UFC 227 fight night weights: All but six fighters come in over CSAC regulations

Esther Lin, MMA Fighting

UFC 227 was a great night in the Octagon, but perhaps not on the scales.

Of the 24 fighters who competed on the card Saturday in Los Angeles, just six weighed within California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) regulations on fight night, per a document obtained from CSAC by MMA Fighting.

CSAC rules state that any fighters who come in higher than 10 percent above their contracted weight class in a fight-day weight check can be recommended to move up a division in the future. At Staples Center, 18 fighters — three-quarters of the card — came in above that 10-percent marker.

The biggest jump in weight from weigh-ins to fight day belonged to Alex Perez, who was 126 pounds Friday and fought at 146.5 pounds Saturday — an increase of 16.3 percent. Right behind him was Brett Johns, who weighed 135.2 pounds Friday and jumped up 16.2 percent to 158 pounds Saturday.

Perez defeated Jose Torres by first-round knockout at UFC 227, while Johns fell to Pedro Munhozby unanimous decision.

The six fighters to come in below the 10-percent mark on fight day were Cody Garbrandt, Cub Swanson, Kevin Holland, Weili Zhang, Danielle Taylor and Wuliji Buren. Zhang was the only one of those six to win her fight Saturday, but it was against Taylor.

Interestingly, Garbrandt weighed the same amount on fight day as Demetrious Johnson, who fights in the division below Garbrandt. Perez weighed 4.6 pounds more than Garbrandt did, though Perez is a flyweight and Garbrandt is a bantamweight.

Thiago Santos held a 16.5-pound weight advantage over Holland. T.J. Dillashaw held a 7.5-pound weight advantage over Garbrandt; Johns held a 7-pound weight advantage over Munhoz; andRenato Moicano weighed 5.5 more pounds than Cub Swanson. In every other fight, the competitors were fairly close to each other in weight.

Despite coming in 16.3 percent above the weight class, Perez only held a 3.5-pound weight advantage over Torres, who weighed 143 pounds on fight night — 13.5-percent increase.

CSAC doctors have yet to determine which fighters, if any, they will recommend to move up a weight class. A previous CSAC study showed that 30 percent of fighters are above that 10-percent mark on fight nights, though subsequent studies have stated that it’s closer to half.

UFC guidelines say that fighters should check in on fight week — typically Tuesday before a Saturday event — within 8 percent of their weight class. The UFC Performance Institute released a collection of data in June stating that for peak performance and health that fighters should stay within 10 percent of their weight class on fight nights and not make extreme weight cuts via severe dehydration.

CSAC had previously made fight-night weights public for Bellator 201 and plans to continue that practice in the future.

Main card (PPV)

T.J. Dillashaw (135 pounds to 149.5 pounds = 10.7%) def. Cody Garbrandt (134.7 to 142 = 5.2%)

Henry Cejudo (124.5 to 141 = 12.8%) def. Demetrious Johnson (125 to 142 = 13.6%)

Renato Moicano (146 to 165.5 = 13.4%) def. Cub Swanson (145.2 to 160.5 = 9.9%)

J.J. Aldrich (115.8 to 130.5 = 12.5%) def. Polyana Viana (115 to 129.5 = 11.6%)

Thiago Santos (185.5 to 209.5 = 12.6%) def. Kevin Holland (184.7 to 193 = 3.8%)

Prelims (FX)

Pedro Munhoz (135 to 151 = 11%) def. Brett Johns (135.2 to 158 = 16.2%)

Ricky Simon (135.2 to 152 = 11.8%) def. Montel Jackson (136 to 152 = 11.8%)

Ricardo Ramos (135.5 to 153.5 = 12.9%) def. Kyung Ho Kang (136 to 154 = 13.2%)

Sheymon Moraes (146 to 164 = 12.3%) def. Matt Sayles (145.7 to 165 = 13%)