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Nate Diaz ended UFC 279 with a fourth-round win over Tony Ferguson in the main event at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
The kick is the story of the first round. Both tried to build some of their punches, but the biggest development came when Diaz opened a wound on Ferguson’s shin when he was examining his leg kick.
ESPN MMA @espnmma
Ferguson’s legs open early 😱 #UFC279 pic.twitter.com/vTuQP61dGL
Third round becomes very interesting. Diaz’s boxing combo had some success, and Ferguson had his kicking moments. Both fighters were involved in some theatrical performances, including El Cucuy lying in the middle of the cage. From there, business took off. Diaz raised the heat with his punches, while Ferguson took removed. UFC Europe @UFCEurope
🏖️ @TonyFergusonXT with shades of Nick Diaz! #UFC279 pic.twitter.com/TAnvSe0YfM
It turned out to be a costly miscalculation as Diaz was guillotined to end the night.
This will likely be the last time UFC fans will see Nate Diaz in the Octagon. The 37-year-old is only on contract for one fight, and UFC president Dana White sounded like someone who knew he lost a draw.
“He fought an incredible war for us,” White told Yahoo’s Kevin Iol. “He’s been a big part of this company for a long time. What more can I ask of Nate Diaz? I wish him all the best in the world. It’s fun.”
Diaz and his brother Nick are unique characters in the MMA world, they have a cult following for their willingness to give interviews and excitement in the cage .
If it ends like this, it is also a fitting end to his UFC career. He has a reputation for being willing to fight anyone, anywhere, and that attitude was on display this weekend. The original main event between Diaz and Hamzat Chimayev was canceled when Chimayev weighed 7.5 pounds over the welterweight maximum allowed.
Diaz saved the Main Event willing to fight former lightweight title challenger Ferguson. Is Diaz officially retiring, dabbling in boxing, fighting for another MMA promotion or returning to the UFC will be fun. After the victory over Ferguson, there will be interest in what he does next.
