Why This UFC 265 Fighter Is Cutting From Featherweight To Flyweight

UFC 265’s Ode Osbourne will compete in three different weight classes in his first three UFC fights when he meets Manel Kape.

It’s not quite Anthony Johnson levels of weight cutting, but Ode Osbourne is showing off an impressive range fighting in three different weight divisions in his first three Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) fights.

Osbourne’s UFC debut took place at bantamweight against Brian Kelleher at UFC 246. He subsequently defeated Jerome Rivera via 26-second knockout (KO) (watch here) as a featherweight at UFC Vegas 18. Heading into his UFC 265 — taking place at the Toyota Center in Houston, TX on Sat., Aug. 7 via ESPN+ pay-per-view (PPV) — Osbourne (9-3) will fight at catchweight after opponent Manel Kape (15-6) missed the flyweight limit.

“I naturally walk around at 143. That’s my natural walk-around weight without cutting any weight. Naturally, 135 was very easy for me. I don’t really believe in weight cutting. I don’t like it. I believe everyone should fight the way they are,” Osbourne tells MMAMania.com. “The way my life is set up, the flyweight [divsision] is an open ballpark, an open playing field. It feels like it would take so long to go through bantamweight. The 135 division is so stacked. Flyweight I don’t feel like there are that many contenders. When it comes to top contenders, I feel like one of the top contenders. I’ve said this before, I’d way rather spend the rest of my career as a top contender than spend it trying to get to be a top contender.”

Officially making weight as a UFC featherweight, bantamweight and flyweight, Osbourne shares which of the three divisions’ champions most impress him: Alex Volkanovski, Aljamain Sterling or Brandon Moreno.

“Sterling, unimpressed. I’m unimpressed with Sterling. I’d have to go with Volkanovski, but I do have to say I love Brandon Moreno’s personality. How could you not like that guy? I’m a fan. His personality is very exuberant,” he shares. “Volkanovski is a stud. Anyone who beats Max Holloway is a stud. Max Holloway is one of those guys that always comes to fight. He’s never had an off day in the Octagon. He is always 120 percent. I always bet on Max Holloway. The fact that he beat Max Holloway is amazing.”

---

MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 265 fight card RIGHT HERE, starting with the early ESPN2/ESPN+ “Prelims” matches at 6 p.m. ET, followed by the remaining undercard balance on ESPN2/ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET, before the PPV main card start time at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+.

To check out the latest and greatest UFC 265: “Lewis vs. Gane” news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive right here. For the entire UFC 265 fight card and PPV line up click here.