Incredible what happened in the lead-up to UFC 274. As we were all preparing for an intense fight between champion Charles Oliveira and Justin Gaethje in the main event, the Brazilian failed to make weight twice, being stripped of the UFC lightweight title. According to the rules of the MMA company, Oliveira will face Gaethje as agreed; however, he will not be able to retain the belt, only Justin can become the new champion if he defeats Oliveira. Any other result will leave the UFC lightweight title vacant.
WATCH: Oliveira vs. Gaethje LIVE on UFC 274: schedules, TV channels, and where to watch the fight
Brazilian Charles Oliveira lost his title without even fighting in UFC 274. Before the eyes of the world, the MMA fighter went to the scale on two occasions to register a weight of 155.5 pounds, 0.5 more than agreed. As a result, the South American was stripped of the UFC lightweight title.
As recalled, Oliveira was going to headline the UFC 274 card in a title defense against Justin Gaethje. The American did make weight, so he has remained eligible to become the new champion if he defeats Oliveira.
What will happen now with the main event of UFC 274?
The fight will take place this Saturday as part of the UFC 274 card. The only thing that has changed is the title outlook: since Oliveira did not make weight, he will not be able to defend the title, as it has been vacated. Only Justin Gaethje can become the new champion, as he did comply with the established rules.
For this to happen, the American must defeat Oliveira. Any other result will leave the UFC lightweight title vacant.
On the other hand, the fight continues to be relevant for Charles Oliveira. As we know, in the UFC, the record of wins and losses matters a lot to position oneself in the rankings, which is why the Brazilian must enter the octagon to defeat Justin Gaethje, thinking about a future battle for the UFC lightweight title.
Why wasn't the pound tolerance applied?
In many weigh-ins prior to fights, there is the rule of the 'pound tolerance.' That is, if a fighter exceeds by a minimum, the organization decides to move forward, as it was stipulated from the beginning.
However, as explained by Gastón Reyno, ESPN commentator, in the case of a title fight in the UFC, this rule cannot be applied. Because of this, Charles Oliveira could not rely on it to defend his title in UFC 274 despite exceeding the weight limit by only half a pound on two occasions.