UFC 274: Charles Oliveira weigh-in controversy erupts, but Justin Gaethje blasts ‘excuses’ with champ stripped of title
- The Brazilian misses by half a pound, with title to become vacant – and only Gaethje can win it on Saturday night in Phoenix
- Brazilian ‘incredulous’ after claims that weight-check scale was incorrectly calibrated, as American challenger blasts ‘excuses’
Charles Oliveira was sensationally stripped of the lightweight title after missing weight by half a pound ahead of Saturday night’s UFC 274 main event against Justin Gaethje.
But controversy erupted after Friday’s weigh-ins in Phoenix, Arizona, with some of his fellow fighters on the card reportedly insisting the backstage scale used all week had been wrongly calibrated, and showed incorrect readings.
It is the first time in UFC history that a champion has lost the title on the scale. The UFC released a statement confirming Oliveira would forfeit a percentage of his purse after weighing in at 155.5 pounds.
“As of this moment, Charles Oliveira remains the UFC lightweight champion, but upon the start of the main event headliner tomorrow night he will vacate the 155-pound title,” the statement read.
“The fight will proceed as scheduled, but the championship will only be on the line for Gaethje. If Oliveira wins, he will be the No 1 contender for the vacant championship and will fight the next challenger for the title at a time and place to be determined.”