ABU DHABI — Two UFC championship fights are now official for Saturday’s UFC 267 event on Fight Island, as all four athletes successfully made weight on Friday.
Light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz (28-8) and No. 1 contender Glover Teixeira (32-7) each weighed in at 205 pounds. Former bantamweight champion Petr Yan (15-2) and Cory Sandhagen (14-3) also made weight at the maximum 135 pounds for their vacant interim title fight.
Light heavyweight contender Jiri Prochazka also weighed in at 205 pounds as a backup to the main event. With Blachowicz and Teixeira each making weight successfully, it does not appear as if Prochazka will compete at UFC 267, but his presence indicates he is next in line to face the winner.
Welterweight standout Khamzat Chimaev (9-0) created some drama when he failed to make weight on his first attempt, coming in a half-pound over the 171-pound non-title welterweight limit. But he returned to make 171 pounds on his second attempt.
Chimaev broke out for the UFC in 2020 but has not yet competed in 2021 due to health issues caused by COVID-19.