Ahead of UFC 332, where Natália Silva and Wang Cong fight for the flyweight title at 125 pounds, here is how UFC weigh-ins work. In non-title fights, fighters get a one pound allowance. For a belt, it is the exact limit, with no margin. And missing weight is costly: part of the purse, sometimes the fight, sometimes the title.
Key takeaways
- UFC weigh-ins: in non-title fights, a one pound allowance above the division limit. For a title, fighters must weigh the exact limit or less.
- A fighter who misses on the 1st attempt may get up to one extra hour to make it, depending on the athletic commission.
- On a miss, the fighter usually gives up 20% to 30% of the purse to the opponent, the bout can move to a catchweight or be cancelled, and a champion can lose the title.
The rules of UFC weigh-ins
12 divisions
The UFC has 12 divisions: for men, from 125 pounds (flyweight) to 265 pounds (heavyweight), via 135, 145, 155, 170, 185 and 205 pounds. For women, from 115 to 145 pounds.
The one pound allowance
In a non-title fight, a fighter can weigh one pound over the limit. A flyweight can therefore come in at up to 126 pounds.
No margin for a title
In a championship fight, the allowance disappears. At UFC 332, Silva and Wang must weigh 125 pounds or less for the flyweight belt to be on the line.
What happens when a fighter misses weight
One more hour
Depending on the athletic commission overseeing the event, the fighter can get up to one extra hour to shed the excess and step back on the scale.
A fine on the purse
If they fail, they usually give 20% to 30% of their purse to the opponent. The bout can go ahead at a negotiated catchweight, or be cancelled if the opponent refuses.
The title on the line
In a championship fight, it is no longer a title fight for the one who missed. A reigning champion who misses the limit can be stripped before the fight even starts.
Title fights, however, require competitors to weigh in at or below the exact championship weight.
Charles Oliveira, the most striking example
0.5 lb too much
On May 7, 2022, before UFC 274 in Phoenix, lightweight champion Charles Oliveira weighed 155.5 pounds for a 155 limit. He was stripped, and only Justin Gaethje could leave with the belt.
A win without a title
Oliveira submitted Gaethje in round 1, but the title stayed vacant. Proof that the scale can cost a belt without a single strike landed.
Follow the UFC 332 weigh-ins
Weigh-in results, fighter records and our weekly rating are in the FightHub app, updated before fight night.
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