CABMMA administers weight checks for three fighters ahead of UFC 224

The Brazilian MMA Athletic Commission (CABMMA) conducted weight checks on three fighters from the upcoming UFC 224 card recently, CABMMA director of operations Cristiano Sampaio told MMA Fighting’s Guilherme Cruz on Friday.

UFC bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes and challenger Raquel Pennington, who meet in the main event, had their weights checked via WhatsApp video within the last three weeks, Sampaio said. Another fighter on the card, whom Sampaio did not name, also was put through a video weight check, per a recommendation by the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) in the Association of Boxing Commissions and Combative Sports (ABC) database.

CABMMA has been abiding by the 10-point weight-cutting reform plan first adopted by CSAC last year. Sampaio said that the knowledge of the weights of these athletes will allow CABMMA to accurately track those numbers as the fights get closer with an eye toward the health and safety of the athletes.

UFC 224 takes place May 12 in Rio de Janeiro. Sampaio did not release the weights of the fighters at the time of the checks.

“Both athletes from the main event in Rio had their weights checked during the past three weeks, according to the 10 Point Plan developed by CSAC and adopted by CABMMA,” Sampaio wrote to MMA Fighting in a statement. “An additional athlete was also checked in the same period due to a recommendation in our data base which was also inputted by CSAC. All three athletes were cooperative and conducted the process very professionally. The information will help us track their weight cutting program and hopefully assist the commissions in creating better guidelines to reduce the risks related to weight cut and dehydration.”

While Sampaio would not divulge a name for the third checked fighter, Davi Ramos was flagged by CSAC in December following his bout at UFC Fresno. Ramos gained 15 percent of his body weight back from the weigh-ins to fight day — going from 155.8 pounds to 179 pounds for the bout with Chris Gruetzemacher. Ramos won by third-round submission.

In California, if a fighter gains back more than 10 percent of his or her body weight from the weigh-ins to the fight, the commission can recommend he or she move up a division, per the 10-point plan. At UFC 224, Ramos meets Nick Hein in a lightweight bout.