Same-Day Weigh-ins Not Factor In WEC Postponement
WEC General Manager Reed Harris said the possibility of same-day
weigh-ins did not influence the promotion’s decision to postpone
its Sept. 2 event in Youngstown, Ohio, and that the promotion would
have fully complied with the procedure if asked to.
Ohio Athletic Commission regulations state a second weigh-in will be conducted for combatants no more than eight hours before an event, and fighters cannot weigh more than 13 pounds heavier than he or she did the day prior.
The OAC has overseen four UFC events since UFC 68 in March 2007, but has waived same-day weigh-ins every time for the promotion. OAC executive director Bernie Profato told Sherdog.com Wednesday that he has enacted the regulation for local-level events in the past, and no fighter has missed the 13-pound cut-off.
“Donald Cerrone asked me about it and he said he typically puts on a little bit more than that, but that the 13-pound limit wouldn’t be an issue for him and for most guys, I think it wouldn’t,” Harris told the Sherdog Radio Network’s “Beatdown” show Wednesday.
Regardless, Harris said the promotion had gotten a verbal reassurance from the commission that a second weigh-in was unlikely.
“We specifically had a discussion with the Ohio Athletic Commission probably a month ago when we first announced the event,” said Harris. “They said they would not be doing that for WEC, that we would be having the weigh-ins the day before and that we would not be having weigh-ins the day of the event.”
Harris noted that it was under OAC Executive Director Profato’s discretion to order a second same-day weigh-in, however, “we’d never had a discussion with him about the fact that he was contemplating doing weigh-ins on the day of the event.”
Profato said no promotion gets a 100 percent guarantee ahead of time that the second weigh-ins will be waived.
“If I get to the weigh-ins and something looks strange or a safety reason emerged, where we think this guy will come in 40 pounds heavier than this other guy, we wouldn’t waive it,” said Profato, who said the rule was mainly adopted to prevent dehydration abuses.
Profato said due to the UFC and its athletes’ professional track records (Zuffa owns both the UFC and WEC), the state official gave the WEC a “98 to 99 percent” guarantee that a second weigh-in wouldn’t be necessary.
“Nothing’s ever automatic,” said Profato, ”but it’s most generally automatic with them, because they’re all under the same umbrella.”
Harris also continued to dispel talk that the promotion cancelled because of lagging ticket sales or because of the Versus channel’s current renegotiations with cable provider Direct TV, which runs out on Sept. 1.
“That had absolutely zero to do with what we did,” said Harris.
Harris said the WEC and Versus have had no conversations regarding the network’s current issues with Direct TV and expects that a deal will be renewed.
Harris said there was no other reason for cancellation other than the one they had given –- an injury to headliner Ben Henderon’s precluded him from an interim lightweight title bout.
“This fight between Henderson and Cerrone had a lot of implications for us,” said Harris. “We’re focusing and working hard to build our lightweight division. We’ve done really good job at 135 and 145. Now we want to focus on 155 and then add the 125-pound division by the end of the year.”
Harris said a replacement for Henderson was never under consideration, especially after a physician recommended the fighter needed only two weeks’ rest to mend the undisclosed injury.
“We felt that if we eliminated that fight, it would really hurt us in our effort to build the division,” said Harris.
The interim title bout has already been scheduled for Oct. 10, and will likely take place in a larger venue than the 5,700-seat Covelli Center, said Harris, which is unavailable on the new date.
Harris said lightweight champion Jamie Varner, who has been sidelined by injury and surgeries since January, will return this year. The promotion is currently in the planning stages of a unification title bout, though it is dependent on if either Cerrone or Henderson emerge unscathed on Oct. 10. Harris predicted the bout could happen as early as December, but certainly in the first couple months of the new year.
Harris said there had been another “significant” matchup on the card that fell to injury, but would not name the fighter, as he will also be able to recuperate in the interim and remains on the Oct. 10 card.
Harris also said the organization originally chose the Youngstown address because the venue gave the promotion a good deal, the venue’s had good proximity to major hubs like Pittsburgh and Cleveland, and because of favorable television ratings in that region.
Ohio Athletic Commission regulations state a second weigh-in will be conducted for combatants no more than eight hours before an event, and fighters cannot weigh more than 13 pounds heavier than he or she did the day prior.
The OAC has overseen four UFC events since UFC 68 in March 2007, but has waived same-day weigh-ins every time for the promotion. OAC executive director Bernie Profato told Sherdog.com Wednesday that he has enacted the regulation for local-level events in the past, and no fighter has missed the 13-pound cut-off.
“Donald Cerrone asked me about it and he said he typically puts on a little bit more than that, but that the 13-pound limit wouldn’t be an issue for him and for most guys, I think it wouldn’t,” Harris told the Sherdog Radio Network’s “Beatdown” show Wednesday.
Regardless, Harris said the promotion had gotten a verbal reassurance from the commission that a second weigh-in was unlikely.
“We specifically had a discussion with the Ohio Athletic Commission probably a month ago when we first announced the event,” said Harris. “They said they would not be doing that for WEC, that we would be having the weigh-ins the day before and that we would not be having weigh-ins the day of the event.”
Harris noted that it was under OAC Executive Director Profato’s discretion to order a second same-day weigh-in, however, “we’d never had a discussion with him about the fact that he was contemplating doing weigh-ins on the day of the event.”
Profato said no promotion gets a 100 percent guarantee ahead of time that the second weigh-ins will be waived.
“If I get to the weigh-ins and something looks strange or a safety reason emerged, where we think this guy will come in 40 pounds heavier than this other guy, we wouldn’t waive it,” said Profato, who said the rule was mainly adopted to prevent dehydration abuses.
Profato said due to the UFC and its athletes’ professional track records (Zuffa owns both the UFC and WEC), the state official gave the WEC a “98 to 99 percent” guarantee that a second weigh-in wouldn’t be necessary.
“Nothing’s ever automatic,” said Profato, ”but it’s most generally automatic with them, because they’re all under the same umbrella.”
Harris also continued to dispel talk that the promotion cancelled because of lagging ticket sales or because of the Versus channel’s current renegotiations with cable provider Direct TV, which runs out on Sept. 1.
“That had absolutely zero to do with what we did,” said Harris.
Harris said the WEC and Versus have had no conversations regarding the network’s current issues with Direct TV and expects that a deal will be renewed.
Harris said there was no other reason for cancellation other than the one they had given –- an injury to headliner Ben Henderon’s precluded him from an interim lightweight title bout.
“This fight between Henderson and Cerrone had a lot of implications for us,” said Harris. “We’re focusing and working hard to build our lightweight division. We’ve done really good job at 135 and 145. Now we want to focus on 155 and then add the 125-pound division by the end of the year.”
Harris said a replacement for Henderson was never under consideration, especially after a physician recommended the fighter needed only two weeks’ rest to mend the undisclosed injury.
“We felt that if we eliminated that fight, it would really hurt us in our effort to build the division,” said Harris.
The interim title bout has already been scheduled for Oct. 10, and will likely take place in a larger venue than the 5,700-seat Covelli Center, said Harris, which is unavailable on the new date.
Harris said lightweight champion Jamie Varner, who has been sidelined by injury and surgeries since January, will return this year. The promotion is currently in the planning stages of a unification title bout, though it is dependent on if either Cerrone or Henderson emerge unscathed on Oct. 10. Harris predicted the bout could happen as early as December, but certainly in the first couple months of the new year.
Harris said there had been another “significant” matchup on the card that fell to injury, but would not name the fighter, as he will also be able to recuperate in the interim and remains on the Oct. 10 card.
Harris also said the organization originally chose the Youngstown address because the venue gave the promotion a good deal, the venue’s had good proximity to major hubs like Pittsburgh and Cleveland, and because of favorable television ratings in that region.
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