Scale snafus: UFC official weigh-in misses in 2024

The old adage is that the fight before the fight in MMA is the one with the scale.

Weight-cutting struggles and eventual weight misses are a regular part of the sport. Throughout 2024, we updated this story each time there was an infraction on the UFC scale – or fights that were scrapped because of issues with a fighter's weight.

Here's a running list that will update throughout the 2024 calendar year. Fighters listed are in chronological order of their scheduled bouts.

(List updated after UFC 304 weigh-ins in Manchester, England, on July 26, 2024.)

Manel Kape | UFC Fight Night 234

Event: UFC Fight Night 234

Date: Jan. 13

Location: UFC Apex, Las Vegas

Division: Flyweight

Final weight: 129.5

Notes: Flyweight contender Manel Kape (19-6 MMA, 4-2 UFC) came in significantly above the non-title limit for his co-main event against Matheus Nicolau (19-4-1 MMA, 7-2 UFC). They were the last two to come to the scale in the weigh-in session, but Nicolau was on target at 126 pounds. Kape initially was fined 25 percent of his purse, but ultimately the Nevada State Athletic Commission scrapped the fight.

Malcolm Gordon | UFC 297

Event: UFC 297

Date: Jan. 20

Location: Scotiabank Arena, Toronto

Division: Flyweight

Final weight: 127.5

Notes: Malcolm Gordon (14-7 MMA, 2-4 UFC) was one of the final two fighters to come to the scale during the two-hour weigh-in window in Toronto, and the look on his face when the curtain was brought out said it all. Gordon was 1.5 pounds over the limit. In Ontario, fighters do get extra time – up to an hour. But that extra hour has to come in the two-hour window, and considering Gordon left the scale with only about 17 minutes left, the likelihood he was going to hit his mark was quite low. His opponent, Jimmy Flick (16-7 MMA, 1-2 UFC), made weight early in the session at 126. Gordon made no additional attempt and was fined 20 percent of his purse.

Ramon Taveras | UFC 297

Event: UFC 297

Date: Jan. 20

Location: Scotiabank Arena, Toronto

Division: Bantamweight

Final weight: 139.5

Notes: Ramon Taveras (9-2 MMA, 0-0 UFC) badly missed the mark for his UFC debut against fellow debutant Serhiy Sidey (10-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC). Tavares was 3.5 pounds over the non-title limit and was fined 30 percent of his purse.

Luana Carolina

Event: UFC Fight Night 235

Date: Feb. 3

Location: UFC Apex, Las Vegas

Division: Women's flyweight

Final weight: 128

Notes: Luana Carolina (9-4 MMA, 4-3 UFC) was well over the limit for her women's flyweight bout on the prelims against Julija Stoliarenko (11-7-1 MMA, 2-5 UFC). She was 129 pounds on her first attempt, but Stoliarenko said she wouldn't take the fight unless Carolina got to 128 – and the commission gave her an extra hour to get there to keep the fight intact. In 2021, Carolina missed weight ahead of a split decision win over Poliana Botelho. She was fined 20 percent of her purse ahead of the fight that sees her opponent as the favorite for the seventh straight time.

Ihor Potieria

Event: UFC Fight Night 236

Date: Feb. 10

Location: UFC Apex, Las Vegas

Division: Middleweight

Final weight: 187.5

Notes: Ihor Potieria (20-5 MMA, 1-3 UFC) took his fight against Polish UFC newcomer Robert Bryczek (17-5 MMA, 0-0 UFC) on only about a week's notice. And making matters even more difficult, the fight is 20 pounds down from his normal light heavyweight division. Potieria looked rough enough on the scale that commission members didn't offer him the opportunity to cut additional weight and asked him to start rehydrating shortly after he left the scale. He will be fined 20 percent of his purse.

Daniel Lacerda

Event: UFC Fight Night 237

Date: Feb. 24

Location: Mexico City Arena

Division: Flyweight

Final weight: 127

Notes: Daniel Lacerda (11-5 MMA, 0-4 UFC) came to the scale reasonably early in the two-hour weigh-in window in Mexico City, and he was off by a pound at 127. He elected to stop cutting weight rather than take the extra time typically allotted. Maybe he had some insight that his opponent, Edgar Chairez (10-5 MMA, 0-1 UFC), was going to come in significantly above the flyweight limit (see below), so he decided to save the effort. In 2022, Lacerda came in at 129 pounds for a fight against Vinicius Salvador, and that bout was canceled because of his miss.

Edgar Chairez

Event: UFC Fight Night 237

Date: Feb. 24

Location: Mexico City Arena

Division: Flyweight

Final weight: 127

Notes: Like his opponent, Daniel Lacerda (11-5 MMA, 0-4 UFC) (see above), Edgar Chairez (10-5 MMA, 0-1 UFC) came in over the limit for flyweight. But unlike Lacerda, he missed by a bunch. Chairez was 131 pounds for his rematch with Lacerda. Because Lacerda was 127 himself, it's likely the bout will be reworked at a catchweight.

CJ Vergara

Event: UFC 299

Date: March 9

Location: Kaseya Center

Division: Flyweight

Final weight: 127

Notes: CJ Vergara (12-4-1 MMA, 3-2 UFC) missed the flyweight limit for the third time in six fights. His opponent, Asu Almabaev (18-2 MMA, 1-0 UFC), will get a percentage of his purse. In Florida. Vergara had to weigh in within the first hour. He did so. The miss gave him an additional extra hour, but he stayed over at 127. He missed weight by 1.4 pounds in 2021 and lost a decision to Ode Osbourne. He missed again less than a year later, but by 3 pounds, and was submitted by Tarsuro Taira.

Natan Levy

Event: UFC Fight Night 239

Date: March 16

Location: UFC Apex, Las Vegas

Division: Lightweight

Final weight: 156.5

Notes: Natan Levy (8-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC) came to the scale in briefs and a chain around his neck. He took both off and still was 156.5 pounds less than an hour into the weigh-in window. He was not medically cleared to cut additional weight and was fined 20 percent of his purse for his bout against Mike Davis (10-2 MMA, 3-1 UFC) to close out the preliminary card.

Chelsea Chandler

Event: UFC Fight Night 239

Date: March 16

Location: UFC Apex, Las Vegas

Division: Women's bantamweight

Final weight: 137

Notes: Chelsea Chandler (5-2 MMA, 1-1 UFC) was a pound over the women's bantamweight limit at 137 for her bout on the prelims. She was not medically cleared to cut additional weight and was fined 20 percent of her purse for her bout against Josiane Nunes (10-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC).

Danny Silva

Event: UFC Fight Night 239

Date: March 16

Location: UFC Apex, Las Vegas

Division: Featherweight

Final weight: 148.5

Notes: Danny Silva (8-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) was off by 2.5 pounds at 148.5 for his featherweight prelim. He was not medically cleared to cut additional weight and was fined 20 percent of his purse for his bout against Josh Culibao (11-2-1 MMA, 3-2-1 UFC).

Julio Arce

Event: UFC on ESPN 54

Date: March 30

Location: Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, N.J.

Division: Featherweight

Final weight: 147.5

Notes: Julio Arce (18-6 MMA, 5-4 UFC) missed weight for his featherweight fight against Herbert Burns (11-4 MMA, 2-2 UFC). Strangely, Arce's weight was announced as 147 on his first attempt, and he was given an additional hour. When he returned, the scale operator was a different commission official than his first attempt – and his announced weight went up. (A commission official confirmed his official weight will remain 147, though.) He will be fined a percentage of his purse. Arce missed weight as a bantamweight in 2022, but this fight is his debut at 145 pounds.

Alexander Hernandez

Event: UFC Fight Night 240

Date: April 6

Location: UFC Apex, Las Vegas

Division: Featherweight

Final weight: 150

Notes: Alexander Hernandez (14-7 MMA, 6-6 UFC) had a major miss for. his featherweight fight against Damon Jackson (22-6-1 MMA, 5-4-1 UFC). He came in at 150 pounds, a full 4 pounds over the non-title limit. Hernandez, who has dropped three of his past four fights, never had missed weight in the UFC until this instance. If the fight is approved at a catchweight, Hernandez will be fined a percentage of his purse.

Cynthia Calvillo

Event: UFC Fight Night 240

Date: April 6

Location: UFC Apex, Las Vegas

Division: Women's strawweight

Final weight: 119

Notes: Cynthia Calvillo (9-6-1 MMA, 6-6-1 UFC) was 3 pounds over the non-title limit for her fight on the prelims against Piera Rodriguez (9-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC). Calvillo came in at 119 pounds. It was her third weight miss in the UFC, but first since 2019. If the fight is approved at a catchweight, she will be fined a percentage of her purse. She heads into the bout with five straight losses.

Melissa Mullins

Event: UFC Fight Night 240

Date: April 6

Location: UFC Apex, Las Vegas

Division: Women's bantamweight

Final weight: 138

Notes: Melissa Mullins (6-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) was 138 pounds for her curtain jerker against Nora Cornolle (7-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) ... who weighed in 30 seconds later, right at the deadline, and also missed weight.

Nora Cornolle

Event: UFC Fight Night 240

Date: April 6

Location: UFC Apex, Las Vegas

Division: Women's bantamweight

Final weight: 138

Notes: Nora Cornolle (7-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) was 138.5 pounds for her curtain jerker against Melissa Mullins (6-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) ... who weighed in 30 seconds prior and also missed weight.

James Llontop

Event: UFC on ESPN 55

Date: April 27

Location: UFC Apex, Las Vegas

Division: Lightweight

Final weight: 156.5

Notes: Llontop (14-2 MMA, 0-0 UFC) was just over the mark for his UFC debut against Chris Padilla (13-6 MMA, 0-0 UFC), who took the fight on less than a week's notice when Gabe Green dropped out. Llontop was fined 20 percent of his purse.

David Onama

Event: UFC on ESPN 55

Date: April 27

Location: UFC Apex, Las Vegas

Division: Featherweight

Final weight: 148.5

Notes: Onama (11-2 MMA, 3-2 UFC) was well over the featherweight limit for his fight against Jonathan Pearce (14-5 MMA, 5-2 UFC) and was fined 20 percent of his purse.

Jared Gooden

Event: UFC on ESPN 56

Date: May 11

Location: Enterprise Center, St. Louis

Division: Welterweight

Final weight: Did not weight in

Notes: Gooden (23-9 MMA, 2-4 UFC), who has missed weight twice in two separate stints in the UFC, had medical issues during his weight cut, it was announced by the UFC, and had his fight against Kevin Jousset (10-2 MMA, 2-0 UFC) pulled before he ever came to the scale.

Andre Lima

Event: UFC 302

Date: June 1

Location: Prudential Center, Newark, N.J.

Division: Flyweight

Final weight: 130

Notes: Lima (8-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) was over by four pounds for his curtain jerker against UFC newcomer Mitch Raposo (9-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC), who took the fight on short notice and was 125 pounds on the nose. Lima was fined 30 percent of his purse.

Eduarda Moura

Event: UFC on ESPN 57

Date: June 8

Location: KFC Yum! Center, Louisville, Ky.

Division: Women's strawweight

Final weight: 116.5

Notes: Eduarda Moura (10-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) was a half-pound over for her women's strawweight fight against Denise Gomes (8-3 MMA, 2-2 UFC), who was 116. Moura was fined 20 percent of her purse. She now has missed weight for both her fights in the UFC after making weight on Dana White's Contender Series.

Tagir Ulanbekov

Event: UFC on ESPN 58

Date: June 15

Location: UFC Apex, Las Vegas

Division: Flyweight

Final weight: 129.5

Notes: Tagir Ulanbekov (15-2 MMA, 4-1 UFC) was 3.5 pounds over for his fight against Joshua Van (10-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC) to close out the prelims. Ulanbekov doesn't have any prior weight misses in the UFC, though he has pulled out of six fights in the promotion in four years for various reasons. This weight miss led to the fight vs. Van getting the axe.

Jean Silva

Event: UFC 303

Date: June 29

Location: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas

Division: Featherweight

Final weight: 147.5

Notes: Jean Silva weighed 1.5 pounds over the featherweight non-title limit and was fined 20 percent of his purse. It was the first weight miss of his career. It also cost him a $50,000 bonus since he was ineligible – and all the other finishes on the card got bonuses.

Jake Hadley

Event: UFC 304

Date: July 27

Location: Co-op Live, Manchester, England

Division: Bantamweight

Final weight: 137

Notes: No good deed goes unpunished for Jake Hadley (10-3 MMA, 2-3 UFC). He took his fight against Caolan Loughran (9-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) on about a week's notice. And because of a fluke in the broadcast schedule, the official weigh-ins were super close in time to the ceremonials. Rather than getting an hour to cut the additional weight, Hadley instead is stuck at 137 pounds and will be fined 20 percent of his purse.

2024 UFC weight misses by division

Women's strawweight (2): Cynthia Calvillo (UFC FN 240), Eduarda Moura (UFC on ESPN 57)

Women's flyweight (1): Luana Carolina (UFC FN 235)

Women's bantamweight (3): Chelsea Chandler (UFC FN 239), Melissa Mullins (UFC FN 240),  Nora Cornolle (UFC FN 240)

Women's featherweight: TBD

Flyweight (7): Manel Kape (UFC FN 234), Malcolm Gordon (UFC 297), Daniel Lacerda (UFC FN 237), Edgar Chairez (UFC FN 237), CJ Vergara (UFC 299), Andre Lima (UFC 302), Tagir Ulanbekov (UFC on ESPN 58)

Bantamweight (2): Ramon Taveras (UFC 297), Jake Hadley (UFC 304)

Featherweight (5): Danny Silva (UFC FN 239), Julio Arce (UFC on ESPN 54), Alexander Hernandez (UFC FN 240), David Onama (UFC on ESPN 55), Jean Silva (UFC 303)

Lightweight (2): Natan Levy (UFC FN 239), James Llontop (UFC on ESPN 55)

Welterweight (1): Jared Gooden (UFC on ESPN 56)

Middleweight (1): Ihor Potieria (UFC FN 236)

Light heavyweight: TBD

Heavyweight: TBD

2023 weigh-in misses

List

Scale snafus: UFC official weigh-in misses in 2023

All-time weigh-in session flubs

List

Every UFC event in history with three or more weigh-in misses

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Scale snafus: UFC official weigh-in misses in 2024