The UFC Vegas 115 weigh-ins didn’t go as smoothly as expected, especially toward the end. By the closing moments, three out of the last four fighters were over the weight limit for their fights at the Meta Apex event.
Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev weighed in at 207 pounds, while Rafael Estevam came in at 136.5 pounds, and Darrius Flowers hit 156.5 pounds. All three exceeded the limits, even with the one-pound allowance for non-title fights. This marked a challenging moment, particularly for Estevam. It was his third failure to make weight in a UFC fight. Previously, he missed weight twice at 125 pounds. In August, he weighed in at 130 pounds for a fight but has since moved up a division.
The UFC later confirmed that Estevam’s match against Ethyn Ewing and Flowers’ fight with Lando Vannata will proceed as catchweight bouts. Both fighters will lose 20% of their purses as a penalty for missing weight.
Fortunately, Yakhyaev was allowed a second attempt and successfully weighed in at 206 pounds. The top fighters on the card, such as Renato Moicano and Chris Duncan, had no issues. Moicano weighed in at 156 pounds, followed closely by Duncan, who matched that weight.
For the co-main event, strawweight contenders Virna Jandiroba and Tabatha Ricci also made weight without problems, coming in at 116 and 115.5 pounds, respectively.
These weigh-ins reflect ongoing challenges in the sport. A 2021 study found that 30-40% of fighters miss weight at least once in their careers. This can impact fight outcomes and business relationships. Weighing in properly is crucial, as failure can lead to lighter purses and intense scrutiny from fans and analysts.
Official Weigh-In Results
Main Card:
- Renato Moicano (156) vs. Chris Duncan (156)
- Virna Jandiroba (116) vs. Tabatha Ricci (115.5)
- Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev (206)* vs. Brendson Ribeiro (205)
- Ethyn Ewing (135.5) vs. Rafael Estevam (136.5)**
- Tommy McMillen (145.5) vs. Manolo Zecchini (145)
- Jose Delano (144.5) vs. Robert Ruchala (146)
Preliminary Card:
- Guilherme Pat (250.5) vs. Thomas Petersen (251)
- Alessandro Costa (125.5) vs. Stewart Nicoll (126)
- Lando Vannata (156) vs. Darrius Flowers (156.5)***
- Alice Pereira (136) vs. Hailey Cowan (136)
- Azamat Bekoev (186) vs. Tresean Gore (185.5)
- Dione Barbosa (126) vs. Melissa Gatto (125.5)
- Kai Kamaka III (155) vs. Dakota Hope (155)
Yakhyaev missed weight initially but made it on his second attempt.
Estevam missed weight; fight at catchweight.
Flowers missed weight; fight at catchweight.
For more information on the UFC and recent trends, you can check the official UFC website.
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