MMA
Ismael Bonfim recalls extreme UFC weight cut that went wrong
Ismael Bonfim had a rough weight cut and missed the mark in his
last outing.| 📷: Getty/UFC
Ismael
Bonfim learned a lesson the hard way in his last fight.
Bonfim took on Chris
Padilla in a lightweight bout in the
Ultimate Fighting Championship this past November. “Marreta”
looked visibly weak and worn out as he weighed in at 161 pounds,
missing the non-title lightweight limit by five pounds. The
Brazilian was then picked apart by Padilla en route to a
second-round stoppage loss.
Bonfim recently recalled the weight-cut fiasco ahead of his last
bout and has made the necessary changes to avoid missing weight
again.
Ismael Bonfim details failed weight cut before Chris Padilla
UFC loss
Bonfim revealed that he had relied heavily on dehydration, leaving
22 pounds to cut on fight week. He decided to stop cutting weight
after his neck started cramping on the day of the weigh-in.
“I relied too much on dehydration,†Bonfim told MMA Fighting. “I
got to fight week still needing to lose 22 pounds. I would stay in
the sauna for 30 seconds, and my body would already start cramping.
I was getting cramps I'd never felt in my life, like cramps in my
neck. That's when we decided to stop the weight cut.â€
He is now scheduled to face Axel Sola at
UFC Abu Dhabi. Making weight shouldn't be an issue for Bonfim
as he has started managing his weight seriously since his last
Octagon outing. The 30-year-old believes moving up a weight class
would have ended his career and he's made sure to keep his
out-of-camp weight low going forward.
“We finally got serious,†Bonfim added. “We make a lot of mistakes
because things are too easy nowadays, but enough is enough. Moving
up to welterweight would've been crazy. I'm already small for
lightweight. Going up to 170 would've been the end of my career.
That's where it would've ended. I'm a lightweight, and from now on
I'm going to do things the right way. I'm not going to let my
weight go above 176 [pounds].â€
Bonfim (20-6) will look to rebound from a two-fight slump when he
faces Sola, who is eager to bounce back from his lone career loss
against Mason Jones
this past March.
#UFCAbuDhabi’s Ismael
Bonfim “finally got serious” with diet after collapsing on the
scale before #UFC
fight:“I relied too much on dehydration. I got to fight week still
needing to lose 22 pounds. I was bringing it down little by little,
and on the day of the weight cut I still… pic.twitter.com/1NkGp0ZRZY— MMA Fighting (@MMAFighting)
July 23, 2026
MMA
Dana White dismisses Alex Pereira’s claims against Daniel Cormier: ‘I don’t tell anybody what to say’
Shakur Stevenson Faces Criticism for Avoiding All-American Boxing Clash
Canelo Alvarez Discusses Challenging Christian Mbilli for WBC Title: Strategies for a Successful Fight
Alex Pereira backs Paulo Costa to beat Magomed Ankalaev with pressure
-
Boxing2 days agoNakisa Bidarian Explains the Financial Principles Driving Canelos Commitment
-
MMA2 days agoIsmael Bonfim removed from UFC roster after gigantic weight miss
-
Boxing2 days agoTyson Furys Advantage: The Importance of Leg Endurance in Boxing
-
Boxing2 days agoDerek Chisora Predicts Early KO in Dubois vs Wardley 2 Following First Fight Canvas Drama
-
Boxing1 day agoAgit Kabayel Expected to Defeat Nelson Hysa by TKO in Five Rounds
-
Boxing1 day agoNaoya Inoue vs Bam Rodriguez Mega Fight in Jeopardy: Im Not Waiting Sparks Concerns
-
MMA1 day agoMichael ‘Venom’ Page says 3 Misfits fights will pay more than 6 in UFC
-
Boxing21 hours agoDana White Rejects November 28 Date for Shakur vs. Haney Fight