Oh boy! UFC 316 is facing late drama at the Prudential Center in Newark. Just moments before the action kicks off, a major hiccup hits the early prelims as Ariane da Silva misses weight by a whopping six pounds for her bout against Wang Cong. Despite the setback, the fight will go on, but the ‘Queen of Violence’ will have to surrender 30% of her purse as a penalty. This marks her second UFC weight miss, the last one blamed on COVID-19. So, how did the Brazilian miss such a massive weight? According to her longtime coach and husband, Renato da Silva, it’s all thanks to her tumour.

While speaking with MMAFighting, Renato da Silva addressed the issue of the significant weight miss, stating that it was due to tumour.“We discovered a small benign tumour in her pituitary gland that was altering her hormone levels, and during that treatment, we decided to seek a nutritionist who would help us see possibilities with supplements and foods that would help us,” said da Silva

He further added, “There was a moment this morning she wasn’t feeling good. I know her body. There was still something left there to cut, but at the same time her reactions weren’t normal.” She wasn’t walking right, she was blinking too slow, she had double vision, and couldn’t focus, her voice sounded weak. She was giving us dangerous signs as she dropped weight. People say something without knowing anything.”

As per the coach, da Silva had a blood test during her camp, and the results came back horrifying as she had high levels of prolactin and abnormal levels of cortisol, and further examination of her physique showcased that she has a benign tumour in her pituitary gland. So, now, you lot might be wondering what this tumour does?

Well, a benign tumour in the pituitary gland, also known as a pituitary adenoma, isn’t life-threatening, but it can seriously disrupt hormonal balance, affecting growth, metabolism, and even reproduction. If the tumour grows large, it may also press on nearby structures such as the optic nerve, leading to vision problems.

Normally, a fighter should just withdraw under such a predicament, but Da Silva has some other plans. Regardless, let’s have a look at how her opponent reacted to such news.

Wang Cong reacts to Ariane da Silva weight miss news

Missing weight, even by a single pound, is a serious issue in the world of MMA. But Ariane da Silva missed by a massive six pounds ahead of her UFC 316 bout. Typically, such fights are canceled, but UFC CEO Dana White can’t afford that and neither can the fighters. The bout will proceed, but under a new catchweight, as Wang Cong agreed to face her opponent despite the weight discrepancy.

Reacting to the news, the Chinese fighter stated, “Hello everyone. My weight has passed smoothly. Thank you for your concern. But here’s a little a problem. It’s my opponent, due to physical reasons. [is] seven pounds overweight.” Adding further to the conversation, the fighter said, “After she came out, I went over to see her situation. Fortunately, there is no big problem, because it’s not easy for every athlete. I still decided to continue the [fight]. She doesn’t have to lose any more weight. The task now is to eat and drink well.”

The show must go on and with that philosophy in mind, the fighters agreed to compete at a catchweight. However, Cong will receive 30% of her opponent’s purse. Given that, do you think the Brazilian can with the bout with her condition? State your opinion in the comments below.