Michael Chiesa is finished fighting at lightweight.
On Friday in Las Vegas, Chiesa stepped onto the scale at 157.5 pounds — one and a half pounds over the lightweight limit in a non-title fight — for his matchup against former champion Anthony “Showtime” Pettis.
Immediately after getting dressed, Chiesa announced that this will be his last fight competing at lightweight after what appeared to be a very difficult weight cut leading inot Friday.
“This will be my last fight at 155,” Chiesa said while looking despondent on the scale after failing to make weight for the first time in his UFC career.
Chiesa will not weigh in again on Friday, although his bout with Pettis won’t be official until he weighs in and officially accepts the bout as a catch weight affair.
At that point, a potential penalty would be announced for Chiesa.
Chiesa is definitely a larger fighter for the lightweight division but he’s never come into a fight over the limit previously.
In recent months, Chiesa has been working out of the UFC Performance Institute in Las Vegas, which houses an on staff nutritionist as well as feeding the fighters to train there.
Still, Chiesa obviously endured a difficult weight cut to get down to the lightweight limit and that’s why he’s ready to move to welterweight after his fight at UFC 226 is finished.
What are your thoughts on Michael Chiesa moving to welterweight? Sound off in the comments section and let us know!
