UFC 254 weigh in results: Two fighters come in heavy

Two fighters failed to make weight heading into UFC 254 – but the main event between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Justin Gaethje is on.

The fighters on the UFC 254 card all weighed in earlier today in Abu Dhabi with the main focus being on Nurmagomedov and Gaethje. While fans are excited by the prospect of Michael Chandler competing in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, many were praying that the lightweight title showdown would remain intact.

Thankfully it did, with the rest of the results being as follows (via MMA Junkie):

UFC 254 MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view, 2 p.m. ET)

Khabib Nurmagomedov (155) vs. Justin Gaethje (155)

Jared Cannonier (185) vs. Robert Whittaker (186)

Walt Harris (254) vs. Alexander Volkov (265)

Phil Hawes (186) vs. Jacob Malkoun (186)

Lauren Murphy (126) vs. Liliya Shakirova (126)

Magomed Ankalaev (205) vs. Ion Cutelaba (205.5)

UFC 254 PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN2, ESPN+, noon ET)

Stefan Struve (265) vs. Tai Tuivasa (265)

Casey Kenney (140) vs. Nathaniel Wood (140)

Alex Oliveira (173*) vs. Shavkat Rakhmonov (171)

Sam Alvey (206) vs. Da Un Jung (206)

UFC 254 EARLY PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 11 a.m. ET)

Liana Jojua (126) vs. Miranda Maverick (126)

Joel Alvarez (159.5**) vs. Alexander Yakovlev (155.5)

UFC 254 BACKUP FIGHTERS

Michael Chandler (155) – backup for Nurmagomedov vs. Gaethje

Sergey Morozov (139.5) – backup for Kenney vs. Wood

Isi Fitikefu (203.5) – backup for Ankalaev vs. Cutelaba

* Oliveira missed weight and will forfeit 20 percent of his fight purse to Rakhmonov 

** Alvarez missed weight and will forfeit 30 percent of his fight purse to Yakovlev

The focus will now turn back onto the fights themselves, and when it comes to the main event, Justin Gaethje’s coach Trevor Wittman is confident but realistic about the kind of strategy we’ll see from “The Highlight” against Nurmagomedov tomorrow night.

“I feel good about [Justin’s wrestling] but Khabib is the best at what he does,” Wittman said. “It’s not like I’m going ‘we’re going to go out there and out wrestle him.’ Again, that’s just a little bonus of what we have. It’s an opportunity to go out there and face the best and I do believe Khabib, I believe he’s the best pound-for-pound [fighter]. I’ve thought that for a long period of time. I mean there’s other fighters that put on exciting fights and you can consider them best pound-for-pound and who they’ve faced and things like that.

“But it’s patterns. Who’s the most consistent? When it comes to being consistent, that’s the key to being great. It’s consistency. Khabib is that.”