Khamzat Chimaev is coming off a rough stint against COVID-19.
The two title bouts at UFC 267 were made official, with Jan Blachowicz and Glover Teixeira both coming in at 205 lbs, and Petr Yan and Cory Sandhagen coming in at 135 lbs. Unfortunately, two more fighters missed weight, including the much hyped Khamzat Chimaev.
The Sweden-based Chechen was the very last fighter to weigh in that window, and looked drained as he weighed in. He needed the towel — and was actually was making contact with it — but still weighed in half a pound over the welterweight limit.
He officially weighed 171.5 lbs on his first attempt, and will be given an extra hour to try and make weight. His opponent, Li Jingliang, made the contracted limit and tipped the scales at 171.
Chimaev is also one of those who had long COVID, and is trying to return after months of serious complications and symptoms from the virus that made him retire briefly.
Khamzat Chimaev was .5 pounds heavy on his first weigh-in attempt – while touching the towel?
He has 1 extra hour to make welterweight.#UFC267 | @Farah_Hannoun pic.twitter.com/al7qYapzd7
— MMA Junkie (@MMAjunkie) October 29, 2021
UPDATE: Chimaev has made weight on his second attempt, tipping the scales officially at 171 lbs. It did involve some ways to try and cheat the scale again though, but we have a fight.
A visibly exhausted Khamzat Chimaev weigh-ins with his hands on the towel and scale showed 166. He retried with hands in the air and it showed 171.
What rollercoaster of emotions. #UFC267
— José Youngs (@JoseYoungs) October 29, 2021
TOWELGATE II? Controversy in Abu Dhabi after Khamzat Chimaev fluctuates five pounds during his second weigh-in. Did he hold the towel? pic.twitter.com/UNu8fZCu9E
— The Mac Life (@TheMacLife) October 29, 2021
Another fighter missed weight badly on the card, with Damir Ismagulov coming in at 163.5, which is 7.5 lbs over the lightweight limit. The bout against Magomed Mustafaev is likely to be scrapped from the UFC 267 line up.
Full weigh-in results can be found here.