Concerning scenes at Aspen Ladd’s “truly scary” weigh-in has led to the 26-year-old’s fight against Macy Chiasson at UFC Vegas 38 this weekend being cancelled.
Cutting weight has been a bubbling issue in recent times for the UFC and scenes from Ladd’s weigh-in further highlighted how dangerous the practice can be.
Reporters and fans were concerned for the fighter’s safety after witnessing Ladd shaking and visibly unsteady on her feet. At one point she almost collapsed before being helped by UFC officials.
Ladd weighed in at 141.5 pounds (64kg) for the bantamweight bout — 5.5 pounds (2.5kg) over the 136 pound (61kg) limit.
She then stripped down in a bid to make weight but still came in about 1kg heavier at 137 pounds (62kg).
It’s not the first time Ladd has experienced difficulty making weight and has had multiple fights cancelled because of injury and weight troubles.
MMA reporter Ariel Helwani tweeted: “Aspen Ladd should not fight tomorrow. That was extremely troubling. Common sense has to prevail here. What in the world.”
TSN’s Aaron Bronsteter wrote: “Aspen Ladd has been standing on the scale for 3-4 minutes, looking weak and even shaking at times as they are unable to register her weight.
“They are asking her to lift her arms. The last time that she did, she nearly toppled over … That was troubling to watch.”
Ladd later took to Instagram to explain her side of the story.
“Fight is off. Again. All my fault,” she wrote. “Straight up started my period 2 days back and made this cut absolutely miserable.
“Did the best I could, hit 137, the scale situation was a mess because the last thing I wanted was to bleed in front of the media.
“The fight wasn’t pulled, my opponent then decided she would rather not go through with it, as is her right. I’m going to get slammed regardless, so let it begin.”
In a follow-up social media post, Ladd apologised to Chiasson, the UFC and her fans.
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“There are times when you think that you do everything right and then mother nature comes into play but bottom line is you’ve got to prepare for anything and everything,” Ladd wrote.
“I thought that I had.”
Ladd has been out of the Octagon for two years and has struggled with the demands of making weight in the past.
She was seen was shaking on the scales before a 2019 clash with Germaine de Randamie. A year before, the American missed weight by nearly 1kg for her bout with Leslie Smith, prompting the fight to be cancelled.
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