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UFC 200 weigh-in: Miesha Tate beams over ‘crazy turn of events’

Everyone except Johny Hendricks makes weight at early weigh-in

UFC 200 Weigh Ins Event

L.E. Baskow

Miesha Tate kisses her bicep on the scale during the UFC 200 weigh-ins at the T-Mobile Arena on Friday, July 8, 2016.

Updated Friday, July 8, 2016 | 5:48 p.m.

UFC 200 Weigh-in

Miesha Tate salutes the fans after an interview with Joe Rogan during the UFC 200 weigh-ins at the T-Mobile Arena on Friday, July 8, 2016. Launch slideshow »

Miesha Tate now rivals Daniel Cormier for having gone through the wildest ride of emotions in the three days leading up to UFC 200.

Cormier went from headlining Saturday at T-Mobile Arena to potentially not fighting at all after Jon Jones failed an anti-doping test to facing Anderson Silva in the middle of the pay-per-view. Tate bounced around with three similar stops.

Initially placed in the third fight of the main card, Tate took over main-event duties after Cormier vs. Silva was booked but then nearly missed out all together.

The local women’s bantamweight champion prevented the final step from coming to fruition with seconds to spare. Tate weighed in at 134.5 pounds — a half-pound below the championship-fight limit — within the final minute fighters were allowed to tip the scales this morning.

Her opponent, Amanda Nunes, hit the exact 135-pound mark earlier in the 8 am to 10 am time frame fighters were allowed to weigh-in. If Tate would have arrived a minute later, UFC 200 would have lost its third announced main event after canceling Conor McGregor vs. Nate Diaz II in April and being forced to scrap Jones vs. Cormier II on Wednesday.

Although the official weights were already in, the UFC still held its traditional weigh-in event later in the day for television, photo opportunities and fans. Tate seemed to relish her role as headliner.

When Nunes touched her face with a fist during their staredown photo, Tate pushed her arm away before UFC President Dana White separated the two.

“I’m going to go out there tomorrow and rip her heart out of her chest, stomp on it and I’m going to be the reigning champion,” Tate said. “This is a crazy turn of events.”

It was the first time Nevada has utilized the new weigh-in rules, which were designed to benefit fighters by giving them more time to rehydrate. All it ultimately created for Tate — and the UFC front office, for that matter — on Friday was more stress.

Just as she will be the last to walk out at tomorrow night’s card, Tate was the final fighter to weigh-in, making it 23 of 24 UFC 200 coming in on weight. Former welterweight champion Johny Hendricks missed by a quarter-pound.

Noticeably gaunt, Hendricks forfeited 20 percent of his purse to opponent Kelvin Gastelum (171) after registering 171.25 pounds.

Despite admitting to having only trained for a month, Brock Lesnar came in at 265.5 pounds — a half-pound from the heavyweight limit. His opponent, Mark Hunt, was 264.5 and later drew a laugh when he took a question about what he thought when he was offered to fight the former heavyweight champion.

“I thought he was retired,” Hunt said.

Pressed for how he thought once it sunk in that Lesnar was coming back, Hunt got more to the point.

“I’m going to punch his face in,” he said.

Hunt drew the second loudest reaction of the public weigh-in behind Silva, who stepped up to fight Cormier on less than two days notice. Silva, who at 198.5 pounds was nearly eight pounds below the light heavyweight limit, said he took the fight as a “personal challenge.”

He bowed in deference of the light heavyweight champion Cormier, who made it clear the respect was mutual.

“It has been a rollercoaster week but the UFC came through,” Cormier said. “I get to fight the greatest fighter of all-time. I’m honored and I’m thankful for Andeerson stepping up but he’s got to get it.”

Tate might be the only one on the card who can relate to what Cormier has endured. She said she was, “so excited,” about how everything worked out.

Despite the ideal situation, Tate — like Cormier — still has a tough opponent ahead.

“I’m very happy to be at this moment of my career and I’m 100 percent I’m going to take this belt tomorrow,” Nunes said. “Be ready.”

Check below for full results from the UFC 200 weigh-in.

Women’s bantamweight championship bout: Miesha Tate (134.5) vs. Amanda Nunes (135)

Heavyweight bout: Brock Lesnar (265.5) vs. Mark Hunt (264.5)

Light heavyweight bout: Daniel Cormier (206) vs. Anderson Silva (198.5)

Interim featherweight championship bout: Jose Aldo (145) vs. Frankie Edgar (144.5)

Heavyweight bout: Cain Velasquez (242.5) vs. Travis Browne (244)

Women’s bantamweight bout: Julianna Pena (135.5) vs. Cat Zingano (135.5)

Welterweight bout: Johny Hendricks (171.25) vs. Kelvin Gastelum (171)

Bantamweight: T.J. Dillashaw (136) vs. Raphael Assuncao (135.5)

Lightweight bout: Sage Northcutt (156) vs. Enrique Marin (156)

Lightweight bout: Joe Lauzon (156) vs. Diego Sanchez (155)

Middleweight bout: Gegard Mousasi (185.5) vs. Thiago Santos (186)

Lightweight bout: Jim Miller (155.5) vs. Takanori Gomi (156)

Case Keefer can be reached at 702-948-2790 or [email protected]. Follow Case on Twitter at twitter.com/casekeefer.

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