Chidi Njokuani had to overcome more than just Joel Alvarez during UFC 330 fight week.
Before stepping into the Octagon and securing a major upset victory, Chidi Njokuani found himself frustrated by what he claims was a weigh-in mishap involving the Pennsylvania Athletic Commission.
Njokuani earned a unanimous decision win over Alvarez on Saturday night, snapping a two-fight losing streak and reminding fans why he remains a dangerous contender. However, the drama started a day earlier when he initially missed weight by half a pound for the welterweight bout.
According to Chidi Njokuani, the issue wasn’t the result of a difficult weight cut. Instead, he believes there was confusion with the scales used during the official weigh-ins.
“They make us weigh in on the digital scale in the back first,” Njokuani explained after the event. “They double-check to make sure you’re on weight before you go out there. If you’re heavy, they know you’re heavy first. Then you go out there, weigh in publicly, and if needed, go cut more weight.”
“I weighed in on the scale in the back with my underwear on, and I was on weight. So they told me, ‘Alright, go out there and weigh yourself.’ Then I was a pound heavy. That’s why I was looking at the commission. I didn’t know what was going on.”
The surprising result left Njokuani visibly confused at the weigh-ins. While officials initially told him he would need to cut more weight, the veteran fighter wasn’t interested in shedding any additional pounds.
“They were like, ‘You’re going to have to cut.’ I’m like, ‘I’m not cutting anything. I’m gonna cut this motherfer if he doesn’t get his st together,'”* Njokuani joked while laughing. I’m not cutting any more weight.”
Fortunately, the situation was resolved quickly. Njokuani said officials rechecked the scale, adjusted it, and allowed him to weigh in again.
“That’s where the confusion came from,” Njokuani continued. “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.”
Everything ultimately worked out in Chidi Njokuani’s favor. Not only did he avoid a potential fine for missing weight, but he also delivered one of the biggest surprises of UFC 330 by outpointing Alvarez over three rounds.
The victory improved Chidi Njokuani’s professional record to 26-12 and halted a two-fight skid. More importantly, it gave the veteran a much-needed bounce-back performance against a highly regarded opponent.
