The weight cutting debate is alive and well as men and women are looking for advantages any way they can. Sometimes it does pay off. Those times are usually when a weight cut goes as smoothly as possible and the fighter hits the mark on the scale. UFC 177 was plagued with the opposite, weight cuts going horribly wrong.
Renan Barao was completely zapped of electrolytes. His body was wrecked and he had to withdraw from his main event title fight. That created the biggest problem on the night that was eventually solved by Joe Soto stepping up to face TJ Dillashaw. Soto made weight and made a fair showing for a guy making his UFC debut.
Henry Cejudo is an Olympian! He has been to the pinnacle of sporting achievement but for all of the accolades in wrestling it hasn’t translated to a smooth mixed martial arts career. Cejudo had previously no showed fights and withdrew from Legacy FC events. Despite his track history he was still granted an opportunity to fight in the UFC. Well he backed out of that as well.
So what happens now?
Dana White and company will not be forking over any money to Cejudo or Barao. Their returns have some stipulations as well. Cejudo may return to the UFC but only if he can make weight, at 135. His flyweight career, at least under the Zuffa banner, is over. Barao will have to fight his way back for a title opportunity.
Dana laid it out at the scrum like this:
“Barao’s not making any money. I’m not paying Barao. Barao showed up and didn’t fight, (and) the other kid that didn’t make weight. The other kids will get paid. There’s no excuse for not making weight. But (Barao) paid for it. He hurt us, he messed with the show, but that kid didn’t make a paycheck, he’s going home with no money. He’s going home without a dime. He just paid for a camp, and who knows when he’s going to fight again.”
Do you agree with this tough love approach from Dana?
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