![Dana White (Left), and Khamzat Chimaev (Bottom-right) [Image credits:posters via @UFC on Instagram, Chimaev from @mmafighting on Twitter, rest via Getty]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2022/09/bba27-16630664337335-1920.jpg)
![Dana White (Left), and Khamzat Chimaev (Bottom-right) [Image credits:posters via @UFC on Instagram, Chimaev from @mmafighting on Twitter, rest via Getty]](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http%3A//www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20xmlns%3Axlink='http%3A//www.w3.org/1999/xlink'%20viewBox='0%200%2010%206.25'%3E%3Cfilter%20id='b'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20stdDeviation='.5'%3E%3C/feGaussianBlur%3E%3CfeComponentTransfer%3E%3CfeFuncA%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20type='discrete'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20tableValues='1%201'%3E%3C/feFuncA%3E%3C/feComponentTransfer%3E%3C/filter%3E%3Cimage%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20filter='url(%23b)'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Former UFC fighter Brendan Schaub believes that the UFC 279 card change was premeditated by the company. Schaub cited numerous observations that led him to believe that the pay-per-view wasn't trending well initially.
Khamzat Chimaev missing weight by 7.5 lbs was the catalyst for the fight card being rejigged. The UFC is notoriously famous for its zero tolerance of fighters missing weight. Schaub's scrutiny was fueled by a surprising firefight that ensued after Chimaev missed weight.
He was also skeptical about Kevin Holland and Daniel Rodriguez being booked for a catchweight fight at 180 lbs. Schaub detailed his observations in a recent episode of Thiccc Boy:
''The UFC knows how a pay-per-view is gonna do, how it's gonna sell even before the fights go live. They know how it's trending, tracking through all their promotions. I think the fans were turned off by Dana's treatment of Nate Diaz. They did not give him a fight, they gave him the worst match-up possible.''
The retired heavyweight claimed that Dana White received backlash for this matchup and Diaz fans revolted by not buying the pay-per-view:
''The event wasn't trending well. And it just so happened that Kevin Holland and Daniel Rodriguez were at this weird catchweight at 180 lbs. Khamzat weighed in at 180. So not only was it a complete shuffle, but it was a perfect shuffle, not of one match-up, but three match-ups on the pay-per-view. I just think it wasn't trending well, they had this kind of as a plan B.''
Watch the video from 13:00 below:
Dana White claimed at the UFC post-fight press conference that the company sold 250 more tickets after the card got reshuffled
A topsy turvy fight week culminated with a reshuffled card after Khamzat Chimaev missed weight. The new card featured Nate Diaz and Tony Ferguson in the main event, while 'Borz' locked horns with Kevin Holland in the co-main event.
The card came together for the greater good as fight fans thoroughly enjoyed the showdown between the two veterans of the sport.
Speaking about the bump in ticket sales at the post-fight press conference, Dana White said:
''So whenever the main event changes, you can refund tickets. Not only was not one ticket refunded, the day that all the craziness was going on we sold 250 tickets that day.''
Watch the video from 12:20 below:
