A pivotal middleweight bout between Nassourdine Imavov and Caio Borralho is now official for the main event of UFC Paris after both athletes hit the 185 pound limit Friday morning in France.
Borralho made championship weight three weeks ago in Chicago as a backup fighter for Dricus Du Plessis vs. Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319, and had no issue cutting back down to 185 pounds one more time.
Co-main event fighters Benoit Saint Denis and Mauricio Ruffy also hit the mark for their lightweight showdown.
The main card lost a fight as two-division Oktagon MMA champion Losene Keita missed the featherweight limit by three pounds. The UFC later announced the fight with Patricio Pitbull is off “due to weight management issues.”
Speaking with MMA Fighting earlier this week, Pitbull said he was “concerned” of that possibility since that would be Keita’s first fight at 145 pounds since 2023, and “I heard gossip that he was walking at 170 pounds when he agreed to the fight.”
With the fight now cancelled, Pitbull went off in a quick video posted by the UFC.
“He said in an interview he was faster, stronger, younger,” Pitbull said. “I gave him all the advantages besides allowing this fight to happen here in Paris. He drove two hours to get here so there was no suffering. His weight was low, he got here at 163 just like I did. … He had all the advantages and still didn’t make weight, so I wouldn’t give him that advantage. At this stage I don’t fight for money anymore, I fight for legacy, and I won’t give him this guy that advantage. Unfortunately the fight won’t happen.
“I’m absolutely sure he didn’t try going to the bath tub [to cut more]. There’s plenty of ways [to try]. He was surrounded by kids. There was no one older to put him in place, ‘Stay there, go make weight’. At 9 am he weighed in, he was over, and instead of trying until 11 am, which is the limit, he was eating baby food. F*ck you, man. If you want to blame anyone, blame my opponent. Black Panther, he’s Fat Panther.”
Later, Keita posted a video showing his struggle with the weight cut and apologizing to fans for his error.
For the first time in 25 fights, I failed to make weight, and it had to happen on my UFC debut…
I wanted to continue and would have given everything to make weight, but my body didn’t want it.
I sincerely apologize to all my fans. I will be back, like every time I fall in life
Check the official UFC Paris weigh-in results below.
*Keita missed weight by three pounds. Fight is off.
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