The UFC appears to be in a hell of a bind for their upcoming Vegas UFC 279 PPV card. The promotion had been banking on a non-title bout between Khamzat Chimaev and Nate Diaz to sell an otherwise thin offering to fight fans, and had even started to build a little hype for the event with some press-conference antics involving multiple camps in a back-stage scuffle.
Now it’s not even clear if they’ll have a card to put on come Saturday night. That’s after Chimaev came in 7.5 lbs over the welterweight limit. According to NSAC rules, if Diaz doesn’t accept the catch-weight bout, the UFC can’t swap in a new main event opponent after weigh-ins. Despite the amount of money on the line for everyone involved, however, ‘Borz’ seems to be taking the whole thing in stride.
As he stepped off the scale, the AllStar Training Center talent shrugged and told reporters, “that’s not bad.” Shortly afterward, he took to his social media account with another attempt to lighten the mood.
@darrentill2 It’s his fault pic.twitter.com/chmZTZ7ctc
— Khamzat Chimaev (@KChimaev) September 9, 2022
As recently as the night before weigh-ins, Chimaev was reportedly seen hanging out at a restaurant, eating and drinking. Sources close to the UFC are saying that a ‘medical issue’ was behind Chimaev’s weight miss, however. If that’s the case it seems to have been kept deep under wraps.
No official word yet on what the UFC’s plans are for the UFC 279 main event. Stay tuned to Bloody Elbow for more news and updates.
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