UFC Ottawa will require early weigh-ins for all fighters
UFC 199 featured a group of happy and healthy fighters just two weeks ago after the California State Athletic Commission instituted rules that allowed athletes to weigh-in much earlier in the day than usual.
Now it appears those same rules are being extended to the fight card taking place in Ottawa this weekend for UFC Fight Night: MacDonald vs. Thompson.
UFC officials confirmed to FOX Sports that all fighters on the card will be required to weigh-in between 9 a.m and 12 noon ET on Friday.
The typical weigh-in show will still take place at 5 p.m. ET just like normal, but the fighters will have already hit the scale and been allowed to rehydrate and eat at least five hours earlier than normal.
California first instituted the rule earlier this year in an attempt to curb extreme weight cuts that can harm athletes as they prepare for competition 24-hours later.
Executive director Andy Foster helped pass measures that allowed fighters at UFC 199, which took place in Inglewood, Calif., to weigh-in during the morning hours and once they hit the required mark, they were allowed to refuel instead of sitting around all day just waiting to step on the scale.
A slew of fighters on the card spoke out in support of the new rules and now the fighters in Ottawa competing this weekend will reap the same benefits.
"That's a huge score for fighters in my opinion," UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz said ahead of the weigh-ins at UFC 199.
The Nevada State Athletic Commission is also apparently taking a look at the option for earlier weigh-ins according to a report from the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Nothing else in regards to the weigh-ins will be different in Ottawa. Fighters who miss weight will still be required to make the required weight within a certain amount of time or risk fines being levied against their purse.
The live weigh-in show will then take place later in the day with the weights for the fighters being read after they've already hit the scale earlier in the day.
The weigh-ins for UFC Fight Night: MacDonald vs. Thompson will air live on FS2 or FOX Sports GO starting at 5 p.m. ET on Friday.
