Dana White Says UFC Wants to Get Rid of Early Weigh-Ins in Favor of Original Format

Over the past couple years, it has become basically a time-honored tradition to see at least one bout drop off a UFC fight card shortly before the event.

On many occasions, it is due to weight-cut issues for one of the athletes. And if fighters weren’t withdrawing, many more seem to be missing weight.These incidents have become more prevalent since the institution of early weigh-ins in 2016, which were introduced to theoretically give fighters more time to recover from their cut before competing. UFC President Dana White believes that early weigh-ins are indeed to blame.

“Yes, I do think it’s (the early weigh-ins), and guess what? We’re getting rid of it,” White said on the "UFC Unfiltered” podcast. “We’re looking at taking the weigh-ins back to the way they used to be so that when the [fighters] weigh in there at the [ceremonial weigh-ins], that will be it. That’ll be the real weigh-in.”

The latest high profile instance was Darren Till, who came in 3.5 pounds heavy for his headlining welterweight bout against Stephen Thompson at UFC Fight Night 130. In order to be able to compete, Till had to check in at no more than 188 pounds on Fight Day. Other high-profile cases of fighters missing weight in recent months included Mackenzie Dern at UFC 224 and Kevin Lee at UFC Fight Night 128.

“Here’s what I believe: I believe any time you change something, everybody looks to take as much advantage as they can of the situation,” White said. “And I think that when we started doing morning weigh-ins, it was very good – everyone was making weight and it was great. And then people started cutting it closer and closer, thinking they can put on more weight because they have more time to recover. The reality is, it f—-ed everything up.”

In the past, the UFC would hold its official weigh-ins at 4 p.m. local time. Meanwhile, early weigh-ins take place during a two-hour window between 9 and 11 a.m. local time. The afternoon weigh-ins still exist, but are a ceremonial event for fans to attend. If White gets his way, the UFC will go back to having the weigh-ins in the afternoon.

“So we’re looking to go back to at 4 [p.m.] when we do the weigh-ins, that will be the real weigh-ins,” White said. “The other thing is, I don’t know any fighters that are morning people. Most of them stay up half the night and sleep half the day, so that might have something to do with the morning weigh-ins, too. You have to get up early to make sure you’re on weight.”

In order for things to go back to the way they were, the UFC must get the approval of state athletic commissions, which have adopted the early weigh-in format.

We’re going to work the [the athletic commissions] to get it done,” White said.