William Gomis Pulled From UFC 301 Following Strange Weight Cutting Issue

Pesée validée pour le jaguar 🐆 @WilliamGomisMMA ⚖️ 64,9 kg (143 lb)

📺 Regardez l’#UFC301 dans la nuit de samedi à dimanche sur 🇫🇷 @RMCSport 2 pic.twitter.com/G8DTwhF2Qd

— UFC France (@UFCFRA) May 3, 2024

A Ultimate Fighting Championship fighter has been forced out of his match after a bad weight cut, but not for the reason one might expect.

Ahead of UFC 301, William Gomis hit the scales for his featherweight matchup against Jean Silva. The Frenchman wobbled to the dais while still wearing a t-shirt and shorts, and did not disrobe like other competitors. Instead, the depleted Gomis stood on the podium and weighed in at 143 pounds, or three pounds below the limit of his weight class. Appearing in poor condition, Silva nearly needed assistance walking to and from the stage as commission officials tended to him.

Shortly after the bizarre scene unfolded, French outlet RMC Sport Combat broke the news that the fight had been scratched for medical reasons. Additional outlets confirmed that the 145-pound contest had been pulled, with MMA Fighting adding that Gomis reportedly vomited backstage before attempting to weigh in. It is unclear but unlikely that the league will be able to slot in a replacement on a day’s notice to face Silva.

Gomis was aiming to make it four straight wins in the Octagon since making his promotional debut in 2022. “The Jaguar” picked up a pair of decision victories over Jarno Errens and Francis Marshall to get his UFC career underway, and he punished Yanis Ghemmouri with a body kick in September 2023 to win his third with the promotion. Silva was also coming into this pairing with plenty of momentum, as he made a splash in January by thrashing Westin Wilson in a little over four minutes. The Brazilian posts a high finish rate of 92%, with nine straight wins leading up to this now-canceled affair.