Daniel Cormier’s UFC 210 weigh-in controversy isn’t likely to be cleared up anytime soon.
Earlier today (April 7), the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) light heavyweight title holder tipped the scales at 206.2 pounds. That’s 1.2 pounds over the championship weight limit. Usually, fighters aren’t allowed to weigh-in a second time for early weigh-ins. Cormier was and hit the 205-pound mark two minutes later.
New York State Athletic Commission (NYSAC) executive director Tony Giardini spoke to the media after the weigh-ins and explained why Cormier was granted a second attempt (via MMAFighting.com):
“The policy of the athletic commission in championship bouts is to allow fighters to get on the scale a second time if the fighter is overweight the first time he gets on the scale. So he came in, and he was 1.2 pounds overweight the first time he got on the scale. He’s allowed, under commission policy, up to two hours to get back on the scale. He got back on a short time later, and he weighed in at exactly 205. So according to the commission policy, it’s a legal weigh-in, and he’s right on weight. That’s only for championship fights.”
Even more confusing was Cormier’s ability to tip the scales at 205 pounds just two minutes after hearing he weighed 206.2 pounds. Giardini didn’t exactly clear the air on that matter.
“We don’t ask that question. I heard it was excessive sweat and he might have been holding the towel, but I don’t know for sure.”
