Dana White has been hearing some crazy theories about UFC 279.
The fight week for UFC 270 was a crazy one, but in the end, it all seemed to work out perfectly. The scheduled bout between Nate Diaz and Khamzat Chimaev was originally going to headline the massive PPV event, but that all changed up quickly. Chimaev missed weight and was replaced by Tony Ferguson. Chimaev was matched with Kevin Holland, who he had gotten into a fight with the day before. This all seemed to be very convenient and worked out almost better than planned on the UFC’s end.
Dana White puts rumors that UFC 279 mix-up was planned to rest
The switch-up and resolution happening so fast and so easily that it has led some fans and fellow fighters to begin to ask if perhaps this was orchestrated by the UFC in some way. Dana White spoke about these rumors and shut down any talk of intervention while being interviewed by the media on Tuesday.
“Khamzat came in on weight. I mean, when he landed here, he was lighter than he was his last fight and he made weight. So I heard this thing today and again, I don’t know how true it is or whatever, that Pat Miletich was saying that this thing was we told Khamzat not to make weight because we weren’t selling tickets,” white said. “The f–king show was sold out going into that day of the weight-ins. I don’t know if Pat really said that. But if he did, he has to be the dumbest motherfucker on the planet. I mean, you know how fucking stupid you have to be to even think something like that, let alone say it publicly and act like you’re f–king serious.”
Pat Miletich is a former UFC fighter turned commentator and coach. He did take to social media following the event and state that he heard that tickets were not selling well and that the UFC may have had something to do with this switch. Later White was informed that it was Brendan Schaub that had said this, which he did as well.
“We’re regulated by the Athletic Commission,” he explained “And if you think that we told Khamzat Chimaev to not make weight then Khamzat shows up and the fans are all pissed off at him and stuff. If you know anything about the sport, this is a guy that was actually in the sport, training and fighting and everything else, if Pat really said that then Holy shit. We might have to send him out to the f–king clinic here, the brain clinic, get him f–king checked out.”
White apologized to Miletich after being informed that it was Schaub who said it, although Miletich did say a similar thing. White remains adamant that the whole ordeal was not planned and feels happy that the event could go off with the necessary changes.
Schaub, however, pointed out that UFC 279’s negative outlook was caused by the planned fight between Diaz and Chimaev. It was considered a huge mismatch by MMA observers.
Schaub stated that the plan was already in place during a UFC 279 press conference that had been cancelled as a result of the fight between Chimaev, Holland, and Diaz.
“I just think it wasn’t trending well, they had this kind of as a plan B,” Schaub said.
Watch the interview here:
