Russia’s UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov has gained 8 kilograms in weight since Friday’s weigh in ahead of his UFC 242 unification fight against interim champion Dustin Poirier at YAS Island in Abu Dhabi.
Khabib needed two trips to the scales before finally making weight, being forced to strip naked to weigh in bang on the 155lbs limit.
Currently, the fighter’s weight after a period of rehydration and refuelling stands around 172lbs, after gaining the equivalent of over 17 and a half pounds, according to TASS.
That weight would qualify Khabib to fight above even the UFC welterweight limit, although the Makhachkala man usually walks around at anything between 180lbs and 190lbs when not in training.
The 30-year-old has a history of struggles to make the required 155lbs weight limit. Most notably ahead of his planned UFC 209 lightweight title shot against Tony Ferguson, when a drained Khabib was taken to a Las Vegas hospital following hours spent sweating out extra weight in a sauna.
Some predicted that Khabib’s inactivity – he has not fought since defending his title versus Conor McGregor nearly one year ago – and the fact Khabib is fast approaching his 31st birthday, as factors that might make it extra difficult for him to make the weight.
As it happened, Khabib made it two out of two for his championship title defence weigh ins, as he looks to defend his 100% record in professional MMA, standing at 27 wins without a loss, against American Poirier (25-5).
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