Njokuani blasts Pennsylvania commission over weigh-in error before UFC 330 upset win

Chidi Njokuani ended a two-fight losing streak with a unanimous decision victory over Joel Alvarez at UFC 330 in Philadelphia on Saturday — but not before a backstage dispute with the Pennsylvania athletic commission nearly overshadowed fight night.

Njokuani appeared visibly confused when he stepped on the official scale and registered half a pound over the 171-pound catchweight limit. His explanation, delivered in the post-fight media scrum, pointed squarely at a commission error rather than a failed weight cut.

“They make us weigh in on the digital scale in the back first,” Njokuani told reporters. “They double-check to 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’re like, ‘Alright, go out there and weigh yourself,’ and I was a pound heavy. That’s why I was looking at the commission. I didn’t know what was going on.”

When commission officials told him he would need to cut the remaining weight, Njokuani was having none of it. “They were like, ‘You’re going to have to cut.’ I’m like, ‘I’m not cutting anything,’,” he said, laughing as he recounted the exchange. “That’s where the confusion came from. So we went back, tried it again, then came back, and they messed with the scale, put it on the right weight, and then I stepped on, and it worked out.”

Njokuani ultimately made the 171-pound limit behind the privacy screen on his second attempt, avoiding a fine and clearing the way for the fight to proceed as scheduled.

Once inside the cage, he delivered a composed performance, outworking Alvarez across all three rounds to earn a clear unanimous decision. The victory snapped a two-fight skid and served as a statement win against an opponent many expected to prevail.