At the recent UFC 301 weigh-ins, troubling scenes unfolded as featherweight fighter William Gomis appeared severely debilitated while stepping on the scales.
Gomis, who was slated to face Jean Silva in the preliminary rounds, struggled to maintain balance, gripping the weigh-in machine for support. Despite being under the featherweight non-title fight limit at 143 pounds, his physical condition raised alarms, especially since he weighed in fully clothed.
Veteran MMA journalist Ariel Helwani highlighted the gravity of the situation on X (formerly Twitter), noting,
“Gomis makes weight (143 with a 146 limit) which isn’t a good sign to begin with and look at his state.”
The MMA community expressed deep concern for Gomis’ health, with calls for his removal from the fight card intensifying online. Comments ranged from urgent appeals to prevent him from fighting to dire warnings about the potential consequences of allowing him to compete in such a state.
Shortly after the weigh-in, reports surfaced from Culture MMA indicating the bout had been canceled due to these health concerns, though official confirmation from the UFC or the fighters’ camps was pending.
Canelo Alvarez Comments on Ryan Garcia’s Drug Test
In other combat sports news, boxing superstar Canelo Alvarez weighed in on the recent controversy surrounding Ryan Garcia’s positive test for performance-enhancing drugs. During a press event for his upcoming fight against Jamie Munguia, Alvarez expressed his surprise and urged patience and withholding judgment until more details are revealed.
“You need to wait. You don’t need to judge very early, right? You need to wait and see what happened… I’m surprised. Yes. Because, I know Ryan, and I don’t think he would…”
Garcia’s positive test for ostarine, reported on May 1 by VADA, has stirred significant discussion within the boxing community, especially since Garcia has attributed the test results to an Ashwagandha supplement.
Alex Pereira Eyes Jiri Prochazka for Next Title Defense
UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira has set his sights on a new challenger for his title. In a recent conversation with Ag Fight, Pereira named Jiri Prochazka as the likely next contender, sidelining Magomed Ankalaev due to his recent lackluster performances which Pereira described as “boring.”
“We’ve already half-discussed it with Jiri. He is not 100%, but (the next challenger should be) Jiri Prochazka,” said Pereira, who last defended his title at UFC 300, securing a knockout victory against Jamahal Hill. The anticipation around his next fight continues to build, especially after Pereira teased fans on Instagram with a cryptic “Breaking News” post featuring him in different fight attire, sparking speculations about a potential move to the heavyweight division.
