LAS VEGAS – David Onama faced an unexpected setback as the commission halted his last-minute weight cut attempt at UFC on ESPN 55.
Onama, who missed the 146-pound non-title featherweight limit, shared his frustration after the commission intervened when he sought to use the extra hour permitted for making weight.
“Friday morning, my body just gave up on me,” Onama expressed to MMA Junkie and other reporters post-fight at UFC on ESPN 55. “I had two more pounds to cut, and I just couldn’t cut no more. I couldn’t stop sweating. My body was hurting me. I’ve never had that issue before. In my whole career, I’ve never missed weight and that’s my first time ever missing in the UFC.
“I was mad at myself because I never had that issue. I honestly thought I was going to make weight. I had an hour left and the commission told me, ‘You can’t cut anymore.’ It’s not like I quit cutting weight. I had an hour left and I was going to keep cutting weight, but they said I can’t make that weight in an hour.”
Onama extended his apologies to his opponent and assured that he wouldn’t encounter weight issues in the future. Despite this setback, the 29-year-old fighter has secured victories in four of his last five bouts.
“To my opponent, I’m sorry,” Onama expressed. “My body gave up on me. It’s part of the game. Sometimes you might have a good weight cut, sometimes you might not. It’s never happened before and I apologize for that happening. It will never happen again.”
