Riggs fails to cut weight... Hughes retains title.

[Red Monster]

http://www.insidefighting.com/betwee....aspx?uid=2490

LAS VEGAS – It might have been the toughest mental test of his professional career.

Just one hour ago, Joe “Diesel” Riggs failed to make weight after four separate attempts. The good news for the fans is that his battle with UFC Welterweight Champion Matt Hughes will proceed. The bad news for Riggs is that his first shot at UFC gold will have to wait.

Because the Diesel missed weight, he will be fined 10 percent by the Nevada State Athletic Commission – half will go to the commission and half will go to Hughes – and the bout will now be a non-title affair. As of 7:00 pm PST, the fight will be a three round bout. But Matt Hughes has yet to agree to the change from five rounds to three.

Riggs, a former 300-pound heavyweight, looked extremely drained when he entered Studio 54 inside the MGM Grand for the official weigh-ins. Initially ruled 171.5 pounds over the limit, he removed all his clothing behind a towel held by his teammates and stepped back on the scale. This time, Commissioner Marc Ratner announced Riggs at 171 pounds. That was around 4:00 pm PST.

Under the rules, Riggs was given two full hours to make the weight. So the brash young star returned to the sauna to try and sweat out the final pound.

He returned just over an hour later. The new official from the NSAC initially indicated that he was still over the limit by less than a pound.

Riggs left and returned about 30 minutes later. In a strange turn of events, the second-time welterweight was now 172 pounds, indicating that he’d gained weight since his last weigh-in attempt.

The Diesel was furious. With less than 25 minutes remaining to make the weight, he announced: “I can’t do it. I can’t make the weight.”

Riggs failed to make weight, so he now faces Hughes in a non-title fight

Riggs was confused, frustrated, annoyed and basically at war with himself and the scale mentally at that point. Hughes, who had returned to witness the events, embraced Riggs at that point, and the hopeful title challenger apologized to Hughes and his manager Monte Cox.

At that point, Riggs left the room while drinking a bottle of water. With only about 15 minutes left to make weight, he was done trying, which was understandable given the time constraints and the fact that he’d somehow gained weight since his previous attempt.

Shortly after Riggs walked out, the NSAC official realized that the scale was mis-calibrated. He Riggs’ team ran out to get him for one more attempt. But the water intake ruined any chance at getting an accurate weight.

In his fourth and final attempt, Riggs weighed 172.5 pounds.

At that point, Zuffa President Dana White arrived to decide what to do. According to the NSAC, it was up to Zuffa whether the fight moved forward as a five- or three-round bout. After conferencing with Team Hughes and Team Riggs, the group decided on a three-round bout, subject to the champion’s approval.

WEIGH-IN VIDEO: http://www.sherdogvideos.com/events/...fc56_riggs.wmv

[sonar1234]

Can you imagine i guy that weighted in once at 300 pounds how hard it has to be to make weight at 170 pounds.

He is just plain sick to compete at this weight, when i saw is last fight i was going on what the hell is he sick, he used to compete at 185 pounds and was very muscular at that weight, that almost 15 pounds of muscles that he cutted out.

He did not make the weight so do you imagine how drain he must be, Hugues will win the fight hands on now.

Riggs should consider moving up to light heavyweight status again.

[BeerBaron]

glad i didnt order the fight.

[JAMIE720]

Riggs is naturally too big to fight at 170 being 6 foot tall with big bones .Now physically and mentally drained,look for Hughes to put him out of his misery early via tapout.