The UFC 274 weigh-ins have wrapped up, but it wasn’t without its share of drama, as Charles Oliveira has been stripped of the lightweight title after missing weight by 0.5 pounds. Oliveira missed weight on his first attempt, coming in at 155.5 pounds. He would then come in at the same weight on his second…
The UFC 274 weigh-ins have wrapped up, but it wasn’t without its share of drama, as Charles Oliveira has been stripped of the lightweight title after missing weight by 0.5 pounds.
Oliveira missed weight on his first attempt, coming in at 155.5 pounds. He would then come in at the same weight on his second attempt. You can catch a glimpse at Oliveira on the scales below.
Charles Oliveira weighed in over the lightweight title fight limit at 155.5 pounds.
As a result of his weight miss, the lightweight championship is now vacant. However, since Justin Gaethje successfully made weight, he is still eligible to win the title tomorrow night with a victory. In addition to being stripped of the title, Oliveira will also be fined for the miss.
Another person who missed weight today was Norma Dumont, who came in 0.5 pounds over the featherweight limit ahead of her fight against Macy Chiasson. As a result, Dumont has been fined 30% of her fight purse but the fight will proceed as scheduled.
Everyone else successfully made weight, and each scheduled bout on the card will proceed.
You can catch our staff picks for the event right here. If you missed the press conference highlights, you can get up to speed here. Want to watch the UFC’s live official weigh-in show? You can do so right here!
UFC 274: Oliveira vs. Gaethje takes place live tonight from The Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona. You can catch the weigh-in results below, courtesy of UFC.com, and find full coverage of the event tomorrow right here on MMANews.com!
UFC 274 Weigh-In Results
UFC 274 MAIN CARD (PPV, 10:00 PM ET)
Main Event – Lightweight Title: Charles Oliveira (155.5)* vs Justin Gaethje (155)
Co-Main Event – Strawweight Title: Rose Namajunas (115) vs Carla Esparza (115)
Lightweight Bout: Michael Chandler (156) vs Tony Ferguson (155.5)
Light Heavyweight Bout: Shogun Rua (205.5) vs Ovince Saint Preux (205)
Lightweight Bout: Donald Cerrone (155.5) vs Joe Lauzon (155.5)
PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN/ESPN+, 8:00 PM ET)
Welterweight Bout: Randy Brown (170.5) vs Khaos Williams (170)
Welterweight Bout: Francisco Trinaldo (170.5) vs Danny Roberts (170.5)
Women’s Featherweight Bout: Macy Chiasson (145.5) vs Norma Dumont (146.5)**
Flyweight Bout: Brandon Royval (125.5) vs Matt Schnell (125.5)
EARLY PRELIMS (ESPN+/UFC FIGHT PASS, 6:00 PM ET)
Heavyweight Bout: Blagoy Ivanov (253.5) vs Marcos Rogerio de Lima (258.5)
Welterweight Bout: Andre Fialho (170.5) Cameron VanCamp (170)
Women’s Flyweight Bout: Tracy Cortez (125.5) vs Melissa Gatto (125)
Flyweight Bout: Kleydson Rodrigues (125.5) vs CJ Vergara (126)
Women’s Strawweight Bout: Ariane Carnelossi (115.5) vs Loopy Godinez (115)
Bantamweight Bout: Journey Newson (135.5) vs Fernie Garcia (135.5)
UFC women’s strawweight champion Rose Namajunas has named her top three back attackers in the UFC. Namajunas knows a thing or two about jiu-jitsu, being one of the top jiu-jitsu specialists in women’s mixed martial arts (MMA). Recently, Namajunas joined Morning Kombat to preview her upcoming title defense against Carla Esparza. During the conversation, Namajunas…
UFC women’s strawweight champion Rose Namajunas has named her top three back attackers in the UFC.
Namajunas knows a thing or two about jiu-jitsu, being one of the top jiu-jitsu specialists in women’s mixed martial arts (MMA). Recently, Namajunas joined Morning Kombat to preview her upcoming title defense against Carla Esparza.
During the conversation, Namajunas was asked about who she thinks has the best back attacks in the UFC right now.
“I mean, shoot, Aljamain Sterling recently,” Namajunas. “He’s so masterful with it. When he gets you there it’s just so hard to get out. I was gonna say, yeah, obviously Demian Maia.
Image Credit: Getty Images
“He’s — I would say probably the best out of everybody in the whole UFC. Charles Oliveira is really great as well. He has some of the coolest submissions in the UFC. So those are probably the top three.”
Namajunas certainly has some nasty back attacks herself, and she’s hoping to show them off against Esparza. The pair will lock horns with the 115-pound title on the line at UFC 274 on pay-per-view (PPV) from the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona on May 7.
“Thug” comes off her first successful title defense over Weili Zhang since topping Zhang for the title initially back in April of 2021. Namajunas looks to make it four straight wins with a potential victory over Esparza.
Esparza actually beat Namajunas back in 2014 for the inaugural UFC women’s strawweight title. She’s currently on a five-fight win streak and looking to reclaim the title once again with a big win over Namajunas.
What do you think of Rose Namajunas and her picks for top back attackers in the UFC? And who are you picking in Namajunas vs. Esparza II? Sound off in the comments section below!
In the co-main of the upcoming UFC 274, strawweight champion Rose Namajunas will take on Carla Esparza, in a rematch eight years in the making. When Namajunas and Esparza fight fought, in the Ultimate Fighter season 20 finale, it was Esparza who walked away with her hand raised. ‘The Cookie Monster’ was able to lock […]
In the co-main of the upcoming UFC 274, strawweight champion Rose Namajunas will take on Carla Esparza, in a rematch eight years in the making.
When Namajunas and Esparza fight fought, in the Ultimate Fighter season 20 finale, it was Esparza who walked away with her hand raised. ‘The Cookie Monster’ was able to lock up a rear-naked choke in round three, forcing the tap.
However, since then, Rose Namajunas has teamed up with Trevor Wittman, immensely improving her game to the point where she was able to capture, and defend, the UFC strawweight title. Esparza has also continued to improve, and how sits on a five-fight winning streak.
Rose Namajunas goes into this fight as a heavy betting favorite, with the bookies clearly backing her to avenge her early loss to Esparza. Let’s see what the LowKickMMA staff have to say:
LowKick MMA Staff Predictions for Rose Namajunas vs. Carla Esparza
Frank Bonada
I feel that this fight has a relatively simple dynamic to it, in that for Esparza to win, she must be able to implement her dangerous high-level wrestling game. Failure to do so will be catastrophic for the ‘Cookie Monster.’ Namajunas is an extremely well-rounded fighter, with lethal kickboxing that will likely light Espaza up if the fight remains on the feet. She also demonstrated her ability to deal with strong wrestlers in her most recent rematch with Weili Zhang. If Esparza cannot get her game going early, one has to think that Namajunas will run away with the fight, and as a result, I have to take ‘Thug’ Rose for this one.
Prediction: Rose Namajunas
Ross Markey
By now, we’re all well aware of the incredible story of Rose Namajunas to not just rise to strawweight supremacy – but, to do it twice in a record-setting fashion. However, the story shared by co-headline feature, Carla Esparza matches Namajunas’ tenfold. The first Invicta FC and UFC strawweight champion, Torrance native, Esparza is a trailblazer in every sense of the word. The first champion in one of the toughest divisions in the sport. Toppled by a common opponent, Joanna Jedrzejczyk soon after her UFC reign began, Esparza’s re-emergence as a title challenger, once again, is nothing short of commendable. It must also be said first and foremost, both Namajunas and Esparza have come on leaps and bounds since their first matchup back in 2014 in an inaugural title offing. Namajunas has rounded out her game splendidly, under the watchful eye of ONX Labs technician, Trevor Wittman, while Esparza has continued to stack high a résumé containing notable contenders under the guidance of Colin Oyama on the west coast. Namajunas has herself showcased those ever-developed skills in her pair of successes against Jedrzejczyk, and Zhang Weili – the latter of which last November most notably. Dynamism and creativity from Rose gets her my nod in this old-school strawweight stylistic sequel.
Prediction: Rose Namajunas
Lewis Simpson
A classic striker vs. Grappler matchup. Esparaza will have the mental edge I feel leading into this one, having already beaten Rose in the past. However, that was a long time ago, and Rose’s game has evolved massively since then. It’s worth mentioning that this was a fight Rose campaigned to get back to avenge her loss, highlighting her competitive spirit. I expect Esparza to have a successful start to the fight, utilizing her wrestling and landing takedowns frequently. As the fight plays into the later rounds, I expect Esparza’s gas tank to run out of fuel due to the constant wrestling allowing Rose to open up her striking more and put it on Esparza. As Rose has shown, she can shut anybody’s lights out in these big fights. I’m going with Rose by knockout in the late rounds after a strong start by Esparza.
I see Rose winning this one quite comfortably. Although Esparza can pressure her and bring something new to the table with her wrestling, Rose is just too well-rounded, she’s good off her back, can’t be held down, and is a threat with her submission. Maybe Esparza does something unexpected but I am going with Rose on this one.
Prediction: Rose Namajunas
Michael Gingrich
I got ‘Thug’ Rose winning this one. She’s on another level this time around, but I do think it will be a closer fight than many believe. I don’t think Esparza will be able to match Namajunas’s striking, but if she can get the fight to the ground we got a fight on our hands. On the mat with Esparza is the last thing Namajunas wants in this fight. This fight will most likely go the distance with Namjunas’s hand being raised at the end.
Prediction: Rose Namajunas
Ollie Brockett
Although Carla Esparza drew first blood against Rosa Namajunas in their Ultimate Fighter finale, I don’t see anything past Bruce Buffer screaming out “AND STILL” the only thing in question would be, by which method? Can Rosa get the job done without the need of the judges or will Esparza manage to drag the fight out for 25-minutes with her notorious wresting? Not to discredit Esparza – since she’s never looked better in her pro career – however, Namajunas’s elite boxing and much-improved ground game will end up being too much for Carla and as a result, I can confidently say she will continue her Strawweight reign.
Prediction: Rose Namajunas
Alex Nikollaj
This is a rematch 8 years in the making and it is a rematch from the Ultimate Fighter season 20 when the strawweight title was introduced. In this matchup I believe that Esparza has fewer routes to victory, in fact I think she has one route to victory and that is securing takedowns and controlling Namajunas. I believe Rose has elevated her game both physically and mentally and we’re going to see her remain the strawweight champion, Namajunas will most likely win a unanimous decision using her movement and crisp striking while defending Esparza’s takedowns.
Prediction: Rose Namajunas
Keelin McNamara
Easiest fight of the night to predict for me – I think Rose is going to absolutely walk through Carla Esparza here. Truthfully, Esparza is only getting this shot because of how thin the women’s strawweight division is. Plus, Rose is WAY better than the last time they fought. First round KO for ‘Thug.’
The UFC 274 pre-fight press conference took place earlier tonight, and we’ve got the highlights for you right here! UFC 274 takes place Saturday, May 7, 2022, from the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona. The main event will feature Charles Oliveira defending his lightweight championship against Justin Gaethje. The co-main event will spotlight a strawweight rematch between…
UFC 274 takes place Saturday, May 7, 2022, from the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona. The main event will feature Charles Oliveira defending his lightweight championship against Justin Gaethje.
The co-main event will spotlight a strawweight rematch between champion “Thug” Rose Namajunas and Carla Esparza over seven years in the making.
And of course, who can forget an El Cucuy sighting? Tony Ferguson will try to snap his three-fight skid when he takes on “Iron” Michael Chandler prior to the two title fights. Buckle up, because this is one fight that could very easily steal the show.
Also on the card will be two pairs of legends squaring off when Donald Cerrone takes on Joe Lauzon to kick off the main card followed by a rematch between Ovince Saint Preux and Mauricio “Shogun” Rua. You never know how many more times you’ll get to see these legends compete, which makes both contests a must-see.
Below, you can find some of the most memorable moments from tonight’s UFC 274 pre-fight press conference.
Carla Esparza sees a lot of similarities between herself and UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira’s rises. Esparza will challenge Rose Namajunas for the women’s strawweight title at UFC 274 this weekend. The card is headlined by Oliveira, who is defending his own gold against Justin Gaethje. During a recent pre-fight press conference, Esparza explained how…
Carla Esparza sees a lot of similarities between herself and UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira’s rises.
Esparza will challenge Rose Namajunas for the women’s strawweight title at UFC 274 this weekend. The card is headlined by Oliveira, who is defending his own gold against Justin Gaethje. During a recent pre-fight press conference, Esparza explained how she sees a lot of similarities between herself and Oliveira.
In fact, Esparza reminded that Oliveira actually fought on the same card that she and Namajunas initially fought on in 2014.
“What’s funny is Oliveira headlined the first time that Rose and I fought that many years ago,” Carla Esparza said. “So I’m kinda like, ‘Oh, that’s cool.’
“But yeah, it’s been cool watching him actually grow through these years and seeing him come up in his division. And I think he had a similar long run to the title.”
Esparza and Namajunas initially fought at The Ultimate Fighter 20 Finale in 2014, where the inaugural 115-pound champion was crowned. Esparza actually ended up beating Namajunas via third-round submission to win the strap.
Oliveira co-headlined the card, defeating Jeremy Stephens at featherweight via unanimous decision. Since, Oliveira has gone on to rack up a 10-fight win streak, capturing the lightweight title and proving himself a dominant force at 155 pounds. Esparza admitted that seeing Oliveira’s evolution has been inspiring for her.
“It does give me motivation. It’s just like, ‘Hey, man! We’re here! We’re veterans! We’re all still here! It’s cool. It’s definitely cool to watch any veteran still be there years later.”
UFC 274 will go down live on pay-per-view (PPV) from the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona this weekend on May 7.
What do you make of Esparza’s comparisons between herself and Oliveira? And will both leave victorious Saturday night from their respective title bouts? Sound off in the comments!
#UFC274 pic.twitter.com/b7os9RFSuS
In the co-main of the upcoming UFC 274, strawweight champion Rose Namajunas will take on Carla Esparza, in a rematch eight years in the making. When Namajunas and Esparza fight fought, in the Ultimate Fighter season 20 finale, it was Esparza who walked away with her hand raised. ‘The Cookie Monster’ was able to lock […]
