Season 29 of The Ultimate Fighter: Team Volkanovski vs. Team Ortega winner Bryan Battle weighed in at 190 pounds for his scheduled Middleweight bout against Nursulton Ruziboev at UFC 319. This comes as quite a surprise, considering Battle also missed weight in his previous fight against Randy Brown, which he won via split decision.
That fight was at Welterweight, but Battle weighed in at 175 pounds—four pounds over the non-title Welterweight limit. It marked his second time missing weight at 170 pounds, the first being when he came in two pounds heavy for a catchweight fight against Gabriel Green in 2023, which ended in a 14-second knockout win for Battle.
Due to repeated weight issues, Battle moved up to Middleweight, believing that the extra 15 pounds would make the cut less strenuous and benefit his overall health. That’s why this latest miss is especially troubling to both fans and analysts. Despite moving up in weight, Battle still came in significantly over the limit. So much so, in fact, that the fight was ultimately cancelled.
Initially, the bout was expected to proceed at a catchweight, but shortly afterward, it was announced that the fight had been called off entirely. It’s unclear whether this was due to contract disputes or if the UFC itself made the decision to cancel the bout.
This marks the third time in Bryan Battle’s last six fights that he has missed weight. Dana White is known for his distain for fighters who fail to make weight, and this situation could have serious consequences. What was once a highly anticipated fight on a major pay-per-view card is now off the table, and Battle’s future with the UFC appears uncertain.
Will the promotion give him another opportunity to redeem himself and step into the Octagon again? Or will Battle be penalized by being given unfavorable matchups in enemy territory – or worse, released from the roster entirely? That remains to be seen.
