UFC 327 weigh-ins just concluded. For 23 fighters, the scale was just a formality. But for one lightweight, it became the first opponent of the weekend—a battle that would cost him before he even stepped into the octagon.
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During the weigh-in, lightweight prospect Chris Padilla had trouble making the 156 lbs limit. Although his opponent, MarQuel Mederos, made 155 lbs, the Californian appeared to be struggling with the cut. On his first attempt, Padilla came in at 158 lbs, after which he went back to cut the remaining amount.
After taking the extra hour window, Padilla returned to make weight, and this time he also used the privacy box. However, he remained at 158 lbs, which is two pounds over the lightweight limit of 156 lbs. Following that weight miss, the UFC fined him 20% of his purse, which will go to his opponent, MarQuel Mederos, who made weight. The fight will continue.
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For those unaware, this is the first time Padilla has missed weight in his entire MMA career, though he has faced some weight-related issues before. In his last fight, Padilla’s opponent, Ismael Bonfim, missed weight by a whopping five pounds, and the promotion fined him 25% of his purse. Yet in some cases, the fine can be much higher than the standard 20–30% cut.
After Saimon Oliveira tipped the weighing scale by 8 pounds ahead of his fight versus Luan Lacerda, the UFC fined him 50% of his payout, which remains one of the highest penalties the promotion has imposed in recent memory.
#UFC327 weigh-in results: Chris Padilla (158)*
*Padilla is 2 pounds over the lightweight limithttps://t.co/pCpomsR9Y0
— MMA Fighting (@MMAFighting) April 10, 2026
With a 2 lbs weight miss, Padilla will have a size advantage over his opponent, who made the lightweight limit. So, with that in mind, the Californian should have an edge in landing shots with more sting. Also, we might see slightly better cardio and top pressure from Padilla in a 15-minute bout.
Will the weight cut affect his future from here? Maybe not, since it’s the first time he has missed weight. But he might get on the UFC’s radar if the weight misses become frequent. With that factor cleared, let’s take a look at other prelims fighters who successfully made weight.
UFC 327 prelims fighters who successfully made weight
While Padilla struggled, the rest of the card was a picture of professionalism. Veteran middleweights Kelvin Gastelum and Vicente Luque both hit the 185-pound mark, setting the stage for their highly anticipated bout. Gastelum is taking the fight on short notice after the UFC rebooked his originally scheduled opponent, Kyle Daukaus, to UFC White House.
Kelvin Gastelum missed the 185 lbs limit by 5 pounds in his last fight vs Dustin Stoltzfus. But this time, the Californian has successfully made the middleweight to face the fellow Brazilian veteran who’ll make his debut at the 185 lbs division.
The welterweight bout between Kevin Holland and Randy Brown is official after both men made the 171-pound limit, and the featherweight clash featuring Patricio Pitbull and Aaron Pico is also set to proceed without issue.
Moreover, the former UFC strawweight title challenger, Tatiana Suarez, is back to chase the title once again. At UFC 327, she’ll face Loopy Godinez in a showdown that might produce a highlight-reel moment. To keep their bout intact, both women made the 116 lbs limit at the weigh-ins.
Furthermore, Mateusz Gamrot weighed in at 156 lbs for his lightweight bout against Esteban Ribovics, who came in at 155 lbs. To end the list, Charles Radtke and Francisco Prado both came in at 170 lbs on the dot and will open the night in Miami. With all but one fight official, the stage is set for a compelling night of preliminary action in Miami.
Written by
Edited by
Abhimanyu Gupta