Josh Emmett scored a beautiful first-round knockout over No. 3 ranked Featherweight Ricardo Lamas in the co-main event of last night’s (Sat., Dec. 16. 2017) UFC on FOX 26 event in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
Unfortunately for Josh, he didn’t win a $50,000 “Performance of the Night” bonus. That’s because he was excluded from earning a post-fight check due to the fact that he missed weight.
Now, the lifelong wrestler is hoping the UFC powers-that be can find it in their hearts to make an exception for him, especially since he took the fight on short notice and bailed them out of a pickle.
“It is what it is. I took the fight on three weeks notice and I apologize for not making weight. It’s the first time I miss weight in wrestling or for a fight. If Ricardo wants to run it back and give me a full camp of eight to 10 weeks, then I am all for that. It probably won’t be as good for him, but we can do it. I give it up to him, he’s a great athlete, he’s been at the top of the division for so long and I am just very thankful for him taking the fight and even though I missed weight, but I did pay 30-percent of my purse. So if there is anyway I can still get, I am excluded from the bonus, but, if they can make an exception I will gladly take it as well.”
Rules are rules?
Indeed, Emmett stepped in to face “The Bully” after Jose Aldo was yanked from the event in order to face Max Holloway at UFC 218 a few weeks ago with Frankie Injured. But, as is custom, the promotion excludes fighters from winning the extra coin if they don’t hit their mark.
That said, should the world’s leading fight promotion make an exemption for Emmett — or any other fighter who does them a solid an accepts a short notice fight — since making the required weight on limited time is that much tougher?
For full results and round-by-round coverage of UFC Winnipeg, click here.