5 Times MMA fighters missed weight in a championship fight

What makes the top one percent of the sports world tick? Money that could last them ten lifetimes? A lifestyle so grand that it would make the kings of old envious? More devotees than the Pope? Not quite. What drives them is their white hot passion for competition; the unsurpassable exhilaration of pitting yourself against the best and having your hand raised when all is said and done. So it is very wounding when anything detracts from this experience, even in the slightest.

At the UFC 221 weigh-ins, Luke Rockhold did trash talk Yoel Romero for his botched weight cut. With the belt being out of reach for Romero, Rockhold, oozing hubris, was very convincing that the title he dearly sought was already his. Even the betting odds shifted in favor of Rockhold after Romero missed weight. But nobody told Romero and even if they did, it most likely wouldn't have perturbed the Cuban Silverback at all. What we were left gaping at was a singularity in the history of the UFC or rather, MMA itself.

Being ineligible to win the belt didn't stop Romero from anesthetizing Luke Rockhold with a couple of monstrous lefts in the third round (his sixth 3rd round finish). In fact, he earned a title rematch against Robert Whittaker with the jaw-dropping win. But there have been times in championship fights where a fighter has missed weight and predictably nosedived during the fight itself. Let's take a look at a few of those infamous instances:

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#5 Paulo Filho vs Chael Sonnen

Sonnen vs Filho 2 was one of the most bizarre matches in MMA

Chael Sonnen is cursed when it comes to major title fights. He has been in five of them, but has never won a belt, and not just because his opponent was better than him. Case in point; his Middleweight title rematch against Paulo Filho at WEC 36. The powerful Brazilian won their first tangle after the referee halted the fight when Sonnen screamed in pain (he did not submit verbally or tap out) after Filho locked in an armbar. Sonnen created the inevitable ruckus following the decision and a rematch was originally penciled in for WEC 33. But Filho, who was struggling with substance abuse, had to be checked into rehab and the fight was called off.

When Sonnen's second title shot was finalized, his relief was short lived because Filho came in almost 7 pounds overweight and it was changed to a non-title match. Despite going into the fight with a broken right arm, Sonnen faced almost no adversity from Filho who was rambling, looking dazed and at one point, even begged the star wrestler to take him down so that he could catch his breath! Some fan forums said Filho had entered the spirit realm. Sonnen stated in a later interview that he believed Filho had lost the will to fight. Unsurprisingly, Sonnen was awarded the win and a guilt-ridden Filho would later ship him the belt.

Any interest then-UFC matchmaker Joe Silva had in both Sonnen and Filho was replaced with disgust. The UFC Hall of Famer decided he wanted nothing to do with either of them, but upon hearing that Sonnen fought with a broken arm, Silva welcomed him back to the UFC.

#4 Travis Lutter vs Anderson Silva

Anderson Silva had no trouble dispatching BJJ black belt Travis Lutter

The Ultimate Fighter season 4 was the first of its kind - it consisted of UFC Welterweights and Middleweights who hadn't yet won a title in the organization. The winners would be awarded $200,000 each and earn a title shot in their respective weight classes. Decorated Brazilian Jiu Jitsu player Travis Lutter was the last Middleweight standing and earned a title shot against newly crowned champion Anderson Silva.

After witnessing his wizardry in his first 2 UFC fights, fans were howling for more of The Spider and wanted to see how he'd fare against "The Michael Jordan of BJJ". But those hoping for fireworks saw only a massive fizzle out, as a shriveled Lutter missed weight and submitted in the second round with a triangle choke. The fans lambasted Lutter for missing weight and being deprived of a 5-round title fight. In an interview after the defeat, Lutter said that his weight cut was on track before the fight but when it came down to the last four pounds, his body just stopped sweating.

#3 Joe Riggs vs Matt Hughes

Matt Hughes submitted Joe Riggs with a Kimura in the first round at UFC 56

The early 2000s were dominated by Matt Hughes - barring one loss to the legendary BJ Penn, Hughes had bulldozed through eight challengers, the last being Frank Trigg, who he had just beaten for the 2nd time in what Dana White's all-time favorite fight. Hughes was preparing for a 9th title defense against judoka Karo Parisyan, but a torn hamstring to the latter would scupper those plans and the formidable Joe Riggs stepped in on just 3 weeks notice.

The UFC 56 weigh-ins might be the most infamous in MMA history. Riggs weighed in at 171 pounds on his first attempt and this being a title fight, had to make 170 on the dot. Riggs spent an hour trying to shed the extra pound, but when he stepped on the scales for the second time, they showed that he had actually gained a pound. He returned after another half an hour, but the scales refused to budge from 172 pounds. Riggs had reached a breaking point and spat expletives, forcing UFC officials to intercede. The scales were examined and re-calibrated and Riggs, who had taken a sip of water because he was convinced the problem was solved, was now found to be at 172.5 pounds. So after a mind-boggling four failed attempts to make weight for Riggs, the bout was changed to a non-title fight, with Hughes easily submitting Riggs in the first round with a kimura.

#2 Melvin Guillard vs Justin Gaethje

Justin Gaethje gave Melvin Guillard no breather in his 2nd title defense

Long before Justin Gaethje became one of the UFC's most watchable fighters, he was cutting his way through the ranks of the upstart World Series Of Fighting. After becoming the promotion's inaugural Lightweight champion and defending his belt once, Gaethje put his belt on the line against powerful veteran and former training partner Melvin Guillard.

Guillard had knocked out Gesias Cavalcante in his previous bout but had missed the lightweight limit by 2 pounds. "The Young Assassin" then missed weight by double that number for the championship bout, tipping the scales at 159 pounds and it was turned into a non-title fight. Gaethje dictated the fight, hurting Guillard with leg kicks and punches and won via Unanimous Decision.

#1 Max Holloway vs Anthony Pettis

Unlike Rockhold, Holloway didn't let an overweight Pettis play spoilsport

After 2 losses to Dennis Bermudez and Conor McGregor in 2013, Max Holloway went on a tear, compiling the longest winning streak amongst active Featherweights with 9 victories. His undeniable momentum combined with McGregor vacating the 145-lbs belt led to an Interim title fight with Anthony Pettis at UFC 206.

The entertaining former Lightweight champ had dropped down to Featherweight after 3 straight losses and won his 145-lbs debut by submitting BJJ ace Charles Oliveira. At the UFC 206 weigh-ins, An emaciated Pettis missed weight by 3 lbs, becoming the second fighter since Travis Lutter to do so in a championship fight. In the onset of the fight, Holloway absorbed a few leg kicks and body shots but then took control. A broken hand would cripple Pettis' offense and Holloway would press the advantage, finishing the former in the third round via strikes. The Hawaiian has looked indomitable since then, beating Jose Aldo twice and even sparking whispers of a rematch with Conor McGregor.