In the end, Nate Diaz had the last laugh.
Last night in Vegas, he picked up what will likely be the last UFC win of his storied MMA career, one that began way back in 2004 at WEC 12 . And it was quite the curtain call, as Diaz submitted veteran Tony Ferguson with a slick guillotine in the fourth round of the PPV main event.
In a fight that was contested entirely on the feet, both men had their moments. Ferguson brutally chopped Diaz’s legs with low kicks throughout, buckling Stockton’s favorite son on multiple occasions. But Diaz, ever the dogged competitor, stayed on his feet and marched through the pain, retaliating with his share of punch combinations and straight left hands. It was a highly competitive scrap that seemed destined for the scorecards until Diaz secured the submission win.
In the aftermath, it seems like the entire MMA community is happy for Diaz because of what he had to go through in the lead-up. Everyone knew the UFC was trying their damnedest to drop the Californian’s stock as much as possible before he became a free agent. They were feeding him their next big thing in Khamzat Chimaev, who had all the makings of a superstar with an undefeated record, violent style, and affinity for candid trash talk. They knew Diaz was ready to leave the UFC, so why not use his name to put Chimaev over? It was a clear setup; the UFC was sending another of their old horses out to pasture.Â
But at the Friday weigh-in, all hell broke loose, and Diaz was the surprising benefactor. For starters, Chimaev arrogantly missed weight by an egregious 7.5 pounds, forcing the UFC to shuffle the deck at the eleventh hour. And somehow, they managed to keep the card intact.
Tony Ferguson replaced Chimaev against Diaz, and Chimaev was matched against Kevin Holland. Chimaev-Holland was a natural fit because Holland was scheduled to fight Daniel Rodriguez at a catchweight of 180 pounds, which was right near the bloated Chimaev’s 178.5 pounds. That matchup also made sense because of the bad blood between the two, with Chimaev having kicked Holland before the final press conference, which led to several fracases and ultimately the cancellation of the conference itself. The last of the three reconfigured matchups was Li Jiangliang, Ferguson’s original opponent, who agreed to take on Rodriguez despite giving up ten pounds.
Ultimately, it was Diaz who benefitted the most from the last-minute opponent change because Ferguson was a 38-year-old riding a four-fight losing skid, the last of which was a brutal knockout by the foot of Michael Chandler.
In addition, despite Ferguson’s wrestling background, he typically keeps the fight on the feet, which is Diaz’s preferred style as well. And that's exactly where the fight unfolded. Although it was far from easy, with Diaz's legs getting chewed up like a toy in the mouth of a rabid Rottweiler, he came out on top.
And considering how dominant Chimaev looked against Holland in the co-main event, fans can now let out a deep, collective exhale knowing that Diaz likely avoided a similarly grim fate. Chimaev wasted no time in immediately dragging Holland to the canvas and never letting go. He maintained top position despite Holland’s repeated attempts to scramble, which led to a D’arce choke opening that Chimaev sunk in. And there was nothing Holland could do at that point, as he was forced to tap in the first round.
Although Chimaev showed a complete lack of professionalism during fight week, including his initiation of a brawl, massive weight-cut fail, and subsequent unapologetic response, he still performed remarkably. He once again demonstrated his elite grappling skills and finishing ability that make him a nightmare matchup for any welterweight or middleweight on the planet.
And that’s the next key question. Will he be able to make 170 pounds if he’s given a welterweight title shot or will he be forced to move up to 185 and beat a few contenders before inevitably facing champion Israel Adesanya?
Chimaev has fully embraced the heel role, antagonizing the fans at every opportunity with his bold, hubristic assertions of being unbeatable. And that might make him even more marketable. Every story needs a villain, and he has quickly turned into a menacing one. Fans will continue to watch in the hopes of seeing him lose and he will continue to try to disappoint them. If Chimaev stays focused in training and keeps performing impressively like he did last night, he might be disappointing his haters for many years to come.
I also have to add a few quick words about Jianliang-Rodriguez. It was a close contest that Rodriguez won by split decision, a verdict that many on social media disagreed with. Li deserves the utmost respect for not only accepting the fight against a much bigger opponent but putting up a valiant effort in executing an intelligent gameplan. Yes, it was a technical affair that didn’t have the fiery action of the top two fights, but fans should not have been booing either man. They both took the fight on short notice, having prepared for different opponents, and they adjusted as best as they could. It would be nice to see the UFC reward them with well-ranked opposition in their next fights.
In the end, UFC 279 turned out to be a solid card considering the maelstrom of pandemonium that took place leading up to it. Two of the three matchups were competitive, including the all-important main event. And to the fans' delight, Diaz earned an impressive finish over a fellow legend.
If Diaz sticks to his decision to leave the UFC and compete in other fighting disciplines, I wish him the best. He deserves a few more paydays on his terms before he rides off into the sunset. He's a fight game stalwart who has produced some of the most iconic moments in the sport. He always did things his way and he has earned the right to do so one more time in the twilight of his career.Â
Photo Credit:
Great piece, well done!