The official weigh-in ceremony for the upcoming UFC 328 tournament took place on May 8th, setting the stage for the event scheduled for May 10th in Newark, New Jersey. The fighters stepped onto the scale to confirm their eligibility for their respective bouts, with most hitting their marks successfully.
The main card features a highly anticipated middleweight clash between Khamzat Chimaev and Sean Strickland, with both fighters weighing in at an identical 83.91 kilograms. In the flyweight division, Joshua Van and Tatsuro Taira also matched each other perfectly at 56.69 kilograms, promising a closely contested bout.
The heavyweight division will see a significant size difference, as Alexander Volkov weighed in at 116.57 kilograms while his opponent, Waldo Cortes-Acosta, tipped the scales at a heavier 119.74 kilograms. The welterweight bout between Sean Brady and Joaquin Buckley is perfectly balanced, with both fighters coming in at 77.11 kilograms.
The lightweight division saw the only weight miss of the event. King Green made weight at 70.3 kilograms, but his opponent, Jeremy Stephens, failed to make the 70.3-kilogram limit, weighing in at 72.57 kilograms. As a result, Stephens will be fined 30 percent of his fight purse, which will be awarded to Green.
The preliminary card is stacked with competitive matchups. In the middleweight division, Ateba Gautier (83.91 kg) will face Osman Diaz (84.36 kg). The welterweight bout features Joel Alvarez and Yaroslav Amosov, both weighing 77.11 kilograms. Two lightweight contests round out the prelims: Grant Dawson vs. Mateusz Rebecki, both at 70.76 kg, and Jim Miller (70.3 kg) vs. Jared Gordon (70.76 kg).
The early preliminary card offers more action across multiple weight classes. Middleweights Roman Kopylov (83.91 kg) and Marco Tulio (84.36 kg) will square off, as will featherweights Pat Sabatini and William Gomis, both at 65.77 kilograms. Another middleweight bout sees Baysangur Susurkaev and Jorden Santos both weighing 84.36 kilograms. The card opens with a flyweight contest between Clayton Carpenter (57.15 kg) and Jose Ochoa (56.69 kg).
With the weigh-ins complete and only one fighter missing the mark, the stage is set for a full night of fights in Newark. The event will proceed with all scheduled bouts intact, with the financial penalty for Stephens being the only consequence of the weigh-in proceedings.
Based on reporting from Чемпионат.com.