UFC News: Artem Lobov to return 20% of Michael Johnson's fight purse despite him missing weight

What's the story?

Michael 'The Menace' Johnson was the only fighter to fight on the UFC Moncton card that missed weight, but the story isn't quite as cut and dry as that.

Johnson, who weighed in at 147 pounds - a pound over the 146 pound limit for Featherweight - takes on Artem 'The Russian Hammer' Lobov in the co-main event of the card as a short notice replacement after his initial opponent, Zubaira Tukhugov, was pulled out following his involvement in the UFC 229 post fight melee between Khabib Nurmagomedov's team and Conor McGregor's team.

In case you didn't know...

Lobov had already made his intentions clear in the build to the fight that he was willing to return the mandatory 20% fight purse compensation to Johnson even if he missed weight, as he was just thankful that he stepped up to take the fight on two weeks notice.

And true to his word, he has every intention of following up on his word, according to eminent MMA journalist Ariel Helwani.

The heart of the matter

I’m told @RusHammerMMA went up to Johnson afterwards and said he will make sure MJ gets the full 20% back bc he is appreciative of the fact that MJ took the fight on short notice. The rules are Lobov has to take the money but he gave Johnson his word he’ll get it back to him.
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) October 26, 2018

I asked Artem Lobov about his decision to give back Johnson’s fine. “I told the UFC to save me the trouble of transferring the cash and just pay him in full,” he said. I’m happy to sign any waivers.

“I show respect where it’s due,” he added. “Always.”
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) October 26, 2018

As explained in a short series of tweets, Lobov apparently went over to Michael Johnson and told him that he would return the 20% fight purse compensation that he would receive, and even went one step further in asking the UFC to not dock any money from Johnson in the first place.

Apart from Johnson, no other fighter at UFC Moncton missed weight. Here are the weigh in results as displayed on UFC.com

Volkan Oezdemir (205.5) vs. Anthony Smith (205.5)

Michael Johnson (147)* vs. Artem Lobov (145.5)

Misha Cirkunov (205) vs. Patrick Cummins (205.5)

Andre Soukhamthath (136) vs. Jonathan Martinez (135)

Gian Villante (205.5) vs. Ed Herman (205.5)

Alex Garcia (170.5) vs. Court McGee (170.5)

Nordine Taleb (170.5) vs. Sean Strickland (170.5)

Thibault Gouti (155.5) vs. Nasrat Haqparast (156)

Calvin Kattar (146) vs. Chris Fishgold (146)

Sarah Moras (135.5) vs. Talita Bernardo (133)

Te Edwards (156) vs. Don Madge (154)

Arjan Bhullar (242) vs. Marcelo Golm (255.5)

Stevie Ray (155.5) vs. Jessin Ayari (155)

What's next?

After the roller coaster ride of excesses that was UFC 229, it is relieving as a MMA fan to just focus on the fights as UFC Moncton swings around this weekend.

Artem Lobov's classy gesture certainly didn't subtract from the occasion either.