Earlier today, inside the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada, the official scale stepping for UFC Vegas 24 went down. The card features a middleweight main event between Robert Whittaker and Kelvin Gastelum that has major implications for the division’s title picture. The 12 bout event includes a seven-fight preliminary card with several noteworthy returns and debuts. The prelims and main card will both air simultaneously on ESPN and streaming app ESPN+. The event kicks off at 7 pm ET, and the five-fight main card begins at 10 pm ET.
Official scale stats for UFC Vegas 24
Main Card 10 pm ET, ESPN & ESPN+)
Robert Whittaker (185.5) vs. Kelvin Gastelum (185)
Drakkar Klose (156) vs. Jeremy Stephens (156)
Andrei Arlovski (250.5) vs. Chase Sherman (251)
Abdul Razak Alhassan (185,5) vs. Jacob Malkoun (185.5)
Alexander Munoz (155.5) vs. Luis Pena (155)
Preliminary Card (7 pm ET, ESPN & ESPN+)
Tracy Cortez (126.5) vs. Justine Kish (125.5)
Juan Espino (257) vs. Alexandr Romanov (264)
Lupita Godinez (116) vs. Jessica Penne (116)
Bartosz Fabinski (184.5) vs. Gerald Meerschaert (185.5)
Austin Hubbard (156) vs. Dakota Bush (155.5)
Zarah Fairn (147)* vs. Josiane Nunes (136) (bout canceled)
Anthony Birchak (135.5) vs. Tony Gravely (135.5)
*(Missed Weight)
Weight makes and misses
Another week, and another cancelled bout due to an atrociously bad weight miss. Last week it was Norma Dumont missing weight by 3.5 pounds. This week Zarah Fairn told Vegas officials to hold her drink as she went in and tipped the scales at 147-pounds for a fight that had already been switched to a catchweight of 139-pounds. It’s all the more impressive because 147-pounds would also have missed the mark at Fairn’s previous division of featherweight. With only one bout currently scheduled in the division, it seems like women’s featherweight in the UFC is on borrowed time. “Infinite” may have very well put her job in jeopardy by forcing this bout to be cancelled, in what was her first attempt at proving to the promotion she can compete at bantamweight.
Outside the disastrous weight miss by the French fighter, women’s flyweight Tracy Cortez missed the mark by a half pound. However, the bout got the go-ahead at a catchweight, and the 27-year-old will fork over 20-percent of her fight purse. The other 22 fighters on the card made weight, including Fairn’s opponent Josiane Nunes.
‘The Reaper’ will decide Adesanya’s title fate
Robert Whittaker has one very specific endgame at UFC Vegas 24. Beat Kelvin Gastelum and secure a long sought-after rematch with Israel Adesanya. “Bobby Knuckles” is already the top-ranked fighter in the division, and a win would mean three straight victories over top-10 opponents. Not to mention, his place is secure as one of the best middleweights in UFC history. All due respect to Marvin Vettori, his five-fight win streak, and new top-three ranking, but Whittaker is the next man to face “Izzy” for the gold if he gets the win.
Worthwhile fight night watches
- Jeremy Stephens vs. Drakkar Klose – Both of these men have not competed in the last year, and a win achieves very different goals. A win for Stephens gets him his first W since February 2018 and ends a five-fight winless streak. For Klose, a victory over “Lil Heathen” would be the biggest of his career and return him to the winner’s circle after Beniel Dariush ended his three-fight win streak in March of 2020. In addition, their dust-up at the weigh-ins added even more intrigue to this one.
- Andre Arlovski vs. Chase Sherman – You can never guarantee a fight will end a certain way, but if there was one fight tailor-made for a knockout, this would be it. Plus, it’s just math. Ninety-three percent of Sherman’s wins have been by knockout, while 67% of his losses have come by the same result. For Arlovski, 67% of his wins and 55% of his losses have ended via strikes. This one shouldn’t last long.
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