UFC Belem has lost its co-main event.
Pedro Munhoz failed to make weight for his co-main event bout with John Dodson on Friday morning, coming in four pounds overweight, and MMA Fighting has learned that Dodson has decided not to take the fight.
Members of the Brazilian MMA Athletic Commission told MMA Fighting earlier Friday that Munhoz will be fined 20 percent of his show money, and that would go in its entirety to Dodson. “The Magician” would have also received 20 percent of Munhoz’s win money should he have lost the bout on Saturday.
Dodson will not receive his show money despite making weight, according to UFC officials. MMA Junkie first reported that fact.
The flyweight bout between Valentina Shevchenko and Priscila Cachoeira will now take the co-main event slot.
Making weight was a big issue on Friday, and there were extenuating circumstances. Several fighters had issues cutting weight for the event after the hotel dealt with issues overnight and they didn’t have hot water to help losing weight. Michel Prazeres missed weight by six pounds for his lightweight clash with Desmond Green, and will be forced to go up to welterweight.
Eryk Anders, who meets Lyoto Machida in the main event, only made weight after being given an extra hour to make the middleweight limit. CABMMA doctors examined him before giving him an extra hour, and Machida agreed given the hotel circumstances.
The new bout order is below:
Main card (FOX Sports 1 at 10 p.m. ET)
Lyoto Machida vs. Eryk Anders
Valentina Shevchenko vs. Priscila Cachoeira
Michel Prazeres vs. Desmond Green
Timothy Johnson vs. Marcelo Goim
Douglas Silva de Andrade vs. Marlon Vera
Thiago Santos vs. Anthony Smith
Undercard (FOX Sports 2 at 8 p.m. ET)
Sergio Moraes vs. Tim Means
Alan Patrick vs. Damir Hadzovic
Maia Stevenson vs. Polyana Viana
Iuri Alcantra vs. Joe Soto
Undercard (UFC Fight Pass at 7:30 p.m. ET)
Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Joseph Morales