Chimaev weighed about three kilos too much to be allowed to go to the big match against Nate Diaz. The solution, before tonight’s clash in Las Vegas, is that the Swede will be allowed to move up a weight class and face the unranked Kevin Holland.
The same Holland that Chimaev is said to have argued with before Thursday’s press conference and is also said to have kicked. A fight that degenerated which led to the cancellation of the press conference with the stars of the UFC 279 gala.
Khamzat Chimaev’s overweight led to a number of changes in the gala.
Nate Diaz now gets to face Tony Ferguson in the gala’s main match. This means that Ferguson’s intended opponent also gets a new opponent.
— It is no coincidence that we bring in guys of the same weight in case something goes wrong. This worked out, sometimes it can be difficult to get guys to take another fight, said UFC president Dana White, according to ESPN.