This situation keeps on developing…
Headlining UFC 210 in New York, light-heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier and rival Anthony Johnson came in on a strange storyline. During a highly controversial weigh-in, Cormier failed to make weight on the first attempt.
After taking all of two minutes backstage, ‘DC’ emerged, and had somehow cut 1.2 pounds to make the championship weight of 205. Grabbing the towel during the second attempt, Cormier caused massive controversy.
This might just come back to bite the champ on the butt.
Towel Foul?
The main event rematch came and went, with Cormier putting in a repeat performance. After such a potentially scandalous weigh-in, things seemed to die down as Johnson took the limelight in retirement. ‘DC’ had submitted ‘Rumble,’ and then controversy temporarily hit Henri Hooft, who appeared to abandon Johnson after the fight.
Once all that had been cleared up, the focus again turned to the UFC 210 towelgate. Since retiring, Johnson and his manager Ali Abdel-Aziz have announced they’ll be appealing the weigh-ins, and initially said they wanted Cormier stripped.
But things have taken further, and far more strange turns since then.
NYSAC Appeal, Deleted Statement
Johnson and his manager have formally filed the complaint with the NYSAC, with a request to have Cormier make a statement under oath. According to the complaint, if ‘DC’s’ statement doesn’t add up, he should be stripped of the championship.
Here’s where it gets weird. Johnson’s manager, Abdel-Aziz, is known both for being very successful, but also a prick bit of a social media jockey. Aziz, who also manages Khabib Nurmagomedov, has been busted many times Tweeting as Khabib, but forgetting to switch profiles, so looking very dim.
Here’s Johnson’s deleted statement, as per MMAFighting.com, where he says he doesn’t want ‘DC’ to be stripped of the belt. These comments have led many to believe Abdel-Aziz is behind the complaint more than Johnson is:
What?
First and foremost I never said I wanted D.C. stripped of the title. He beat me and that’s that…
2nd I said everything would be handled After the fight because I was focused on the Fight. Weigh ins was messed up and at the end of the day it was wrong. If I lose fans because I’m fighting for what’s right then so be it. If it happen to me, it can happen to anybody. The world made all of this noise about it and when an appeal is made the world will cry about the appeal.
That makes zero sense!
Weigh ins was messed up and the fight wasn’t because he beat me. I’m not complaining about the loss, I’m complaining about the weigh ins. D.C. shouldn’t be stripped at all but for sure answer to the weigh in situation.
If you hate me you hate that’s what you have to deal with. If you love me then I love you back…