Charles Oliveira Blames Illness For Missing Weight Prior To UFC Fight Night 50

Rising UFC featherweight Charles Oliveira will attempt to win his third straight bout against No. 8-ranked Nik Lentz at tomorrow night’s (Friday, September 5, 2014) UFC Fight Night 50 from Foxwoods Resort Casino in Ledyard, Connecticut.

However, he won’t be fighting for as much money, as Oliveira was forced to hand over 20% of his purse to Lentz for missing weight at today’s UFC Fight Night 50 weigh-ins. “Do Bronx” weighed in at 150 pounds, four pounds over the featherweight non-title fight limit of 146 pounds.

Oliveira has missed weight before, as he fought No. 3-ranked Cub Swanson at a catchweight after coming in heavy prior to UFC 152. After the weigh-ins, “Do Bronx” spoke up to MMAFighting.com to detail the circumstances surrounding his failed weight cut:

“I was sick for the past weeks in Brazil, and I was pretty bad when I got to the United States. I couldn’t cut weight, and I’m not feeling well to cut weight, so that’s why I missed weight. I had high fever, headache. I think it was a viral infection. But I was the one who asked for this fight, so I couldn’t withdraw.”

After bantamweight title contender Renan Barao and flyweight hopeful Harry Cejudo forced out of last Saturday night’s (August 30, 2014) UFC 177 in Sacramento, weight cutting is becoming more and more of an issue in MMA.

As to whether or not Oliveira thinks the bad cut will affect his fight with grinding wrestler Lentz tomorrow, he didn’t exactly have the most glaring vote of confidence for himself:

“I don’t know, let’s wait until tomorrow. We’ll see.”

Indeed we will see, but one thing is certain: the massive weight cuts in the UFC are not only affecting events, but fighters’ overall health as well.