Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Nate Diaz ended his UFC career with a fourth-round submission over Tony Ferguson in the main event of UFC 279 on Saturday night in Las Vegas, capping a highly chaotic week.
Diaz used a guillotine choke to end the bout at 2:52 of the fourth against Ferguson, an 11th-hour replacement to fight Diaz after his original opponent, Khamzat Chimaev, missed weight by 7.5 pounds.
The bout was Diaz’s final one with UFC and he has said he will not return. His team earlier this week announced that Diaz will open his own combat sports promotion.
Diaz said he had no concern about switching opponents so late in the week.
“I’m just here to get my job done,” Diaz said. “I had one fight left … I told them, give me anybody you got. All I know it’s been a love-hate relationship with me and UFC the whole time I’ve been in this (expletive) organization. But at the end of the day, I love the UFC.”
Chimaev ended up fighting Kevin Holland and won by D’Arce Choke submission at 2:13 of the first round in their co-main event.
Ferguson was originally slated to fight Li Jingliang, who fought and lost to Daniel Rodriguez by split decision.
–Field Level Media