Watch: Khamzat Chimaev appears to rest hands on towel to make weight ahead of UFC 267 showdown against Li Jingliang
Khamzat Chimaev struggled to make weight at the UFC 267 weigh-ins. The Russian-born Swedish fighter seemingly rested his hands on the towel to make meet the divisional limit for his fight against Li Jingliang.
In the first attempt to make the welterweight limit of 171 pounds, 'Borz' relaxed his arms on the towel and weighed in at 171.5 pounds. He was then given an hour to cut down the extra weight.
Watch the video of the initial weigh-in below:
Chimaev then returned to the scales with a towel. Only this time, he was clearly seen leaning on the towel and astoundingly weighing in at 165 pounds. Officials supervising the weigh-in were visibly in shock at the new weight measured.
The shock was evident, as murmurs of "He cut 5 pounds?," were heard in the room. Khamzat Chimaev was then recalled to the scale for a third time and was instructed to raise his hands in the air, away from the towel. Fortunately, he weighed in at 171 pounds, the welterweight limit.
Watch Khamzat Chimaev's second weigh-in below:
Twitter reacts to Khamzat Chimaev's confusing weigh-in before UFC 267
Watching Khamzat Chimaev's antics on the scale, fans reacted to the dramatic weigh-in on Twitter.
Al Dawson from IS Insider wrote:
"Weigh-in confusion at #UFC267 as Khamzat Chimaev, who was previously 171.5, needed an hour to drop the half-pound. He returned to the scales, again leaning on a towel, for 166. An official questioned the disparity. Later, we get to 171 with no towel trickery - hands up."
Weigh-in confusion at #UFC267 as Khamzat Chimaev, who was previously 171.5, needed an hour to drop the half-pound.
He returned to the scales, again leaning on a towel, for 166.
An official questioned the disparity.
Later, we get to 171 with no towel trickery - hands up. https://t.co/oehzuBE9Dn
Fans also compared Chimaev holding the towel to when Daniel Cormier pulled off the same trick.
@MMAjunkie @Farah_Hannoun same energy https://t.co/kJlVRyV7aC
TOWELGATE II? Controversy in Abu Dhabi after Khamzat Chimaev fluctuates five pounds during his second weigh-in. Did he hold the towel? https://t.co/UNu8fZCu9E
Michael Morgan of whoatv.com tried to extinguish the controversy by saying that Chimaev made weight when he let go of the towel, proving that 'Borz' did nothing wrong.
"No story here… Khamzat Chimaev let go of the towel then made weight."
No story here…Khamzat Chimaev let go of the towel then made weight. https://t.co/aDKjxnJfnG