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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
The co-main event for Saturday's UFC 142 event is in jeopardy, as Anthony "Rumble" Johnson came in grossly overweight for his fight with Vitor Belfort.
Johnson tipped the scales at 197 lbs. on Friday, 12 pounds over the middleweight limit and 11 pounds over the allowable 186 lb. mark. Johnson will need to weigh-in again on Saturday, and if he's over 205 lbs. the fight will be off. He will forfeit 20% of his purse to Belfort if the fight is on. Johnson had missed weight in the welterweight division twice before, but it wasn't expected to be an issue at middleweight; unfortunately, it's become one.
"As a fighter, you are a professional," said UFC President Dana White. "You are contracted to come in at a certain weight. This is not the first time this has happened with Johnson. He moved up to 185 pound so this wouldn't happen, and here we are in the same position again."
"Vitor was bummed out and he feels the same way I do. Vitor Belfort has to cut this weight too and he's older than 'Rumble' Johnson is. He came in, like a professional, on weight, and Anthony Johnson comes in totally unprofessional and way overweight
Penick's Analysis: It's completely, 100% unacceptable for Johnson to miss weight for this fight, and if he comes in over 205 lbs. tomorrow in a second weigh-in, I wouldn't be surprised to see the UFC release him. It's really unfortunate, because this was and is a huge opportunity for him. By missing weight and threatening the fight even happening, Johnson's put himself on thin ice.
Article updated with quotes from Dana White and Johnson's weigh-in results
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Jamie Penick, editor-in-chief
(mmatorcheditor@gmail.com)
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