There was a strange scene that took place during Friday’s Rizin Fighting Federation show in Saitama, Japan.
It’s been well documented that Gabi Garcia missed weight by 26 pounds after agreeing to a limit of 209.4 pounds for her fight against Japanese wrestling legend Shinobu Kandori.
At the event, Garcia was brought into the ring to apologize for missing weight. Although the promotion did not announce that the bout had been pulled from the card before it started, they were missing from the opening roll call that featured all of the evening’s competitors.
Later in the show, it was revealed that both Garcia and Kandori would come out to the ring to address the fans in attendance. This leads us to the strange situation.
Kandori and Rizin official Nobuhiko Takada spoke to the crowd first. They explained that although it’s a rare circumstance for a fight to be called off in Japan so long as both athletes are healthy, Garcia’s weight issues was simply too big of an error for the bout to go on as planned. Kandori insisted that she would still like to fight Garcia.
“I’m talking fast, I just say sorry about this,” Garcia said. “It’s first time this happened in my life, but (I had problems) three weeks before the fight and I think I recover and my first training here, my nose is with blood and my blood pressure, I know (I had problems cutting weight).
“I respect her, I respect my opponent, she’s a legend here… I need to say sorry for all my fans in Japan, I love you guys and sorry (Nobuyuki) Sakakibara-san, Takada, sorry (Kandori) and I challenge you for next year… I hope you accept fight with me next year, I’m so sorry Japan, I love you guys, and I’m back more strong than ever.”
Gabi Garcia #RIZINFF #RIZIN2017 pic.twitter.com/ot9gSlTSGm
— Fancy Combat (@FancyCombat) December 29, 2017
Garcia has since released a statement on her official Instagram account:
“Everyone is looking for an excuse, but when it comes to health and our lives, they can say it’s anything. My life first.
Unfortunately a few days ago I measured my pressure and was high, I thought it was only that day. When I got off the plane in Japan I went to my training and started to have a headache, my eyesight blurred and my nose bleeding all the time. I warned my team, but I did not tell anyone because I did not give up.
After all my training, my nose was bleeding from leaving a towel next to it. It was fine the night before and I decided to cut the weight the next morning, but I woke up with fever and again with my nose dripping, high blood pressure.
Too much stress before traveling, unfortunately I still do not control my body, but I control my decisions. For those who have lost a brother, dying for a cut of weight would not be my choice.
All together, menstrual period, high blood pressure, it was necessary to cut 17 pounds. I chose to live. No need to post any explanation, but no one knows what people are going through.
Do not judge. Thank you Rizin for cherishing my life. I went up to the Saitama ring and apologized to my fans, who continue to support me and asked for my return. I’m going to rest, and get better back in 2018. With lots of news and going all the way.”
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