UFC 279 Tips and Predictions

Fight week between Khamzat Chimaev and Nate Diaz just got spicy! It was expected to be a pretty standard build up to UFC 279 with no title on the line and a co-main event slapped together in the last month. But when Nate Diaz is involved, nothing is straightforward and so it was at Thursday’s press conference. Dana White was forced to call the Press Conference off before we got a look at the main event combatants due to shenanigans backstage. More details are yet to emerge but a fracas has all but been confirmed between the Chimaev and Diaz camps. White assured the media no fighter was injured or cut and that the event would take place as originally planned in just a couple of days. Expect a terse affair at the weigh ins tomorrow with the fighters unlikely to be allowed within the vicinity of each other. So to the fight, bookmakers consider this a one-sided match-up. Chimaev is a huge favourite with Diaz on the last fight of his contract and jawing about starting his own promotion on the way out of the UFC. Whether or not he follows through on this weeks threats may depend on just how the fight plays out. Unfortunately for Diaz, this really does look an uphill battle. Chimaev has to cut down to 170 whereas Nate can make weight here pretty comfortably. The size difference, the youth and the brute power of Chimaev figures to be the difference. In the co-main The Leech, Li Jiangliang will take on Tony Ferguson who is on the quick turnaround after getting front kicked into oblivion by Michael Chandler. But despite being the outsider, don’t underestimate El Cucuy. He was actually putting together a nice performance before being stopped in his last fight. Ion Cutelaba and Johnny Walker will kick off the main card in a barn burner in the making. Walker has proved more calculated since joining SGB in Ireland but he may well be forced into a fire fight in this one. Wherever you may be this weekend, enjoy the fights as another history making event goes into the books in Las Vegas, Nevada. Selections 3 units - Chimaev to win in Round 1 @ $2.05 1.5 units - Ferguson to win @ $3.25 1 unit - Walker by KO @ $3.55