In Conor McGregor’s estimation, the UFC sent the wrong message to Khamzat Chimaev and other fighters after the Chechen star’s massive weight miss for UFC 279.
McGregor echoed the irritation with Chimaev’s behavior on the scale at the official weigh-ins, where he missed weight by 7. 5 pounds for a now-cancelled fight with Nate Diaz, and said that if he were running the UFC, the 28-year-old star wouldn’t fight on Saturday night.
“In my opinion, they should have removed khamzat (*) from the card altogether,” McGregor posted on Twitter. McGregor wrote on Twitter that he believes that rearranging bouts and putting in a better bout for the failed cutter will make the rest of the players follow his lead.
“The smirks on the scale where [sic] enough for me. Pull from the card and starve. McG UFC.”
My opinion they should have pulled khamzat from the card entirely. A reconfiguration of bouts and a better bout for the failed cutter will make it easier for others to follow their lead. The smirks on the scale where enough for me. Pull from the card and starve. McG UFC.
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) September 10, 2022
Chimaev’s weight miss was the catalyst for a massive shuffle at the top of Saturday’s pay-per-view event at T-Mobile Arena. Now he faces Kevin Holland who he is alleged to have fought backstage prior to the press conference. Diaz will face Tony Ferguson.
As a result of the shuffle, Ferguson’s original opponent, Li Jingliang, now faces Daniel Rodriguez, who originally was set to meet Holland in a 180-pound catchweight fight. Jingliang gives up a significant size disadvantage to Rodriguez after cutting down to 170. 5 pounds while Rodriguez clocked in at 179.
Chimaev blamed his weight miss on the decision of a UFC-appointed doctor, who determined he couldn’t lose any more bulk. UFC President Dana White stated that the Chechen fighter had complained about cramping and other ailments related to weight loss before his evaluation.
When he took the stage for the ceremonial weigh-ins for UFC 279, Chimaev was roundly booed by the crowd.
For Diaz, the fight with Chimaev serves as the final obligation of his current contract with the UFC after a long and drama-filled period in his career. He slammed Chimaev on the podium, sending the crowd into an uproar.
McGregor thanked Diaz, his opponent twice, for their undoubtedly positive turn of events. He also welcomed a trilogy with the Stockton, Calif., star after their blockbuster meetings at UFC 196 and UFC 202.
“Congratulations to Nate Diaz for meeting his obligations under the UFC and being a true superstar fighter,” he wrote. It was an incredible feat. Fair play.
“Our trilogy will happen.”
Congrats Nate Diaz on making it to the end of his contractual obligations with the UFC, and as a bonafide superstar goer. It’s an amazing feat. Fair play.
Our trilogy will happen.— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) September 10, 2022
Diaz was aware that the UFC would want to keep him in contract for his trilogy with McGregor before he signed a fight against Chimaev. He said that he did not want to have to wait for McGregor to recover from back-to-back defeats and asked to be freed from his contract.
