Kiwis make weight for UFC Fight Night 110 in Auckland

Derrick Lewis and Mark Hunt face off. Photo / Getty

By Daniel Richardson

All three Kiwi fighters have made weight without issue ahead of UFC Fight Night 110 in Auckland on Sunday.

The weigh-ins were conducted tonight at the Langham Hotel and heavyweight Mark Hunt tipped in at 265 pounds (120.2kg), lightweight Dan Hooker was 156 pounds (70.7kg) and debutant welterweight Luke Jumeau was 170 pounds (77.1kg).

Jumeau, a Hamilton-based fighter who will meet American Dominique Steele (14-8), was the second fighter to weigh-in and looked confident on the scales.

The euphoria of the occasion may hit him during the weekend but for now he seems relaxed as he looks to improve on his 11-3 career record.

Hunt (12-11-1, 1 NC), the 43-year-old veteran who will fight Derrick Lewis (18-4, 1 NC) in the main event, has had his battles with the scale in the past but had no problems this week.

He said yesterday that his training camp on the Gold Coast had whipped him into shape and improved nutrition helped his weight cut.

Lewis, who usually drops around nine kilograms to make the UFC's heavyweight limit of 120.2kg, stripped down and posed behind a towel as he made the grade at 265 pounds.

Derrick Lewis makes weight at 265 pounds and we have our main event for Sunday. Funny moment when he jokingly grabbed the towel a la Cormier pic.twitter.com/kSW4W0KSnV

— Daniel Richardson (@DanRichardson21) June 9, 2017

Hooker (13-7) is moving up to lightweight after spending his first six UFC bouts at featherweight and he looked better on the scale than the gaunt figure he has cut in the past.

The 27-year-old will meet Australian-based Englishman Ross Pearson on the main card (19-13, 1 NC).

Jumeau's opponent was the second-to-last fighter to weigh-in and it looked like he endured a challenging weight cut.

He called for a towel as he climbed on the stage and caused a few laughs when he added: "I was brought into this world naked, I'll weigh in naked."

But he tipped in at 170.5 pounds (77.3kg) and ensured Jumeau's debut will go ahead without a hitch.

American middleweight Derrick Brunson (16-5), who will meet Australian Dan Kelly (13-1) in the co-main event, went straight to the food table after he hit the scale and made a Nutella sandwich.

The only fighter to miss weight was South Korean women's strawweight Chan-Mi Jeon (5-0) as the 19-year-old was 118 pounds (53.5kg), two pounds over the non-title fight weight limit for the division.

Her opponent JJ Aldrich (6-2) accepted the bout anyway and will get 20 per cent of Jeon's show money for her misdemeanour.

The reason for the weigh-ins being held on Friday night when the fights are on Sunday is part of a new regime to help fighters remain in good health while making weight.

Usually if a fight card begins in the evening on a Saturday, local time, fighters can weigh-in early on the Friday morning.

But because this fight card takes place during the day on Sunday, the weigh-ins had to be pushed back and Friday night became the most appropriate window.

There will be ceremonial weigh-ins at Spark Arena tomorrow and the event is free for fans.