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Top 3 Towel Scandals in UFC
Discover the most infamous weigh-in controversies in UFC history. Explore the shocking towel scandals and their impact on the sport. Share your thoughts!
Ever wondered how UFC fighters squeeze themselves into those weight divisions? It's no walk in the park. Cutting weight involves intense dehydration and starving yourself to hit the target weight before a fight. Sounds healthy, right? Not exactly. This whole process can be brutal on a fighter's body; sometimes, things get messy.
So, how messy? Let's talk towel trouble. We're diving into the biggest towel scandals in UFC history, where the quest to make weight turned into a slippery slope of questionable tactics.
Daniel Cormier’s towel trick at UFC 210
Daniel Cormier's weigh-in scandal at UFC 210 remains one of the most infamous in UFC history. The reigning light heavyweight champion was set to defend his title against Anthony Johnson. However, during the early morning weigh-ins, Cormier tipped the scales at 206.2 pounds, 1.2 pounds over the 205-pound limit. Panic set in as Cormier had just minutes to make weight and avoid losing his title on the scale.
Cormier returned to the scale moments later, this time hitting the 205-pound mark exactly. Observers quickly noticed that he had subtly gripped the towel held up for his privacy, using it to shift his weight enough to make the limit. This act sparked immediate controversy and accusations of cheating.
Initially, Cormier denied any wrongdoing, attributing the discrepancy to a recalibrated scale. However, during his UFC Hall of Fame induction, he confessed with humor, “Guys, I want to tell you something because I feel like right now is the time to be completely transparent. I think I may have grabbed the towel in Buffalo."
The UFC 210 event was held in Buffalo, New York, and despite the weigh-in controversy, Cormier went on to retain his title by defeating Anthony Johnson. Reflecting on the incident, Cormier explained, “I was tired. I was really tired. I was exhausted...I didn't even realize I was doing it until I saw pictures.”
Cormier’s use of the "towel trick" highlighted the extreme measures fighters might take to make weight, bringing significant attention to the issue of weight-cutting and the methods used to meet the stringent requirements.
Miesha Tate’s close call at UFC 200
Miesha Tate's weigh-in at UFC 200 was a nerve-wracking ordeal that nearly cost her the title fight against Amanda Nunes. As the reigning Women's Bantamweight Champion, Tate needed to make the 135-pound limit. Leading up to the weigh-in, she had 11 pounds to shed, an enormous challenge within a short timeframe.
On the morning of the weigh-in, Tate arrived just minutes before the 10 a.m. deadline. She had to strip down completely, using a towel for privacy, to hit the mark. The tension was palpable as she stepped on the scale. Tate registered at 134.5 pounds, just half a pound under the limit, narrowly avoiding a disastrous outcome.
Reflecting on the experience, Tate shared, “My scale was reading like 0.2 heavy. It was like, if I have to strip down, I strip down, so I did, and I was half a pound under.” She added, “I was cutting weight last night, and it was like, this is such a great opportunity. I'm beyond stoked.”
The event, held at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, was UFC’s 200th pay-per-view, making it a significant milestone for the promotion. Tate’s coach, Rob Follis, praised the new morning weigh-in system: "It's great for the fighters. I've actually been talking about this for years and years. Why aren't we weighing in earlier and doing a mock weigh-in? I've been saying that for years.”
Despite the close call, Tate managed to make weight and proceed with her title defense.
Khamzat Chimaev’s controversial weigh-in at UFC 267
Khamzat Chimaev's weigh-in drama at UFC 267 was a spectacle that left fans and officials stunned. Scheduled to fight Li Jingliang in a welterweight showdown, Chimaev faced significant pressure to make the 77kg (170-pound) limit. On his first attempt, he tipped the scales at 77.8kg, missing the mark by 0.8kg. Given an extra hour to lose the necessary weight, Chimaev returned to the scale under even more scrutiny.
During his second attempt, Chimaev stripped naked and used a towel for privacy. Shockingly, he registered 75.3kg, well below the limit. Observers quickly noticed his hands pressing down on the towel, manipulating the scale reading. This blatant attempt to cheat was caught on camera, sparking immediate controversy.
The UFC official managing the scale instructed Chimaev to remove his hands and weigh in again. On his third attempt, he finally made the 77kg limit. The incident was widely criticized, with fans and commentators accusing Chimaev of trying to manipulate the weigh-in process. One fan tweeted, “That wasn’t a scale malfunction. He was pushing down hard on the towel in the 2nd weigh-in.”
Despite the scandal, Chimaev went on to dominate Li Jingliang in their fight. However, the weigh-in controversy overshadowed his performance. Reflecting on the incident, Chimaev did not publicly address the accusations directly, but the footage and reactions spoke volumes.
UFC 267, held in Abu Dhabi, was Chimaev’s return to the Octagon after a long battle with COVID-19. His weigh-in antics drew comparisons to Daniel Cormier’s infamous towel trick, highlighting recurring issues with weight-cutting practices in the UFC. The incident underscored the need for stricter oversight and potential reforms to ensure fairness and integrity in the sport.
Should the UFC consider adopting new weigh-in practices to prevent such scandals?
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