(Editor's note: On Friday, Khamzat Chimaev missed weight for the UFC 279 main event with Nate Diaz, which prompted a reshuffling of the top three fights on Saturday's card. The new matchups now include Diaz vs. Tony Ferguson, Chimaev vs. Kevin Holland, and Li Jingliang vs. Daniel Rodriguez.)
One of MMA's most iconic personalities returns to the cage for Saturday's UFC 279 pay-per-view event at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas – but not in the way we expected.
Veteran badass and cult hero Nate Diaz serves originally was slated to fight fast-rising welterweight contender Khamzat Chimaev, who was a massive 10-1 favorite.
However, when Chimaev badly missed weight for the fight, weighing 178.5 pounds for the 170-pound fight, UFC officials reshuffled the card.
Now, the competitors in the top three fights of the card all have new opponents: Diaz vs. Ferguson at 170 pounds, Chimaev vs. Kevin Holland at 180 pounds, and Li Jingliang vs. Daniel Rodriguez at 180 pounds.
The 13-bout fight card kicks off at 6 p.m. ET for early prelims (ESPN+), followed by additional prelims at 8 p.m. ET (ESPNews) and then the pay-per-view main card at 10 p.m. ET (ESPN+ PPV).
You can check out the full list of UFC 279 odds via FanDuel for all of the fights on Saturday’s lineup below.
UFC 279 Odds
Early Preliminary Card
6 p.m. ET
ESPN+
Darian Weeks vs. Yohan Lainesse
Welterweight Bout
Odds
Weeks Odds
-128
Lainesse Odds
+104
Over/under rounds
1.5 (-182 / +142)
Melissa Martinez vs. Elise Reed
Women's Strawweight Bout
Odds
Martinez Odds
-170
Reed Odds
+138
Over/under rounds
1.5 (-450 / +310)
Chad Anheliger vs. Alateng Heili
Bantamweight Bout
Odds
Anheliger Odds
+140
Heili Odds
-172
Over/under rounds
1.5 (-370 / +260)
Norma Dumont vs. Danyelle Wolf
Women's Featherweight Bout
Odds
Dumont Odds
-420
Wolf Odds
+310
Over/under rounds
1.5 (-400 / +280)
Preliminary Card
8 p.m. ET
ESPNews
Jake Collier vs. Chris Barnett
Heavyweight Bout
Odds
Collier Odds
-400
Barnett Odds
+300
Over/under rounds
1.5 (-205 / +158)
Denis Tiuliulin vs. Jamie Pickett
Middleweight Bout
Odds
Tiuliulin Odds
+110
Pickett Odds
-134
Over/under rounds
1.5 (-270 / +200)
Jailton Almeida vs. Anton Turkalj
220-pound Catchweight Bout
Odds
Almeida Odds
-800
Turkalj Odds
+520
Over/under rounds
1.5 (+124 / -158)
Hakeem Dawodu vs. Julian Erosa
Featherweight Bout
Odds
Dawodu Odds
-215
Erosa Odds
+172
Over/under rounds
2.5 (-148 / +116)
Main Card
10 p.m. ET
ESPN+ Pay-per-view
Johnny Walker vs. Ion Cuțelaba
Light Heavyweight Bout
Odds
Walker Odds
+152
Cutelaba Odds
-188
Over/under rounds
1.5 (+120 / -154)
Irene Aldana vs. Macy Chiasson
Women's Bantamweight Bout
Odds
Aldana Odds
-178
Chiasson Odds
+144
Over/under rounds
1.5 (-430 / +300)
Li Jingliang vs. Daniel Rodriguez
Middleweight Bout
Odds
Jingliang Odds
+130
Rodriguez Odds
-160
Over/under rounds
2.5 (-152 / +120)
Kevin Holland vs. Khamzat Chimaev
Welterweight Bout
Odds
Holland Odds
+410
Chimaev Odds
-590
Over/under rounds
1.5 (-150 / +118)
Nate Diaz vs. Tony Ferguson
Welterweight Bout
Odds
Diaz Odds
+100
Ferguson Odds
-122
Over/under rounds
4.5 (-142 / +112)
About the Author
The hub for everything bettors need to know about every sport.
This site contains commercial content. We may be compensated for the links provided on this page. The content on this page is for informational purposes only. Action Network makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the information given or the outcome of any game or event.