HONOLULU, Jan. 19 — With the exception of Renato Verissimo (Pictures), each of the participants for Rumble on the Rock's eight-man 175-pound tournament, which kicks off tomorrow night at the Blaisdell Center Arena and will air the following day via Internet Pay-Per-View starting 8 p.m. PST for a cost of $9.99 at rumbleworld.tv, made weight on their first attempt Thursday afternoon.
Stepping on the scale at Round Table Pizza near Waikiki Beach, Verissimo came in two pounds over the tournament limit. He later made 175 according to ROTR Public Relations Coordinator Nico Leilani Schnitzler.
The Hawaii-based jiu-jitsu expert fights Albuquerque, New Mexico's Carlos Condit (Pictures), who had little problem making 175.
Frank Trigg (Pictures) and his opponent Ronald Jhun (Pictures) both weighed an even 175.
Veteran fighter and former UFC middleweight champion Dave Menne (Pictures) looked small as he stepped on the scale at 174.5. He faces Cesar Gracie fighter Jake Shields (Pictures), a solid 175.
The man many favor to win the tournament, Brazilian Anderson Silva (Pictures), appeared long and lean as he weighed 174.5, the same as his opponent, Japan's Yushin Okami (Pictures).
The main event Friday, for locals at least, pits 261-pound Wesley Correira (Pictures) versus "Butterbean" Eric Esch (Pictures), who came in a mammoth 394.5 pounds.
Under Card Weights
Returning to the site of his only MMA fight, a loss last May again Ricco Rodriguez (Pictures), Scott Junk (Pictures) (267.5 lbs.) fights local Vilatonu Vonokalaifi (260 lbs.).
Originally slate against Jason von Flue (Pictures), Ross Ibanez (170.5) takes on a much lighter Josh Donohue, who at 157.5 pounds is barely over the lightweight limit.
The night's first bout pits Kengo Ura (Pictures) (191 lbs.) and Mike Malone (Pictures) (194 lbs.).
