Dennis Hallman, an 82-fight veteran as a professional mixed martial artist, was cut from the UFC after he was unable to make the 156-pound limit against Thiago Tavares for the UFC on FX event on Friday, MMA Fighting reports.
“They are cutting me,” he wrote in a text message. “Dana [White] gave me my show and win pay to help me deal with the mountain in front of me. Now I have to go make weight a couple times on the regional circuit. I’ll be back to the UFC though, I always am.”
Hallman has competed anywhere between lightweight and middleweight throughout his 16-year fight career, though he was also overweight for a scheduled lightweight bout at UFC 140 against John Makdessi.
“Superman” never even stepped on the scale this time, explaining that an undisclosed personal matter was the reason why he came in overweight and decided not to fight.
“I’m having some personal issues at home,” Hallman said. “I’m not fit to fight. I told Dana [White] what my issues were. He understands family matters, and he was cool with me not fighting.”
Hallman also told MMA Fighting that he passed out earlier in the day when he was cutting weight from 158 pounds. He was then given intravenous fluids that put him up to 163 pounds.
Tavares then indicated he would take the fight if Hallman was just three pounds over the limit. Hallman obliged, but Tavares then asked for Hallman to cut one more additional pound before Hallman opted not to fight.
Ariel Helwani also reports that Tavares will receive his show money for the cancelled matchup.
An unexpected and unfortunate turn of events for a preliminary card that looked very solid on paper.
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