Aiemann Zahabi was just under one pound away from making the bantamweight limit for UFC 315 when he received unexpected news: his scheduled bout against Jose Aldo was being moved up to the featherweight division.
The reason behind this change became apparent during the official weigh-ins. Sources confirmed that the weight class adjustment was necessary because Jose Aldo was instructed by a UFC doctor to stop his weight cut on Thursday night, having been nine pounds over the bantamweight limit. Although the former featherweight champion appeared noticeably drained on the scale, the fight was ultimately preserved by shifting it to 145 pounds.
Reacting to the development, Zahabi spoke with UFC Canadian broadcast partner SportsNet. He revealed his precise weight when he heard the news: 136.8 pounds. His team, led by Firas Zahabi, received texts and calls confirming Aldo`s inability to make weight and that the Montreal commission would not permit the fight at bantamweight with such a significant weight disparity, leaving featherweight as the only viable option.
Given that the fight was on the brink of cancellation and required a divisional change, standard penalties for missing weight didn`t apply. This unique situation necessitated a renegotiation of Zahabi`s fight contract. Zahabi mentioned considering declining the fight entirely due to the circumstances, but decided against it after seeking advice.
Following consultation, Zahabi`s team renegotiated terms with Sean Shelby from the UFC. They reached a new agreement that Zahabi accepted, confirming that the fight against Jose Aldo will proceed at featherweight as planned.
