Things were almost perfect going into UFC Vegas 105, until the weigh-ins ruined the mood. With only hours until fight night, two bouts took an unexpected turn, leaving Dana White and the matchmakers scrambling behind the scenes. It is not uncommon for the UFC to cope with large-scale drama, but it is still annoying when fighters make such slip-ups. This time, one missed weight and another did not show up at all, and it is already costing money.
Cortavious Romious missed the bantamweight limit by 3.5 pounds in his main event fight against Chang Ho Lee. While Lee made weight and decided to keep the fight alive, Romious had to give up 20% of his fight purse simply to stay on. This type of mistake always raises questions, especially for someone who is still figuring his way through the promotion. Romious has already competed at featherweight and lightweight, so this bantamweight cut may not be right for him. Fighters are expected to be pros on the scale. Missing weight during fight week? Not the first impression you want to make.
The more difficult situation involves Daniel Santos. He didn’t even go to the scales. The UFC cited “medical issues,” but that doesn’t change the fact that his fight against Davey Grant was canceled entirely. What makes matters worse is that this is not the first—or even second—time. Santos has now withdrawn from five UFC fights since 2021, with only one involving his opponent. Even the UFC’s patience with a talented fighter eventually wears thin. And Grant? He made weight. He showed up. And now, unfortunately, he misses a paycheck due to circumstances beyond his control.
| 24 out of the 26 athletes scheduled to compete at #UFCVegas105 have successfully made weight.
Cortavious Romious came in at 139.5lbs, 3.5lbs over the bantamweight limit.
No word on whether Romious’ fight with ChangHo Lee will stay on the card.
Davey Grant vs. Daniel… pic.twitter.com/MWWqnOhDFr
— MMA Orbit (@mma_orbit) April 4, 2025
It’s not hard to imagine Dana White is fed up. The UFC has previously deducted fighter pay, sometimes up to 30%, for major weight misses. The principle is just as important as the numbers. When a card breaks apart at the last minute, it is detrimental to the fighters, fans, and the overall flow of the promotion. Weigh-in drama has become all too common lately, and if this trend continues, expect severe penalties. If you’re not gaining weight, you’re making life more difficult for everyone else—and the head honcho isn’t known for letting that slip. However, it is worth noting that even Dana White falters at times, with one catching the attention of everyone online.
Dana White’s major slip-up during major fight announcement
Before the weigh-in disaster took over UFC Vegas 105, Dana White was doing what he does best: generating hype around the event. A few days before the card, he posted a high-octane announcement video on Instagram, highlighting the main event and announcing a “bada–” card for Saturday. His tone was typical Dana—amped, aggressive, and all-in. However, in between the adrenaline and the fast-talking promotional passion, he slipped up just enough to attract everyone’s attention.
In his announcement, the head honcho did what he always does: he pitched the card as if it were the most significant fight night of the year. “This is a bad— fun card,” he continued, revealing start times and highlighting that the entire event would be live and free on ESPN. Everything was good until he closed with “tomorrow night,” even though the message was published on a Thursday. This meant that UFC fights would now be broadcast on Fridays as per the head honcho. Well, Dana White should’ve known that fans pay close attention to these details.
To his credit, Dana moved fast. The caption on the post was quietly modified to clarify the timing: Saturday night, not Friday. No major apology or explanation, just a quiet course correction. Still, screenshots had already begun to circulate, and the damage—if you can call it that—had been done. It was more amusing to a fandom accustomed to last-minute alterations and mix-ups. Just not the kind of mix-up you’d expect from the guy who’s always three steps ahead. But what do you think? Do you think UFC Vegas 105 will go on without any more errors? Let us know in the comments.
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