UFC 206 Weigh-in Results: Anthony Pettis Misses Weight, Cannot Win Title

The interim (interim) featherweight title fight at UFC 206 is in jeopardy.
Anthony Pettis did not make the contracted weight limit of 145 pounds during the two-hour window of the morning weigh-ins. As such, he is ineligible to win the belt, as the figh…

The interim (interim) featherweight title fight at UFC 206 is in jeopardy.

Anthony Pettis did not make the contracted weight limit of 145 pounds during the two-hour window of the morning weigh-ins. As such, he is ineligible to win the belt, as the fight will proceed. Only Holloway will have a chance to wear the gold. Pettis was also fined 20% of his purse.

The first fighter to take to the scale in the morning was Viviane Pereira, who takes on Valerie Letourneau in her UFC debut.

One of the most intriguing fighters, in terms of weighing in, was Kelvin Gastelum. Gastelum failed to make the welterweight limit at UFC 205 and was pulled from the event. He now moves back to middleweight for a fight against Tim Kennedy. Gastelum was on weight at 185 pounds for his contest against Kennedy.

Jordan Mein returns after more than a year away from the sport for a bout against Emil Meek. He stepped on the scale early on as well.

In total, 10 fighters made weight within the first 30 minutes of the 9 a.m. ET call time.

Holloway was the first of the main eventers to hit the scale, and he hit 145 flat.

Rustam Khabilov hit the scale at 158.5 pounds, which was over the lightweight limit.

Just before 10 a.m. ET, the news came in that Pettis would not make the weight, although he had yet to arrive to weigh-in. MMA Fighting’s Ariel Helwani was the first to report the news.

Pettis officially stepped on the scale at 10:21 a.m. ET and weighed 148 pounds. He didn’t hold a pose as requested, and he immediately exited the way he came. He was not pleased as one could expect.

Letourneau was the final fighter to tip the scale. She stepped on the scale with under 10 minutes remaining on the clock and weighed in at 117.5 pounds, putting her over the limit.

Three fighters in total missed weight, but the event goes on. Check back in with Bleacher Report tomorrow to find out if Max Holloway becomes the new interim featherweight champion or if Anthony Pettis keeps the division with only one (official) title holder.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Angela Hill Returns, Replaces Maryna Moroz Against Jessica Andrade at UFC 207

Angela Hill is back in the UFC and right back in the deep end of the swimming pool.
UFC 207 was supposed to feature a battle between strawweight contenders Jessica Andrade and Maryna Moroz, but Moroz dropped from the event on Tuesday (h/t Guilherme Cru…

Angela Hill is back in the UFC and right back in the deep end of the swimming pool.

UFC 207 was supposed to feature a battle between strawweight contenders Jessica Andrade and Maryna Moroz, but Moroz dropped from the event on Tuesday (h/t Guilherme Cruz of MMA Fighting).

First reported by Ana Hissa of Combate and later confirmed by Fox Sports’ Damon Martin, Hill will leave behind Invicta FC and her Invicta title to return to the UFC to take on Andrade. Hill was cut from the roster after back-to-back losses to Tecia Torres and Rose Namajunas in 2015.

In 2016, Hill went to Invicta and ran through her competition. She showed off her crisp striking and revamped takedown defense en route to a stunning championship performance. Hill defended her belt in November against Kaline Medeiros.

Andrade dropped to strawweight after losing to Raquel Pennington in 2015. She debuted in June against former Invicta atomweight champion Jessica Penne. Andrade battered her. The Brazilian submitted Joanne Calderwood without much issue and now sits as the No. 5-ranked contender in the division per the official UFC rankings.

Given the dominance of Joanna Jedrzejczyk and the current status of Andrade and Hill’s trajectory, this very well could end up with the winner challenging for the strawweight championship in 2017. It is a big time matchup between two fantastic strikers.

The new bout of Andrade vs. Hill has not yet been assigned to a spot on the card. UFC 207 takes place on December 30 with Ronda Rousey’s return headlining the bill.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

The Ultimate Fighter 24 Finale: Matches to Make for the Winners and Losers

Tim Elliott earned his shot at flyweight glory at The Ultimate Fighter 24 Finale, but he came up short Saturday in his attempt at dethroning the best pound-for-pound fighter.
Demetrious Johnson retained his championship by unanimous decision. It was hi…

Tim Elliott earned his shot at flyweight glory at The Ultimate Fighter 24 Finale, but he came up short Saturday in his attempt at dethroning the best pound-for-pound fighter.

Demetrious Johnson retained his championship by unanimous decision. It was his ninth defense, just one shy of Anderson Silva’s UFC record.

Also in action, TUF coaches and flyweight contenders Joseph Benavidez and Henry Cejudo went to war, and Benavidez edged out Cejudo. In addition, Sara McMann defeated a returning Alexis Davis to inch closer to being a top contender at 135 pounds.

Who’s next for all these athletes? That’s what we’ll look at in the aftermath of the latest TUF finale.

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The Ultimate Fighter 24 Finale: Matches to Make for the Winners and Losers

Tim Elliott earned his shot at flyweight glory at The Ultimate Fighter 24 Finale, but he came up short Saturday in his attempt at dethroning the best pound-for-pound fighter.
Demetrious Johnson retained his championship by unanimous decision. It was hi…

Tim Elliott earned his shot at flyweight glory at The Ultimate Fighter 24 Finale, but he came up short Saturday in his attempt at dethroning the best pound-for-pound fighter.

Demetrious Johnson retained his championship by unanimous decision. It was his ninth defense, just one shy of Anderson Silva’s UFC record.

Also in action, TUF coaches and flyweight contenders Joseph Benavidez and Henry Cejudo went to war, and Benavidez edged out Cejudo. In addition, Sara McMann defeated a returning Alexis Davis to inch closer to being a top contender at 135 pounds.

Who’s next for all these athletes? That’s what we’ll look at in the aftermath of the latest TUF finale.

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The Ultimate Fighter 24 Finale: Bleacher Report Main Card Staff Picks

Tim Elliott is on the precipice of one of the best comeback stories in UFC history.
The talented flyweight lost three tough fights in a row in the Octagon and was cut from the roster. He then won three straight in Titan FC and claimed its 125-pound cha…

Tim Elliott is on the precipice of one of the best comeback stories in UFC history.

The talented flyweight lost three tough fights in a row in the Octagon and was cut from the roster. He then won three straight in Titan FC and claimed its 125-pound championship before joining the cast of The Ultimate Fighter, where the winner was guaranteed a shot at Demetrious Johnson.

Johnson is the one and only flyweight champion in UFC history and the pound-for-pound best fighter in the world. Elliott winning would be a massive upset and compelling story.

The B/R team is here to let you know if he can get it done. Craig Amos, Scott Harris, Steven Rondina and Nathan McCarter are breaking down each of the main card bouts for you. Ready? Let’s get rollin’.

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Demetrious Johnson vs. Tim Elliott: A Head-to-Toe Breakdown

The Ultimate Fighter victor on Wednesday was Tim Elliott, and his prize is a shot at Demetrious Johnson’s flyweight title on Saturday.
Johnson is the UFC’s most dominant champion. He is one of the most well-rounded titleholders to date, and h…

The Ultimate Fighter victor on Wednesday was Tim Elliott, and his prize is a shot at Demetrious Johnson‘s flyweight title on Saturday.

Johnson is the UFC’s most dominant champion. He is one of the most well-rounded titleholders to date, and he has dispatched of almost every contender in the division without much issue. Elliott is a new challenge.

Elliott fought in the UFC prior to his stint on The Ultimate Fighter. He performed well but faltered against elite competitors like Joseph Benavidez. He was cut from the roster and improved on the regional circuit.

Saturday is his chance. A tournament victory has allowed him to jump the line for a title shot. Does he pull a Matt Serra and shock everyone, or does Johnson show why he’s the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world today?

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