Winn Out, Curtis In, Hawes Out

I guess it wouldn’t be a UFC weigh in without some behind-the-scenes drama.

Deron Winn was ruled medically unfit to compete ahead of Friday’s scale-tipping festivities for reasons unrelated to his weight cut, according to UFC officials, so former “Contender Series” standout Chris Curtis was called up on short notice.

Curtis promptly tipped the scale at 184.5 pounds.

Unfortunately for the 34 year-old “Action Man,” nobody in the promotion bothered to check with 185-pound veteran Phil Hawes, who refused to compete against an unknown opponent on less than 24 hours notice and did not attend today’s weigh ins.

That’s according to a report from ESPN.

As a result, the UFC Vegas 39 fight card, scheduled for Sat. afternoon (Oct. 9, 2021) inside APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada, will proceed with just nine fights. It should also be noted that Jared Gooden missed weight for his welterweight co-main event against Randy Brown.

As of this writing, that showdown is expected to continue as planned, with “Nite Train” forfeiting a percentage of his purse, payable directly to Brown. For a look at the revised UFC Vegas 39 fight card and ESPN+ lineup click here.