UFC returns to old weigh-in format after athletes become overweight

M. Dern was one of the athletes who failed to make weight with the two-weigh-in format. Photo: Reproduction / Facebook @ufc

After some athletes were unable to lose weight for the morning weigh-in, the UFC will make changes and return to the old format. The announcement was made in an interview with the 'UFC Unfiltered' program by UFC president, Dana White. He stated that the measure is being taken to reduce the number of athletes who cannot reach the weight.

“Yes, I think that's why [so many fighters have become overweight]. And, you know what? Let's get rid of this. We are analyzing returning our weighing to the way it was before. When the guys weigh in for the fight, that's it. It will be the real weigh-in”, explained Dana.

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In less than a month, two fighters on the rise in the organization were above weight in their divisions. The first was Mackenzie dern who was 3,2 kg above the strawweight category limit (up to 52 kg) during UFC Rio. During UFC Liverpool, the second athlete was frustrated when stepping on the scale, Darren till weighed 78,6 kg in the welterweight category (up to 77 kg). In addition to the two fighters, at UFC 221, Kevin Lee e Yoel romero they exceeded the category's weight limit and beat their opponents.

Today, weigh-ins broadcast on TV are held only for the fighters to face each other.

“I think when we started doing morning weigh-ins, it worked well. Everyone was pushing their weight. Everything was great. But then people started cutting weight closer and closer, closer, closer…. Thinking about gaining more weight, because they would have more time to recover. And the reality is that this f***s everything up. So we are trying to get back to doing the real weigh-in at once”, explained the UFC president.