Whoops ! UFC 283 main event backup fighter just missed weight

The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) picked Jamahal Hill to fight Glover Teixeira for the vacant 205-pound title, thanks to a disappointing draw between Jan Blachowicz and Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 282 last month in Las Vegas, but that meant canceling the previously scheduled match between Hill and Anthony Smith.

Smith’s consolation prize was a trip to the UFC 283 pay-per-view (PPV) event, booked for tomorrow night (Saturday, Jan. 21, 2023) in Brazil, where he was to weigh in and serve as a backup for the Hill Title Fight. -Teixeira. Unfortunately, “Lionheart” dropped four pounds in weight on his first attempt, tipping the scales at 209 – four pounds over the championship limit.

His answer ? “Relax everyone…lol.”

Smith won’t be needed since Teixeira and Hill have both gained weight, but I can’t imagine the promotion will bring in the former title challenger for other backup roles in the immediate future. Podcast partner Michael Bisping claimed the first attempt was a “strategy,” but if so, it appears to have backfired because Smith’s second (and final) attempt left him at 206.5 pounds.

Close, but no cigar.

“I’m going to fly to Brazil,” Smith told his ESPN co-analysts after UFC Vegas 66. “I’m going to be 205 pounds. both professionals, but if something happens, I’ll be there to intervene.

It probably won’t matter since the headliner is on the weight, but it’s important to note that the backup role doesn’t stop at the scale. It ends when Teixeira and Hill enter the cage, as fight night cancellations – while rare – do occur.

Smith, 34, is coming off a technical knockout loss to Ankalaev at UFC 277.

MMAmania.com will provide live, round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 283 fight card HEREstarting from the beginning ESPN+ “Preliminaries” matches at 6 p.m. ET, followed by the remaining balance of the undercard on ESPN+/ ABC at 8 p.m. ET, before the PPV main card start time at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+.

For the latest and greatest UFC 283: “Teixeira vs. Hill” news and notes, be sure to check out our full event archive here. For the full UFC 283 fight card and PPV lineup, click here.