The build-up to a big fight is made even more exciting because of press conferences and media coverage of both camps. But the pinnacle of the anticipation is felt at the weigh-in when both fighters come toe to toe with each other. After weighing in, the two fighters are presented into each other. This serves as a way to stare into each other’s eyes and intimidate each other. Most times it is amicable while other times it gets a little heated. Let’s take a look back at the most entertaining weigh-ins.
Why Is There a Stare Down After a Weigh-In?
Most of the time, the staredown is all part of the production as a way to get people interested in the fight. Sometimes there is genuine hatred and animosity between the fighters, which makes the stare down a real affair. Other times, the staredown is exacerbated to make the fight more interesting and increase ticket sales or people purchasing the bout at home. The origins of these antics go back decades. Lots of fans point to Muhammed Ali’s teasing and hostility towards his opponent (which was often just an act and part of his tactics).
Three Memorable Weigh-In Antics
There are lots of examples of MMA fighters creating a stir at the weigh-in event. Whether it is for their bullish behavior or something more unique. Here are some examples:
Angela Hill vs Jessica Andrade
Remember Street Fighter? The original series was created for arcade halls in the 80´s and keeps finding its way back to fighting fans through new video game releases, a movie starring Jean-Claude Van Damme and more recently the Street Fighter 2 slot machine. Back in 2017, Angela “Overkill” Hill pulled off a weigh-in pose that went over many people’s heads. But if you like gaming as well as MMA, you would have spotted exactly what she was doing. She posed on one foot, making an impression of Street Fighter’s Sagat character while wearing the flagship eyepatch. Hill is a huge gaming fan, which explains her Street Fighter impression.
Israel Adesanya vs Yoel Romero
You would have thought Israel Adesanya was on a beach kicking back at his latest stare down. Adesanya wanted to show that he was not afraid of his opponent by taking out a cigar during the meetup. On the scales, he took out the cigar and smelled its aroma before pretending to light it. He did not light or smoke the cigar, but it was a way to show Romero did not faze him.
Paige VanZant Vs Michelle Waterson
It is not all hatred and intimidation at the weigh-in. Sometimes it can be funny and light-hearted. One of the best examples was when Paige VanZant came up against Michelle Waterson. Instead of all the hostility, the two decided to have a friendly dance-off which concluded in a hug. Although the second after the hug they stared each other down and the atmosphere quickly changed, showing they are both fierce competitors when it matters.
Wagner Prado vs Phil Davis
After making his MMA debut against Davis, the fight was stopped via an unusual decision because Davis accidentally poked Prado in the eye and was unable to continue. The UFC then gave the two a chance to rematch months later, and the weight-in was memorable. Instead of staring each other down, Prado pretended to put up his defence from any eye pokes, which was well-received by Davis who pretended to slowly poke him in the eye again. Dana White can be seen in the background uncontrollably laughing.