Brazilian Rafael Alves has stunned onlookers by weighing in 11.5 pounds (5kg) heavy for his bout at UFC Vegas 19, blaming a bad serving of salmon for his faux pas.
Alves was scheduled to meet American Pat Sabatini in a featherweight contest on Sunday (NZ time), but has been withdrawn from the fight, after suffering an apparent dose of food poisoning during his build-up.
"I ate salmon yesterday and fell ill... vomit and diarrhea," he has told MMA Fighting. "The doctor said I had to treat it with [drinking] water.
"I only had 2kg left to cut, but when I drank water, my weight went up an got stuck, so the doctor didn't clear me to fight."
Alves has a 18-win/nine-loss professional record and has split his career between lightweight - his preferred division - and featherweight.
He has told MMA Fighting his natural weight is 195 pound (88kg) - some 23kg above the featherweight limit - and this was to be his last fight at the lighter weight.
"Thank God the UFC hasn't said they will cut me, so I'll be back soon," Alves says. "They said I'm a showman that will give the UFC a lot of profit."
Three other fighters also missed their weight for UFC Vegas 19, but their bouts will continue, with the offenders fined for their offences.
