The fighter in question is Aaron Tau, a flyweight prospect from New Zealand. He was scheduled to face Namsrai Batbayar in the finals of the latest edition of Road to UFC, a talent scouting program in Asia. Unfortunately, things hit a serious snag at the weigh-in.
After arriving at the weigh-in area, Tau stripped naked and stepped behind the UFC privacy screen to weigh in, which usually involves a heavy weight cut. However, he weighed well under the flyweight limit of 126 pounds at the time, at 122.5 lbs.
That immediately raised suspicion among onlookers, and people quickly realized that Tau had rested his elbows on the privacy screen to slightly reduce the weight on the scale. He then weighed in again without a screen and tipped the scales at 129 pounds – well above the flyweight limit. In other words, he had apparently tried to cheat the scales.
It’s the same trick that Daniel Cormier used successfully many years ago. The difference, of course, is that Cormier was the UFC light heavyweight champion at the time, not an undercard fighter fighting for a spot on the roster.
The incident caused Tau’s fight to be canceled. Other than that, it’s hard to say what the future holds for him as he effectively derailed the Road to UFC tournament at the finish. The promotion’s decision makers are unlikely to be happy with him.
Either way, he wants UFC bosses and fans to know he’s sorry. He apologized for not gaining weight on Instagram.
Aaron Tau apologizes for UFC 325 weigh-in debacle
“I must apologize to my opponent, the UFC, my team and my fans,” Tau wrote. “Although I pushed to the end, I have one job: to make weight and fight. I didn’t do that. I’m sorry.”
Unfortunately, the fans didn’t offer much sympathy. Many pointed out that the UFC hopeful didn’t actually acknowledge his attempt to cheat.
“Losing weight is one thing, but trying to cheat in front of millions of people makes it something else entirely,” one commenter wrote.
“Yeah bro, not only did you not gain weight, you cheated,” another added.
Tapology has Tau’s pro record at 11-1. His only loss was a decision defeat to Elijah Smith on Dana White’s Contender Series. That setback marked a previous failed attempt to score a UFC contract.
UFC 325 takes place tonight from Sydney, Australia. Alexander Volkanovski will defend his featherweight title in a rematch with Diego Lopes in the main event.
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