Following his well-documented struggles to make the 170-pound weight limit, reports that Anthony Johnson was set to debut at Middleweight opposite Vitor Belfort at UFC 142 came as welcomed news to fans of "Rumble."
After all, if the explosive knockout artist was capable of running through opponents after such a drastic weight cut, then imagine what Johnson could do at full capacity.
According to UFC President Dana White, however, it's a question that will remain unanswered for the time being. "Rumble Johnson is not on weight today," White told MMAFighting.com prior to the official weigh-ins. "And when I say he's not on weight, he's way off weight."
Off weight, indeed. Johnson tipped the scales at a whopping 197-pounds, 12-pounds over the required Middleweight limit.
"As a fighter, you are a professional. You are contracted to come in at a certain weight," said White. "This is not the first time this has happened with Johnson. He moved up to 185 pounds so this wouldn't happen to him at 170 pounds, and here we are in the same position again. (Belfort) came in like a professional on weight, and Anthony Johnson comes in as a total unprofessional, way overweight."
As they say, though, the show must go on, and according to White, Belfort has agreed to go ahead with the fight, but only under the condition that Johnson weighs no more than 205-pounds at 2 p.m. tomorrow afternoon.
"The stipulation is, Vitor does not want him to weigh more than 205 pounds by tomorrow at like 2 o'clock in the afternoon," White explained. "So we'll see how this thing plays out. He'll weigh in today and have to weigh in tomorrow."
Should Johnson fail to remain under the 205 mark, the match-up, currently scheduled as the co-main event, will be canceled.