All articles tagged with #weight cut
Conor Benn has admitted that cutting to 147 pounds for his September 12 title fight against Ryan Garcia has been physically brutal, as it is his first attempt at the weight in over four years. Benn stated this will be his last bout at welterweight, with plans to move up to 168 pounds immediately after. The fight, headlining a Zuffa Boxing card in Las Vegas, features a mandatory challenger against the reigning WBC champion.
Shamil Musaev withdrew from Saturday’s PFL Washington welterweight title fight due to weight-cut complications; Ernesto Rodriguez will replace him to face Thad Jean for the vacant title. Rodriguez comes in on a nine‑fight win streak (11‑1 overall) and made his PFL debut in March, while Jean is 11‑0 and the 2025 PFL World Tournament winner. The updated card at CareFirst Arena in Washington, D.C., also features Tyson Pedro vs. Rafael Xavier and other bouts.
Brian Ortega recounts a frightening weight-cut incident before UFC Shanghai that left him passing out and entering an emergency room, prompting a move from featherweight to lightweight (155) for his next fight and a shift in focus toward training and camp discipline. He’s open to a rematch with Renato Moicano if the opportunity arises, but emphasizes prioritizing conditioning over cutting.
Alex Pereira says the move to heavyweight is happening naturally, aiming to weigh around 242 pounds for his interim title bout against Ciryl Gane on June 14 at UFC White House, a step that could make him the UFC's first three-division champion; he notes he previously weighed as high as 258 pounds but has trimmed down to a leaner cut, freeing him to focus on the fight rather than the scale.
T.J. Dillashaw claims Khamzat Chimaev’s UFC 328 weight cut was so extreme that he was nearly dying, with Chimaev allegedly vomiting green bile due to poor hydration and nutrition management. Strickland edged Chimaev by split decision to reclaim the middleweight title, and Dillashaw credits Sam Calavitta for proper weight-cut guidance while criticizing the rest of the camp. He argues Chimaev should stay at 185 (and pursue a rematch) rather than moving up until he’s properly rehydrated and trained, highlighting the dangers of improper water loss during fight week.
Du Plessis dismissed Khamzat Chimaev's weight-cut excuses after UFC 328, arguing that a 12-pound cut in 24 hours isn't catastrophic and that blaming a weight cut won't excuse a loss; he praised Strickland's performance, questioned a quick rematch for Chimaev, and noted uncertainty about Chimaev's next move (including a possible move to 205).
Dricus du Plessis dismissed Khamzat Chimaev's post-fight weight-cut excuse after Chimaev's split-decision loss to Sean Strickland at UFC 328, saying there are no excuses in the Octagon and urging fighters to take responsibility rather than blame a cut for the defeat.
Khamzat Chimaev lost a split decision to Sean Strickland at UFC 328, and his team claims a brutal 185-pound weight cut left him sluggish, with brother Artur saying his body shut down during the process. He allegedly dropped from about 231 pounds and only regained roughly 11–13 pounds by fight time. Talks of a move to light heavyweight circulated, but Chimaev posted a return and his camp says they’ve requested a rematch with Strickland, eyeing an Abu Dhabi event in October.
Khamzat Chimaev, who struggled to make the 185 lb limit at UFC 328 and had hinted a move to light‑heavyweight, pivoted to targeting Sean Strickland for a rematch, posting cryptic messages like “see you soon again” and “Let me know when you are ready.”
After Khamzat Chimaev’s first UFC loss at UFC 328 to Sean Strickland, speculation centered on whether his weight-cut and potential bulk for a move to light heavyweight influenced his performance. Rogan, along with Cormier and Anik, discussed the possibility that the stress of making 185 played a role, while Chimaev has signaled interest in moving up, and Dana White indicated he no longer wants to fight at middleweight, leaving the door open for a possible rematch.
Sean Strickland pulled off a split-decision upset over Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 328 as the Chechen fatigued after the first two rounds; Joe Rogan suggested Chimaev's drastic 45-pound weight cut and a planned move to 205 pounds to potentially face Jiri Prochazka may have contributed to the fatigue, a theory discussed on the broadcast amid weigh-in controversy.
Arman Tsarukyan, Chimaev’s training partner, publicly supports Khamzat Chimaev after UFC 328’s loss to Sean Strickland and hints that factors like a heavy weight cut and coaching decisions may have influenced Chimaev’s performance.
Khamzat Chimaev reportedly cut about 21 kilograms (roughly 46 pounds) to make weight for UFC 328's middleweight title defense against Sean Strickland, with a late weigh-in and teammates noting the grueling reduction.
Poirier said Islam Makhachev looked enormous across the octagon at UFC 302, estimating Makhachev at about 190–192 pounds while he fought at roughly 176. Makhachev replied via Telegram that he has never weighed more than 176 pounds. Poirier lost to Makhachev by a fifth‑round brabo choke and described the choke’s unique mechanics, while noting Makhachev later moved up to welterweight and dominated Jack Della Maddalena to win that championship, highlighting the size and strength edge Poirier faced that night.
Former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker plans to move up to 205 pounds for his next UFC fight, saying cutting to 185 has hampered his performance and he wants to test himself at light heavyweight. Following a July 2025 split‑decision loss to Reinier de Ridder and a prior first‑round submission defeat to Khamzat Chimaev, Whittaker aims for a June return with roughly four months of prep to build muscle and adapt to the higher weight.