Njokuani blames faulty commission scale for bizarre UFC 330 double weigh-in

Chidi Njokuani upset Joel Alvarez by unanimous decision at UFC 330, but the story from fight week centred on a strange scene at the official weigh-ins, where the welterweight was required to step on the scales twice before being cleared to compete.

Njokuani, who fights at the non-title 171-pound limit, initially registered half a pound over on the official scale. He returned shortly after and successfully made weight behind the privacy screen. Speaking at the post-fight press conference, he placed the blame squarely on the Pennsylvania State Athletic Commission and what he described as a faulty official scale.

“They make us weigh in on the digital scale in the back first,” Njokuani said. “They double-check, make sure you’re on weight before you go out there… I weighed in on the scale in the back with my underwear on and I was on weight. So, they were like, ‘Alright, go out there and weigh yourself.’ And then I was a pound heavy. That’s why I was looking at the commission; I didn’t know what was going on.”

When officials told him he would need to cut the remaining weight, Njokuani refused outright. He recounted the exchange with characteristic bluntness, joking that he threatened the official responsible for the scales before the equipment was adjusted and a second reading came in on target.

“They’re like, ‘You’re going to have to cut,’ and I’m like, ‘I’m not going to cut anything,’” he said. “I’m going to cut this motherfcker if he doesn’t get his sht together. They tried it again, put the scale on the right weight and then I stepped on and it worked out.”

The win over Alvarez snapped a two-fight losing streak for Njokuani and moved his professional record to 26-12. The upset result, combined with the pre-fight weigh-in drama, made for an eventful UFC 330 camp for the fighter known as “Chidi Bang Bang”.