Jingliang Li will be facing another big name at UFC 279. The Chinese fighter will be taking on former interim lightweight champion and promotional veteran Tony Ferguson in Las Vegas on September 10th.
Dana White confirmed the fight had been booked to media at UFC 278 today:
Dana White announces Tony Ferguson will return to welterweight to face Li Jingliang at #UFC279 in September #UFC278
— Damon Martin (@DamonMartin) August 21, 2022
Jingliang (19-7) is coming off a second round stoppage win over Muslim Salikhov at UFC on ABC 3. He has been on the roster since 2014 and is currently ranked #14 at welterweight.
He has won five out of his last seven fights. Chimaev’s most recent loss came at the hands of Khamzat Chimaev who submitted him in the opening round at UFC 267.
Ferguson won The Ultimate Fighter 13 in 2011 competing as a welterweight. Since signing for the UFC he has always fought at 155lbs and been in with some of the best fighters in the division.
But he is on the worst run of his entire career. Ferguson is coming off four straight losses and will be fighting at 170lbs for the first time since 2011.
OHHHH Jingliang lands the right hand TWICE and Nash is hurt! #UFCDenver pic.twitter.com/BodzoOsuMT
— UFC (@ufc) January 28, 2017
Swedish star
As previously announced Khamzat Chimaev will be facing Nate Diaz in the main event of UFC 279 which is set for the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. It will be the first time that the undefeated Swedish Star has headlined a UFC card.
Chimaev has barely been on the roster for two years yet already has five UFC wins to his name. By contrast Diaz hasn’t managed to fight more than two times in a calendar year since 2011.
But Diaz has been on the roster since winning TUF 5 in 2007. He is perhaps best known for submitting Conor McGregor in the second round at UFC 196 in 2016.
Chimaev is coming off the biggest win of his career. He beat Gilbert Burns at UFC 273 but the Brazilian caused him quite a few problems in a bout that saw both men walk away with $50,000 USD performance bonuses.
These two just left it ALL in the Octagon. What. A. Fight 🔥
[ #UFC273 | LIVE on @ESPNPlus PPV: https://t.co/KOluT78H6K ] pic.twitter.com/zTz9bbGVOf
— UFC (@ufc) April 10, 2022
Impressive win
As previously announced Heili Alateng will be making his pay per view debut on this card. The Chinese bantamweight has been booked to face Chad Anheliger at UFC 279.
Alateng is coming off the most impressive win of his career. At UFC Vegas 51 he stopped Kevin Croom in just 47 seconds, the first time he had finished a fight inside the distance since his Road FC days.
Anheliger cored a split decision win over ONE Championship veteran Muin Gafurov on Dana White’s Contender Series to earn a spot on the roster. The Canadian stopped Jesse Strader on his UFC debut to take his winning streak to ten.
UFC 279, Las Vegas, September 10th
Khamzat Chimaev vs. Nate Diaz (Welterweight)
Jingliang Li vs. Tony Ferguson (Welterweight)
Trey Ogden vs. Daniel Zellhuber (Lightweight)
Nikolas Motta vs. Cameron VanCamp (Lightweight)
Danyelle Wolf vs. Norma Dumont (Featherweight)
Louis Cosce vs. Trevin Giles Welterweight)
Daniel da Silva vs. Victor Altamirano (Flyweight)
Irene Aldana vs. Macy Chiasson (Bantamweight)
Elise Reed vs. Mellisa Martinez (Strawweight)
Jamie Pickett vs. Denis Tiuliulin (Middleweight)
Alateng Heili vs. Chad Anheilger (Bantamweight)
