As is the new normal with the UFC, the actual weigh-ins for UFC 202 took place early on Friday. The staredowns and show will unfold later in the evening. This process gives the fighters crucial extra hours to rehydrate from their cuts to the contracted weights.
All 24 participants made weight for the evening.
Nate Diaz, one-half of Saturday’s main event, was one of the first men to step on the scale in Las Vegas, weighing in at 170.5 pounds. McGregor came later and was under the limit at 168 pounds.
The rematch is officially set, and the rivals are eager to do battle.
Anthony Johnson and Glover Teixeira weighed in close to the same time and came in at 205.5 pounds.
The light heavyweight showdown will likely elevate the winner to a title tilt against Daniel Cormier later in 2016. Johnson came up short in his interim title shot against Cormier in May 2015, but he leveled the champ with a monstrous right hand early in the fight. Teixeira has had one shot at the gold and lost to Jon Jones.
One of the other premier bouts on the card is a welterweight showcase between Donald Cerrone and Rick Story. Cerrone told ESPN.com’s Eric Tamiso that after UFC 202 he plans on returning to 155 to pursue the lightweight title. Should he stay at 170, the fight with Story will still have divisional implications for both men.
Story checked in at the 171-pound limit, and Cerrone came in at 170 even.
Holding the weigh-ins early allows the fighters to get the difficult part of cutting weight over earlier than in the past, and the additional recuperating time should continue to deliver better in-cage results for the fans. It has been an excellent step for everyone involved, although the dog and pony show that occurs in the evening is still a part of the production.
UFC 202 is set and ready to go down Saturday. Strap in.
UFC 202 Weigh-In Results
- Nate Diaz (170.5) vs. Conor McGregor (168)
- Anthony Johnson (205.5) vs. Glover Teixeira (205.5)
- Rick Story (171) vs. Donald Cerrone (170)
- Hyun Gyu Lim (171) vs. Mike Perry (169)
- Tim Means (171) vs. Sabah Homasi (170.5)
- Cody Garbrandt (136) vs. Takeya Mizugaki (136)
- Raquel Pennington (135.5) vs. Elizabeth Phillips (134)
- Artem Lobov (144.5) vs. Chris Avila (146)
- Randa Markos (116) vs. Cortney Casey (116)
- Neil Magny (171) vs. Lorenz Larkin (170.75)
- Colby Covington (171) vs. Max Griffin (170.5)
- Alberto Uda (185.5) vs. Marvin Vettori (185.5)
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