Kamaru Usman is able to climb again to the highest of the welterweight mountain.
The previous champion, who wore the UFC’s 170-pound crown from 2019-2022, efficiently weighed in at 171 kilos (making use of the one-pound allowance for a non-title combat) Friday morning for his UFC Atlanta major occasion matchup towards Joaquin Buckley. This marks Usman’s first combat at welterweight since March 2023, when he misplaced a trilogy bout towards rival Leon Edwards and fell wanting regaining his belt.
Buckley additionally efficiently hit the mark for Saturday’s headliner, coming in at 171 kilos. Since shifting down from middleweight, Buckley has been on an unimaginable run, successful six straight fights and choosing up victories over longtime contenders Colby Covington and Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson. He’s presently the No. 7 welterweight within the MMA Preventing World Rankings.
Saturday’s co-main occasion can also be set with Rose Namajunas and Miranda Maverick each weighing in at 126 kilos. Namajunas, a two-time champion at 115 kilos and the No. 13 fighter on the planet pound-for-pound, seeks to remain within the flyweight title image by beating the surging Maverick, who has received 4 straight fights.
All 26 fighters set to compete at UFC Atlanta efficiently made weight, although middleweight Mansur Abdul-Malik introduced some drama to the proceedings.
Abdul-Malik was the final fighter to weigh in and he initially got here in a single pound over the restrict. With lower than 10 minutes remaining within the official weigh-in window, Abdul-Malik exited the stage and returned shortly after earlier than stripping down and hitting the 186-pound mark below cowl of a field.
See UFC Atlanta weigh-in outcomes under.
Principal Card (ESPN, ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET)
Kamaru Usman (171) vs. Joaquin Buckley (171)
Rose Namajunas (126) vs. Miranda Maverick (126)
Edmen Shahbazyan (185) vs. Andre Petroski (186)
Cody Garbrandt (136) vs. Raoni Barcelos (136)
Mansur Abdul-Malik (186) vs. Cody Brundage (186)
Alonzo Menifield (206) vs. Oumar Sy (206)
Preliminary Card (ESPN+ at 7 p.m. ET)
Paul Craig (206) vs. Rodolfo Bellato (205.5)
Michael Chiesa (171) vs. Courtroom McGee (170)
Malcolm Wellmaker (136) vs. Kris Moutinho (136)
Cody Durden (126) vs. Jose Ochoa (125)
Ricky Simon (136) vs. Cameron Smotherman (136)
Phil Rowe (171) vs. Ange Loosa (171)
Jamey-Lyn Horth (126) vs. Vanessa Demopoulos (126)
