Earlier this week, rumors swirled regarding a potential weight miss for UFC on ESPN+ 19 headliner Joanna Jedrzejczyk.
According to multiple reports, Jedrzejczyk (15-3 MMA, 9-3 UFC) wasn’t confident in her cut to 116 pounds for her fight against Michelle Waterson, and the promotion was considering other options for Saturday’s main event.
When it came time to step on the scale Friday morning, however, Jedrzejczyk hit the mark at 115.5.
While UFC president Dana White denied the accuracy of the rumors, he did admit discussions were circulating behind the scenes in an interview with TMZ on Friday. White dismissed the content of the rumors and chalked everything up to “head games” being played by the former champion.
“There were what I will call ‘head games’ going on behind the scenes,” White said. “The problem with this whole story and everything going on is never, ever, ever was there a thing that Joanna couldn’t make weight. There was never a situation where Joanna couldn’t make weight. That was never an issue.
“Then I saw a story that said we were going to pay her fines if she didn’t make weight. That will never happen. I’m never paying fines for people who didn’t make weight. That’s a lie. That’s never going to happen ever.”
White even criticized the UFC’s own broadcast partner, ESPN, for running information on its ticker, which he alleges stated Jedrzejczyk missed weight.
“Yesterday (Thursday), my partner ESPN put up on their ticker tape ‘Joanna Jedrzejczyk didn’t make weight,’” White said. “The weigh-ins are today (Friday). It’s been crazy, man. What has been happening is there has been some head games going on between two veterans who are fighting in the main event of a fight that is very important in both of their careers and to see who gets the next title shot. That’s literally what is going on.
“And all of these MMA suckers fall for it because they’re hearing things behind the scenes or whatever is going on. None of it is true.”
UFC on ESPN+ 19 takes place Saturday at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Fla. The card streams on ESPN+.
Dana White adamant that Joanna Jedrzejczyk's weight cut 'was never an issue'