It is now official, as Khamzat Chimaev and Nate Diaz headline UFC 279.
The five-round welterweight contest is set for September 10 from Las Vegas and T-Mobile Arena.
Fast-rising star Chimaev (11-0, fighting out of Stockholm, Sweden by way of Chechnya, Russia) has wasted no time turning heads since joining the UFC roster in 2020.
A talented striker and grappler, he has delivered memorable victories against Gilbert Burns, Li Jingliang and Gerald Meerschaert.
Diaz (21-13, fighting out of Stockton, Calif.) has long proven himself to be among the most popular and skilled athletes in MMA.
Throughout his career, The Ultimate Fighter season five winner has earned epic wins over Conor McGregor, Anthony Pettis and Jim Miller.
Additional bouts on the card include
* Denis Tiuliulin (10-6, fighting out of Moscow, Russia) goes for his first UFC win when he meets Jamie Pickett (13-7, fighting out of Wilmington, N.C.) at middleweight
* No. 13 ranked light heavyweight contender Johnny Walker (18-7, fighting out of Dublin, Ireland by way of Rio das Ostras, Brazil) squares off with Ion Cutelaba (16-6-1 1NC, fighting out of Chisinau, Republic of Moldova)
* Jake Collier (13-7, fighting out of Cuba, Mo.) locks horns with Chris Barnett (22-8, fighting out of Athens, Ga.) in an intriguing heavyweight matchup
* Dana White’s Contender Series signee Chad Anheliger (12-5, fighting out of Calgary, Alberta, Canada) aims to keep his momentum going when he meets Alatengheili (15-8-2, fighting out of Beijing, China) at bantamweight
* No. 13 ranked heavyweight contender Shamil Abdurakhimov (20-7, fighting out of Dagestan, Russia) takes on surging prospect Jailton Almeida (16-2, fighting out of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil)
* Undefeated Melissa Martinez (7-0, fighting out of Mexico City, Mexico) makes her UFC debut against Elise Reed (5-2, fighting out of Princeton, N.J.) in a strawweight clash
* Norma Dumont (7-2, fighting out of Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil) faces Dana White’s Contender Series contract winner and three-time U.S. national amateur boxing champion Danyelle Wolf (1-0, fighting out of San Diego, Calif.) at featherweight
* No. 4 ranked contender Irene Aldana (13-6, fighting out of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico) faces No. 11 Macy Chiasson (9-2, fighting out of Dallas, Texas by way of New Orleans, La.) in a pivotal women’s bantamweight bout
