UFC 108: Dustin Hazelett Versus Paul Daley Now at 172-Pound Catchweight

Billed as a welterweight prospect fight, the matchup between “McLovin” Dustin Hazelett (11-4) of America and “Semtex” Paul Daley (19-9-2) of England has been renegotiated as a 172-pound catchweight fight at UFC 108 in Las Vegas Saturday.

Daley weighed-in one pound over the 171-pound welterweight division limit Friday.  According to MMA Weekly, Daley was prevented from attempting to lose the extra pound when the Nevada State Athletic Commission witnessed Daley wobbling.

Fighters are customarily given an hour to make weight after missing weight at the initial weigh-in.  However, the health of the fighter is the NSAC’s primary concern.

Fighters.com has little patience for fighters who miss weight and doesn’t count catchweight fights in division rankings.

Welterweight prospect “Rumble” Anthony Johnson (8-3) missed weight by five pounds before his matchup versus eighth-ranked welterweight “Zenko” Yoshiyuki Yoshida (10-3) at UFC 104 in Los Angeles October 24.  Johnson KO’d Yoshida in 41 seconds, but because the fight was renegotiated as catchweight fight, Johnson didn’t take Yoshida’s spot in Fighters.com’s welterweight rankings.  Simply, it wasn’t a welterweight fight.  It was a 176-pound catchweight fight.

Notably, Johnson was submitted in a rear naked choke by sixth-ranked Josh Koscheck (14-4) after making weight for his next fight at UFC 106 in Las Vegas November 21.

Unfortunately for Hazelett and fans, because Daley didn’t make weight Friday, Saturday night’s fight isn’t a welterweight fight either.