UFC 199 weigh-in: Tensions run high despite new fighter-friendly rules

By Case Keefer (contact)

Friday, June 3, 2016 | 6 p.m.

Skirmishes at weigh-ins typically occur because of a combination of two factors — hostility between opponents and the anguishing dehydration and starvation fighters go through to make weight.

The latter wasn’t available as an excuse for the first time on Friday at the Forum when fighters weighed in ahead of Saturday’s UFC 199, which airs on pay-per-view at 7 p.m. following a preliminary card. The California State Athletic Commission enacted new weigh-in rules that allowed competitors to weigh in up to six hours earlier than the UFC’s public event, and every fighter took advantage.

That didn’t stop all four headliners from lashing out at each other. UFC President Dana White had to separate both middleweights Luke Rockhold (185) and Michael Bisping (185), and bantamweights Dominick Cruz (135) and Urijah Faber (135), as they approached each other for staredown photos.

“This is a dude I can’t wait to beat up,” Faber said, looking in Cruz’s direction. “I can’t wait to punch his smug little face.”

The challenger in the main event used the same adjective to describe the champion.

“This guy, Luke Rockhold, I know he’s a great fighter,” Bisping said. “But I’ll tell you this: There’s not a single person in this world I’d rather take the belt off of than this smug (expletive).”

White had to exert more effort to keep Rockhold and Bisping apart, as they lunged toward each other while yelling obscenities throughout their face-off. Cruz shared some words with Faber, who appeared to not respond, but they abided by the barricade White created with his arms.

Everyone on the card made weight, and looked uncommonly healthy doing so. Fighters usually rehydrate up to 25 pounds after making weight, and it was apparent many were already on their way up when the UFC held its ceremonial weigh-in at 4 p.m.

UFC had fighters go through the charade of taking off their clothes and stepping on the scale, though no one was monitoring or recording their weights. Commentator Joe Rogan read official weights the fighters made from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Fighters unanimously applauded the change and heralded it as safer. Although California is the only state with the system in place so far, more could follow suit and revolutionize weigh-in procedures.

“We’re 100 percent supportive of it,” White said at Thursday’s news conference. “We’re behind this thing, and this is going to be a trial run to see how this works. I think the fighters are excited.”

From higher energy-levels to less drawn-out frames, fighters’ temperaments were noticeably improved for a weigh-in. Aside from the top two fights, there were no incidents.

The crowd gave the biggest receptions to veterans Dan Henderson (185.5) and Clay Guida (146). Henderson smiled and didn’t get anywhere near opponent Hector Lombard (184.5).

Guida bounced around, as is his custom, holding two bananas before giving one to opponent Brian Ortega (145), who immediately chowed down. There were no fruit offerings or friendly gestures between Cruz and Faber or Rockhold and Bisping.

They might have been in better moods than normal, but not enough to tolerate each other.

“Credit to Bisping, he’s earned his shot, he’s worked his way back up the ladder,” Rockhold said. “But he’s going to find out there are levels to this game. He obviously didn’t understand what happened last time. It’s time to penetrate that thick skull.”

Check below for full results from the UFC 199 weigh-in.

Middleweight championship bout: Luke Rockhold (185) vs. Michael Bisping (185)

Bantamweight championship bout: Dominick Cruz (135) vs. Urijah Faber (134.5)

Featherweight bout: Max Holloway (146) vs. Ricardo Lamas (145.5)

Middleweight bout: Dan Henderson (185.5) vs. Hector Lombard (184.5)

Lightweight bout: Dustin Poirier (155.5) vs. Bobby Green (155)

Featherweight bout: Brian Ortega (145) vs. Clay Guida (146)

Lightweight bout: Beneil Dariush (156) vs. James Vick (155.5)

Women’s strawweight bout: Jessica Penne (115.5) vs. Jessica Andrade (115.5)

Featherweight bout: Cole Miller (146) vs. Alex Caceres (145.5)

Welterweight bout: Sean Strickland (171) vs. Tom Breese (170.5)

Light heavyweight bout: Jonathan Wilson (205.5) vs. Luiz Henrique da Silva (205.5)

Middleweight bout: Kevin Casey (185) vs. Elvis Mutapcic (185)

Lightweight bout: Polo Reyes (155) vs. Dong Hyun Kim (154.5)

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