turkalj.

Catchweight Bout: Jailton Almeida (16-2, 216.5 lbs.) vs. Anton Turkalj (8-0, 214 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Turkalj is an inch taller while Almeida has an inch of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get us going. Leg kicks go back and forth. Almeida shoots a double leg and gets Turkalj down against the fence. Turkalj gives up the back trying to wall walk, Almeida settles for the ride position at first. Turkalj is able to get upright but Almeida hits a mat return and gets back on top in the ride position. Almeida moves to side control and lands a hammer fist. More short punches from Almeida as he keeps Turkalj down on the mat. Almeida lands more punches as Turkalj moves to his knees against the fence. Turkalj is able to get upright with Almeida on his back in the clinch. Inside trip from Almeida and he’s back on top in half guard. Almeida looks to pass to full mount, and does so. Turkalj gives up the back but Almeida is on a choke attempt, he switches to an arm triangle as Turkalj rolls to his back to avoid the rear naked choke. Almeida bails on the choke to land punches and hammer fists, then grabs the rear naked choke as Turkalj rolls and gets the tap.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Jailton Almeida via Submission, rear naked choke, at 4:27 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Almeida for his work this evening. Mic time for Almeida and his translator, he’s asked which division he’s going to compete in after success at both heavyweight and light heavyweight and says he wants to be at heavyweight so he doesn’t have to cut weight then thanks his team for their work. He talks us through the finish then advocates for a team mate who’s suspended.

This doesn’t show the full nastiness of this choke, but watch the right arm of Almeida and you’ll get an idea. He’s punching with his left hand, so Turkalj is worried about it and turning into the choke that he doesn’t even see. Seriously nasty set up for the choke, Almeida is a legitimate rising prospect.

Hakeem Dawodu missed weight for this fight, never a good thing, but he’s gone 6-1 in his last seven fights and he’s looking to build another winning streak here and put the weight gaff behind him. Julian Erosa has gone 4-1 since returning to the UFC and is on a two fight winning streak, he’s trying to take out a rising prospect and get arguably the biggest win of his career. Dawodu is your favorite at -210 while the +180 comeback on Erosa might tempt a few bettors out there.

Featherweight Bout: Hakeem Dawodu (13-2-1, 149.5 lbs.) vs. Julian Erosa (27-9, 146 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Erosa is five inches taller with an inch of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get us going. Both men show front kicks as they circle. Some stance switching from Erosa now. Some leg kicks go back and forth, mostly range finding as neither man is putting a ton of heat on them yet. Spinning attack from Erosa lands. Erosa catches a kick and forces Dawodu to the fence but can’t capitalize. A left from Erosa off balances Dawodu for a moment. Dawodu avoids a hook and lands a calf kick. Bit of a left from Erosa, Dawodu responds with a jab. Both men miss rights in close. Erosa digs a left to the body then some uppercuts in close. A one two from Erosa badly hurts Dawodu, Erosa looks to press the issue but Dawodu recovers and grabs a clinch. Some knees from Erosa in the clinch, he’s going for the body as they separate. Dawodu lands a right hand. Erosa starts getting his jab working, then he lands a right hand. Uppercuts from Erosa in close land, he’s finding them in close and Dawodu isn’t expecting them. More punches from Erosa then he shoots a double leg that winds up in a clinch on the fence. Erosa goes back to body shots before they break. Dawodu misses a one two. Erosa blocks a head kick and lands a knee to the body. Right from Erosa staggers Dawodu, then he lands an uppercut and a knee. Erosa unloads along the fence but Dawodu ties up and hangs on as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Erosa

ROUND TWO: Dawodu is still a little out of it as we start the round. Erosa lands an uppercut in close. Dawodu starts throwing back, he lands a right hand. Dawodu starts looking to get his jab working. Erosa lands a leg kick. Dawodu lands a leg kick, he seems fully recovered now. Jab from Dawodu. Erosa misses a right hand. Bit of a left from Erosa and they tie up, then Erosa lands a left but Dawodu lands an elbow as they break. Another clinch, both men land uppercuts then they break. Dawodu lands a jab but eats a counter leg kick. Erosa lands a left and they trade in close. Jab from Erosa then he grabs a takedown and trips Dawodu down. Erosa gets the back, winds up in the backpack position as Dawodu stands. Erosa is fishing for the choke, he pulls Dawodu back to the mat but can’t quite find the choke. Dawodu is hand fighting well enough but the body triangle from Erosa is keeping him in a bad position. Erosa lands some punches while trying to open up the choke. Choke attempt from Erosa but it’s not that close and he bails to land elbows to the head. More elbows from Erosa, now punches as well. Both men are bleeding from the bridge of the nose. Dawodu stands, Erosa keeps the clinch and knees the body a few times before the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Erosa, 20-18 Erosa overall

ROUND THREE: They touch gloves for the last round. Dawodu gets back to working the jab right away. Erosa is circling and feinting. A lot of stance switching from Erosa as he circles, then he lands a right hand. Front kick from Dawodu. Dawodu lands a jab. Erosa lands a couple of jabs while circling. Bit of a right from Erosa. Dawodu lands a right hand, as Cormier expresses his dislike for open scoring on commentary. Erosa lands a right uppercut. Combination from Erosa lands but Dawodu just eats it. They split jabs. Both men miss punches then clinch and break without incident. Some rights from Erosa land then Dawodu lands a knee. Erosa starts pushing forward, he lands a right hand then uppercuts in close. Bit of a knee from Erosa. Both men miss punches then they clinch and Dawodu lands a knee before they break. Both men land rights. Double leg from Erosa and he’s got Dawodu down. Dawodu to his knees, Erosa immediately jumps on his back and gets a body triangle. Erosa goes back to landing punches and elbows while trying to open up the choke. More punches from Erosa land as he’s trying to attack the choke. Dawodu is able to spin into the guard of Erosa and they start trading strikes on the mat. Erosa kicks Dawodu away and regains his feet. Dawodu misses a wheel kick to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Erosa, 30-27 Erosa overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Julia Erosa via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

Impressive performance from Erosa, but we’re behind on time so no interview for Erosa.

That’s it for preliminary action, on to PPV for the main card. The main card opens with a graphic in memory of Queen Elizabeth II.

Johnny Walker has had a pretty stunning fall from grace in the UFC, he burst into the promotion with three first round finishes but has gone just 1-4 since then and is on a two fight losing streak. Walker was last seen getting knocked out in the first round and he badly needs a win here to maintain anything like a relevant position in the division. Ion Cutelaba has been pretty up and down during his UFC run, he’s 1-1-1 in his last three fights and was most recently defeated by Ryan Spann. Cutelaba is looking for the biggest win of his career if he can take out the ranked Walker. Despite the ranking disparity the odds are with Cutelaba at -210 to the +180 underdog Walker.

Light Heavyweight Bout: Ion Cutelaba (16-7-1 1 NC, 205.5 lbs.) vs. #12 Johnny Walker (18-7, 205 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Walker is five inches taller with a whopping seven inches of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get us going. Walker starts showing the jab, Cutelaba with a partially successful head kick. Cutelaba catches a kick and takes Walker down into full guard. Walker lands some strikes off of his back, Cutelaba looks to posture up and land his own strikes. Some short elbows from Cutelaba land. Walker is able to reverse and they scramble back up to their feet with Walker on the back in the clinch. Mat return from Walker and he jumps on the back then grabs a neck crank but Cutelaba is able to defend. Another choke attempt from Walker but again Cutelaba is able to defend. Walker keeps attacking the choke but Cutelaba is hand fighting well enough thus far. Finally one choke attempt gets close and Walker is able to crank it down and force the tap.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Johnny Walker via Submission, rear naked choke, at 4:37 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Walker for his work this evening. Mic time for Walker, he requests a post fight bonus because he’s getting married in December and says he wants to prove he can do more than just knock people out. He talks us through the finish and says commitment and consistency are key to success.

Irene Aldana has a pretty solid UFC record of 6-4 and has gone 3-1 in her last four fights only losing to Holly Holm and last stopping Yana Kunitskaya in the first round a little over a year ago. Aldana has been on the cusp of a title shot for a while now and if she can get a win here in impressive fashion it might be enough to finally secure a date with the champion. Macy Chiasson has gone 3-1 in her last four fights and got a split decision win her last time out, a win here would be a big one for Chiasson and might start moving her towards the title scene as well. The odds are with Aldana at -180 while the +155 payout for Chiasson might be a tempting value bet.

Catchweight Bout: #4 Irene Aldana (13-6, 137.5 lbs.) vs. #10 Macy Chiasson (8-2, 139.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Chiasson is two inches taller with three and a half inches of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get us going, Chiasson fighting southpaw. A lot of circling to start. A lot of stance switching from Chiasson, Aldana looks to get her jab going. Inside leg kick from Chiasson. Aldana lands a leg kick. Body kick from Chiasson. Aldana lands an inside leg kick. Jab from Aldana, Chiasson tries a takedown but they stall out on the fence. Aldana lands a few knees to the body then slips free. Bit of a left from Chiasson. Aldana lands a jab. Right hand from Aldana. Chiasson lands a jab but eats a leg kick. Inside leg kick from Chiasson. Aldana lands a couple of jabs then a leg kick. Aldana is happy to kick either leg of Chiasson. Chiasson misses a head kick. Aldana avoids a single leg attempt. Leg kick from Aldana then a right hand. Aldana’s pressure is getting to Chiasson a bit at this point, and she lands another right hand. Chiasson keeps circling but she’s getting put on the fence very quickly. Aldana lands a combination. Chiasson tries a takedown, but Aldana grabs an armbar from the back as they fall and cranks it then transitions to full mount. Elbows from Aldana then she grabs the armbar again. Again Aldana has to switch but gets full mount then moves to side control and lands elbows. Punches and hammer fists from Aldana as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Aldana, borderline 10-8

ROUND TWO: They touch gloves to get back to work. Chiasson pushes forward with kicks. They trade punches in close. Aldana lands a leg kick. Chiasson lands a body kick but eats a counter right. Aldana lands another right hand. Chiasson tries a double leg and gets it against the fence. Aldana rolls for a leg lock, uses that to sweep and get on top though now Chiasson is threatening to take the back. Some short elbows from Aldana land as she’s avoiding a back take. They scramble back up, then back down and Chiasson is able to move to the ride position then get the back with both hooks in. Aldana looks to roll and get on top but Chiasson rides through to keep the back and land short elbows. Chiasson now tries to flatten out Aldana and lands elbows. Full mount for Chiasson and she keeps landing strikes as Aldana looks to defend from the bottom. Aldana gets half guard as they scramble and avoids taking too much more damage. Arm triangle attack from Chiasson but she loses it as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Chiasson, another borderline 10-8, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: Chiasson lands an inside leg kick. They trade rights. Jab from Aldana and she avoids a double leg attempt. Aldana lands a stiff right hand. Chiasson didn’t seem to like that, she’s letting off the pressure to recover. Aldana avoids a looping left hook. Chiasson lands a left hand then hits a double leg into full guard. Aldana kicks Chiasson off, and lands a body kick to the body and Chiasson crumples clutching her body and we’re done. Amazing, up kick to the body ended that one.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Irene Aldana via TKO, up kick to the body, at 2:21 of Round 3

The Final Round Finish Club thanks Ms. Aldana for her work this evening. Aldana gets an interview, she talks about training everything and is glad her kick was able to be shown off. She puts over Chiasson’s second round and notes they agreed to a catchweight fight and Aldana is normally a bantamweight but she’s happy to have had the fight. She switches to Spanish to close.

Li Jingliang has been a top level welterweight for quite some time now, he’s 5-2 in his last seven fights and is coming off of a stoppage win over dangerous striker Muslim Salikhov. Li is trying to build another winning streak and resume moving up through the shark infested welterweight ranks. Daniel Rodriguez has gone 6-1 in the UFC and is on a three fight winning streak last beating Kevin Lee, now he’s looking to take out his first ranked opponent and potentially earn a ranking of his own as he moves up in class. This one is close but the odds lean towards Rodriguez at -170 to +145 on Li.

Catchweight Bout: #14 Li Jingliang (19-7, 170.5 lbs.) vs. Daniel Rodriguez (16-2, 179 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Rodriguez is an inch taller with two and a half inches of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get us going, Rodriguez fighting southpaw. Rodriguez looks to establish his jab early as he feints his way forward. Left hand from Rodriguez lands. Body kick from Rodriguez then a right hand as well. Li lands a body kick. Inside leg kick from Rodriguez. Bit of a right from Li then a body kick. Rodriguez lands a jab. Li lands an inside leg kick. Another jab from Rodriguez, he’s really dialing in that weapon now. Li lands a body shot that’s nearly a groin shot, then lands a body kick. Body kick from Rodriguez, Li responds with a leg kick. Another body kick from Li lands. Bit of a head kick from Rodriguez. Inside leg kick from Rodriguez. Li misses a couple of punches. Li goes southpaw and they trade leg kicks then Li goes orthodox again. Rodriguez avoids a kick and lands a cracking left hook then a couple of follow ups. Body jab from Rodriguez, then one to the head. Li lands a leg kick. Inside leg kick from Li then a right hand to follow. They feint away the final seconds.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Li but could go either way

ROUND TWO: Li comes forward to start the round. Bit of a left from Rodriguez then he lands an inside leg kick. Rodriguez is getting his lead hand going again, he avoids a few hooks as Li is starting to bite on his feints. Jab from Rodriguez then they trade inside leg kicks. Li eats a jab as he’s coming in close. Another leg kick from Rodriguez then a jab. Bit of a right from Li but he’s starting to swing a little wild. Front kick from Li. Inside leg kick from Rodriguez. Li goes southpaw, and eats a jab. They trade jabs now that Li is southpaw, and Rodriguez lands a couple of solid leg kicks. Another leg kick from Rodriguez. Bit of a right hook from Rodriguez. Li goes back to orthodox. Inside leg kick from Rodriguez. Body kick then a left hand from Rodriguez, Li responds with a leg kick. Li lands an inside leg kick. Stiff couple of jabs from Rodriguez land. Li lands a left hook then a right hand to follow up. Front kick from Li lands. Leg kick from Rodriguez then a jab. Stiff jab from Rodriguez then a head kick, but Li catches it and trips Rodriguez down as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Li, 20-18 Li overall

ROUND THREE: They touch gloves for the last round. Rodriguez starts pushing forward, he probably needs a finish and knows it. Both men land body shots. Rodriguez lands a couple of jabs. Li lands a body shot. Rodriguez lands a left hand. Body kick from Li. Jabs from Rodriguez land. Li lands an inside leg kick. Rodriguez lands a left hand then a right to follow up. They trade jabs as Li circles. Rodriguez lands a jab. Bit of a right hook from Li, then Rodriguez sticks him with another jab. Rodriguez lands a left to the body. Bit of a right from Li. Rodriguez lands a left to the body then avoids the counters. Leg kick from Rodriguez. More jabs from Rodriguez then he blocks a counter punch. A nice slip and counter from Rodriguez. Rodriguez lands some jabs but he’s got to build off of it as he needs a big round. More jabs from Rodriguez as he’s stalking forward. Li might be fading but we’re under 30 seconds. Bit of a high kick from Rodriguez. Li avoids a few punches. They wind up feinting away the final seconds.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Rodriguez, 29-28 Li overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Daniel Rodriguez via split decision (28-29, 29-28 x2)

Well that’s a little surprising, but if you hang the whole thing on the second round that was a close round. Mic time for Rodriguez, he says fighting on 24 hours notice means you just have to go in there and handle business. Asked about the weight he says this was the most comfortable weeks of preparation he’s had and felt great at 180. Asked about the decision he feels he didn’t do enough and felt he needed a stoppage. Props to him for honesty.

Khamzat Chimaev is undefeated in MMA and has taken the sport somewhat by storm as he’s run through all five of his UFC fights with only his most recent one against Gilbert Burns being competitive. Chimaev did have weight issues and wound up with a change of opponents but if he can replicate his dominance and violence again tonight it’ll go a long way towards putting that behind him. Kevin Holland has gone 2-2 with 1 No Contest in his last five fights but he’s on a two fight winning streak and now has the chance to get the biggest win of his career if he’s able to upset the ranked and highly touted Chimaev. Unsurprisingly Chimaev is a big favorite at -560 while a Holland win would payout at +430. Also keep in mind this fight is set for five rounds.

Catchweight Bout: Khamzat Chimaev (11-0, 178.5 lbs.) vs. Kevin Holland (23-7 1 NC, 179.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Holland is an inch taller with a significant six inches of reach advantage. Immediate takedown from Chimaev, Holland granby rolls through and they clinch up on the fence. Chimaev slips to the back and forces Holland down into side control. Holland hip escapes to full guard, and Chimaev looks to land punches from a standing position. Chimaev passes to side control and lands strikes as Holland wall walks. Another takedown from Chimaev, he grabs a potential d’arce choke from the front headlock, Holland tries to shrimp in and make some space but Chimaev keeps clamping it down. They roll again and again Chimaev adjusts his grip, he keeps rolling into top position using the d’arce position to constantly threaten the finish. Chimaev rolls his legs in close and locks down the choke to force the tap.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Khamzat Chimaev via Submission, d’arce choke, at 2:13 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Chimaev for his work this evening. Mic time for Chimaev, he yells at the crowd to do something now and calls himself the most dangerous guy in the division and threatens to kill everyone. Asked about missing weight he doesn’t care and says he’s here and will fight everyone. He says the doctor stopped him from making weight, he’s willing to die in the cage and wont leave the cage. Well that’ll make the next fight awkward. He rambles a bit and claims the doctor screwed him as he thinks he could have made weight. He talks us through the finish, and puts over his coaches for getting him ready. Asked about fighting at welterweight or middleweight he claims he’s going after both belts, then thanks Sweden and Chechnya for their support.

Nate Diaz has been a member of the UFC roster since winning TUF 5 way back in 2007, he’s had some ups and downs along the way but did fight for the lightweight title in 2012 then becoming a bona finde superstar when he choked out Conor McGregor in 2016. Diaz has lost his last two fights, getting cut up and stopped against Jorge Masvidal then losing a decision to now champion Leon Edwards. This is the last fight on Diaz’s deal and could easily be his swansong with the promotion. Tony Ferguson was one of the premier lightweights in the world from 2014 to 2020 when he ran into a buzzsaw named Justin Gaethje. Ferguson was supposed to fight for the lightweight title, and was scheduled to fight Khabib Nurmagomedov a total of four times with both men having issues that prevented it from ever happening. Now Ferguson is 0-4 in his last four fights, slightly mitigated by the level of opposition but he was brutally knocked out in his most recent fight, now he’s moving back to welterweight for the first time since 2011 and hoping to find more success up there. A win over Diaz would be the highest profile win of Ferguson’s career and could set him up for some big money fights as his career seems to be winding down. Ferguson is a slight -140 favorite to a +120 payout on Diaz that must be a tempting value bet.

Welterweight Bout: Nate Diaz (20-13, 171 lbs.) vs. Tony Ferguson (25-7, 171 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Diaz is an inch taller while Ferguson has half an inch of reach advantage. Southpaw for Diaz while Ferguson is a serial stance switcher. Both men land lead hand punches to start things off. Spinning elbow from Ferguson partially lands. Ferguson catches a kick and off balances Diaz then kicks him on the way up. Leg kick from Ferguson. Bit of a front kick from Ferguson. Diaz jabs the body but he’s already kind of running out of ideas. Ferguson is pressuring forward a lot. Bit of a right from Ferguson, but Ferguson’s left shin is cut and bleeding off of a checked kick. Front kick from Ferguson. Ferguson lands a body shot. Diaz lands a leg kick. Body jab from Ferguson. Another leg kick from Ferguson, he’s just keeping a busy pace and chipping away at Diaz. Both men avoid strikes in close. Ferguson lands a left hook. Bit of a body shot from Ferguson. Diaz lands a one two. Ferguson lands a leg kick. Bit of a jab from Diaz then they trade leg kicks. Glancing uppercut from Ferguson. Diaz avoids an elbow and lands a right hook. Ferguson lands a hard leg kick then a front kick to the body. Inside leg kick from Ferguson. Ferguson misses a spinning attack. Now it’s Ferguson who seems out of ideas. Bit of a left hand from Diaz, Ferguson responds with a flurry as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Ferguson but a close one

ROUND TWO: Ferguson comes out feinting a level change. Diaz lands a leg kick, Ferguson returns it. Bit of a right from Ferguson. Ferguson lands a right hook. Diaz lands a glancing right hand. This is a weird fight, not boring or bad but definitely weird. Ferguson slips a jab and lands a leg kick. Bit of an elbow from Ferguson. Diaz lands a left hand. Front kick from Ferguson. Ferguson lands an uppercut then a right hook. Bit of a left from Diaz. Ferguson lands a right hand. Leg kick from Ferguson and he avoids the counters. Hard inside leg kick from Ferguson, then another one. Bit of a right hook from Ferguson. Diaz keeps pushing forward though and looking to land, he lands a glancing left and Ferguson is cut around the right eye. Ferguson lands a body kick. Body shot from Ferguson then an elbow to follow up. Diaz keeps marching forward though. Jab from Diaz lands. Diaz lands a couple of punches in close and Ferguson fires back with an uppercut. Ferguson lands a body kick. Diaz lands a left to the body. Inside leg kick from Ferguson, those are adding up and Diaz is showing some stance switches. Another inside leg kick from Ferguson then a body kick. Both men miss rights as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Ferguson, 20-18 Ferguson overall

ROUND THREE: That’s not a good cut, there are two one above the eyebrow one below it on Ferguson’s right brow. I did not expect Ferguson to bleed before Diaz. Diaz comes forward right away. Inside leg kick from Ferguson and Diaz starts switching his stance. Bit of a right from Diaz. That right leg of Diaz is really beat up. Ferguson keeps landing leg kicks as he’s circling. Hard inside leg kick from Ferguson staggers Diaz. Ferguson lands a right hook and Diaz walks away, Ferguson waits for him. Very odd interaction here but they do get back to fighting. More leg kicks from Ferguson, he’s tearing that let up. Ferguson lands a right hand. Diaz lands a left hand then a leg kick and winks. Double leg from Ferguson is abandoned pretty quickly then he lands an inside leg kick. Body shot from Ferguson then an elbow. Diaz lands a right hand. Leg kick from Ferguson then a body kick. Stiff right from Ferguson. Diaz lands a left hand and looks to flurry but Ferguson circles away. Bit of a right from Ferguson then a left to the body. Diaz lands a leg kick and they both swing and miss in close. Uppercut from Ferguson, Diaz lands a body kick. Ferguson jabs the body. Diaz gets close and lands a couple of punches then points and laughs at Ferguson, who responds with hard leg kicks. Ferguson lands a jab. Another jab from Ferguson as he’s circling. Inside leg kick from Ferguson lands. Both men miss punches. Ferguson lands a couple of jabs then another inside leg kick. Diaz partially lands a left then they trade kicks to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Ferguson, 30-27 Ferguson overall

ROUND FOUR: Ferguson lands a body shot. Front kick from Ferguson lands. Bit of a body kick from Ferguson. Diaz avoids an ankle pick. Ferguson lands a left hook then an inside leg kick. Diaz avoids an uppercut. Ferguson lands an uppercut then an inside leg kick. Jab from Ferguson lands. Diaz lands a left hand and looks to follow up but Ferguson avoids him. Ferguson blocks some punches and circles away. Diaz checks a leg kick then looks to unload in close but he can’t corral Ferguson. Ferguson lands a left to the body then an inside leg kick. Diaz lands a jab. Body shots from Diaz now then a left hook. Ferguson hits a double leg, Diaz grabs a guillotine choke and Ferguson taps out.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Nate Diaz via Submission, guillotine choke, at 2:52 of Round 4

Mic time for Diaz after that big win, he says he had a full wrestling fight camp without boxing and had to make this happen in the fight. Asked about the situation around the fight he insults Chimaev as a “bitch ass rookie” and he doesn’t worry about people like that. He’s just here to get his job done and got an OG in his last UFC fight. Asked about the future he knows it’s been a love/hate relationship with the UFC, but he puts over the UFC brass for giving him the shots he got and feels he’s had the longest and most successful UFC career to date. He wants to get out of the UFC for a minute and show everyone how to take over another sport, he says Conor McGregor knew how to do it, but he’s going to take over another profession and become the best at that then he’ll be back here to get a UFC title. Rogan asks if he means boxing and Diaz plays a little coy about that, and calls himself the top wherever he goes. To close he puts over his usual list of people. Wait, Ernie Reyes Jr. is in his corner? That’s random and very cool.

Tony Ferguson gets an interview as well, he calls this week wild and says it was fun and an honor. He calls this a super fight, four rounds of carnage and he’d have liked more time but isn’t going to complain. He puts over his team and family then says he’s back.

Well that wraps up UFC 279, a card full of chaos all fight week. We’ll be unpacking all of the fallout from this event on the 411 Ground and Pound MMA Podcast plus looking ahead to next week in UFC action. I’ll be back here next week for UFC on ESPN+ 68 when Cory Sandhagen takes on Song Yadong in a great bantamweight fight, and I hope you’ll be here as well. Until next time thank you as always for reading, stay safe out there, and keep checking 411mania for all of your pop culture needs.

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