Tracy Cortez | MMA Fighting
Three UFC Sao Paulo competitors were tripped up by the scale Friday morning, including one fighter who accepted her bout on less than 48 hours’ notice.
Bantamweights Tracy Cortez and Vanessa Melo both came in half-a-pound over the limit (including one-pound allowance), while late-notice replacement Isabela de Padua came in 4.5 pounds over the flyweight limit.
De Padua is stepping in for Veronica Macedo, who was pulled from Saturday’s card due to severe headaches. The 28-year-old Brazilian is competing in the UFC for the first time.
Cortez is also a replacement fighter, having accepted her bout with Melo on less than three weeks’ notice after Leah Letson withdrew (Melo herself is a replacement for Duda Santana). MMA Fighting’s Guilherme Cruz confirmed with officials that because Cortez and Melo both missed weight and by the same amount, their bout will proceed as scheduled and neither fighter will be penalized.
De Padua will be fined 30 percent of her purse and her bout with Ariane Lipski will proceed as scheduled.
All other 21 fighters successfully made weight for Saturday’s event, including light heavyweight headliners Jan Blachowicz and Ronaldo Souza.