Missing weight in combat sports is nothing new. But what happened Thursday morning in Japan was something entirely different.
Gabi Garcia, a Brazilian MMA fighter, is scheduled to take on 53-year-old pro wrestler-turned-politician Shinobu Kandori at Rizin FF 8 on Friday. But that fight likely no longer will take place, after Garcia showed up to weigh-ins a whopping 26 pounds overweight.
The scene in Saitama, Japan, was pretty bizarre, as Kandori lost her cool and stormed out of the room after seeing Garcia’s weight.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQ3dB8Zceac
There’s a lot to digest here, with the Cup Noodles mascot in the back chief among them.
Once the dust settled, Rizin Fighting Federation president Nobuyuki Sakakibara implied the fight will be scrapped.
#RizinFF Update: Gabi Garcia was 12 kgs over. Opponent Shinobu Kandori freaked out and started yelling “this is a disgrace”. Sakikibara came on stage and said “competitionwise, we cannot make this happen.” Stay tuned.
— Joe Ferraro (@JoeAFerraro) December 28, 2017
While Rizin FF took some time to make a decision, it eventually canceled the fight.
