MMA's Weight Watchers: The Seven Fighters Who Have Trouble Making Weight
In all sports, an athlete's weight can have significant impact on how they will perform under the lights.
This is especially true in MMA, as championship opportunities can be changed to simple non-title fights or even canceled based on the fighters weight. There have been several offenders who seem to always have trouble making the required weight for their class.
Let's take a look at the fighters who often see a bigger number than expected on weigh-in days after training for weeks.
Anthony Johnson
1 of 7
Age: 26
Height: 6-2
Weight: 170 Lbs
Career Record: 8-3
Johnson, who started his career at the ripe old age of 12, has had trouble recently making weight for his UFC fights.
At UFC 104, 'Rumble' missed weight by six pounds to Japanese Yoshiyuki Yoshida, making the fight a catchweight bout in which Johnson dominated by winning via KO just 41 seconds into the first. During an episode of Inside MMA, Johnson indicated that he might move from the Welterweight to the Middleweight division due to injuries and weight struggles.
Efrain Escudero
2 of 7
Age: 25
Height: 5-9
Weight: 159 Lb
Career Record: 15-2
At UFC Fight Night 22, the Mexican powerhouse Escudero performed poorly in a third-round submission loss to Charles Oliveiro after missing weight by three pounds. Escudero was released from his UFC contract last September—it is believed to have been because of his weight problems.
Paul Daley
3 of 7
Age: 27
Height: 5-9
Weight: 169 Lb
Career Record: 26-9-2
For the Brit, Daley was unable to make weight during his KO win with Dustin Hazlett at UFC 108, making it a catchweight bout after being two pounds over the 170-pound limit. In September of last year, Daley again missed weight against Jorge Masvidal at Shark Fights 13 after he missed the 171-pound limit by just three quarters of a pound.
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Thiago Alves
4 of 7
Age: 27
Height: 5-9
Weight: 171 Lb
Career Record: 18-7
Alves' difficulties making weight began at UFC 66 when it was learned he used a banned substance to help make his 170-pound limit against Ton DeSouza, resulting in an eight-month suspension.
At UFC 85, Alves again missed the 170-pound limit by four pounds before his bout with Matt Hughes. However, the Brazilian redeemed himself with a dominating second-round TKO performance.
For yet a third time, the fight between Jon Fitch and Alves was turned into a catchweight bout as Alves missed the cut by a pound and three-quarters en route to a decision-loss, his second straight defeat.
Gabe Ruediger
5 of 7
Age: 33
Height: 5-10
Weight: 155 Lb
Career Record: 17-7
Ruediger is best known for being ousted from the Ultimate Fighter reality show after not making weight for a fight. The California fighter would then leave for other promotions until returning to the UFC last Summer, where he finished winless after suffering defeats to Joe Lauzen and Paul Taylor.
Travis Lutter
6 of 7
Age: 37
Height: 6-2
Weight: 185 Lb
Career Record: 10-6
Lutter's most notable weigh-in snafu happened at UFC 67 when he missed the 185-pound limit twice in the span of two hours, costing him his first career title shot against Middleweight Champ, Anderson Silva.
Gina Carano
7 of 7Age: 28
Height: 5-8
Weight: 143 Lb
Career Record: 7-1
For the most entertaining MMA fighter weigh-ins, Gina Carano first missed weight at EliteXC: Primetime by four pounds against Kaitlyn Young, a fight in which Carano won via doctor stoppage in the second round.
During her third weigh-in attempt at EliteXC: Heat, Carano removed all of her clothes to make the 140-pound weight limit in her bout with Kelly Kolbold that again Carano won, this time by unanimous decision.
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