Aiemann Zahabi was reportedly just shy of finishing his bantamweight weight cut when he received news that his scheduled UFC 315 clash against Jose Aldo would no longer take place at the 135-pound limit.
During the official UFC 315 weigh-ins on Friday, it was confirmed that the Aldo vs. Zahabi fight was being elevated to featherweight. Reports indicated that this change was necessitated after UFC doctors instructed Aldo to cease cutting weight on Thursday night, as he was still nine pounds over the bantamweight threshold. While Aldo appeared visibly drained on the scale, the fight is still set to proceed at the heavier division.
Reacting to the sudden adjustment while speaking with SportsNet, a UFC broadcast partner in Canada, Zahabi revealed just how close he was to making weight. He stated he was less than a pound away from the bantamweight requirement when he learned of the change.
“So I was cutting my weight and I had just gotten into the blankets this morning, and I was 136.8 pounds,” Zahabi recounted. He added that his coach, Firas Zahabi, was simultaneously receiving texts and calls halting the cut. The message conveyed that ‘Jose can’t make weight, he’s 145. There’s no way he’s going to make the weight,’ and crucially, the Montreal commission would not permit a five-pound weight disparity. Consequently, the bantamweight option was entirely removed, necessitating a move to featherweight.
Zahabi further demonstrated his proximity to the bantamweight limit by posting a video on Friday morning showing his weight at just under 137 pounds shortly after receiving the news.
Given that the fight faced potential cancellation and was being moved up a weight class, the standard penalties for missing weight did not apply. Zahabi disclosed that this situation required his team to renegotiate the terms of his contract for the fight.
“So then we had to think, we had to renegotiate… [because] we could say no,” Zahabi explained, highlighting their leverage. “The fight was essentially off because of the five-pound difference.”
He then shared advice from his brother, Xavier Alaoui, who asked, “‘What would X do?’ He said, ‘He would renegotiate and take the fight.’” Following this counsel, Zahabi’s team successfully renegotiated with Sean Shelby, reaching an agreement that Zahabi accepted, confirming the fight is now officially on at featherweight.