The highly anticipated bout between Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson and Michel Pereira has been canceled due to Pereira missing weight. Find out more about the weight issues and the potential implications for the fighters in this article.
Stephen Thompson vs. Michel Pereira Canceled: Weight Issues Lead to Main Card Bout Being Scrapped
In a disappointing turn of events, the highly anticipated matchup between Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson and Michel Pereira has been canceled. UFC reporter Megan Olivi broke the news, stating that the bout was called off due to Pereira missing weight at the official weigh-ins. Pereira tipped the scales at 174 pounds, three pounds over the welterweight limit.
This is not the first time that Pereira has had trouble making weight. In September 2019, he came in one pound over the limit for his fight against Tristan Connelly at UFC Vancouver. Pereira went on to lose that bout by unanimous decision.
Thompson, on the other hand, was looking forward to making his first appearance of 2023. The two-time UFC welterweight title challenger had a successful outing in his last fight, defeating Kevin Holland by TKO in December 2022.
In a statement released on social media, Thompson expressed his disappointment and explained his decision to not accept the fight. He also drew a comparison to his 2018 bout against Darren Till, where Till missed weight but still got the victory and a shot at the welterweight title.
It remains unclear if the Thompson vs. Pereira matchup will be rescheduled or if both fighters will move on to new assignments. Fans will have to wait for further updates from the UFC.
UFC 291 Fight Card
| Main Card |
|---|
| Derrick Lewis vs. Marcos Rogerio de Lima |
Stay tuned for more news and updates on the UFC 291 event.
