In an ironic twist of fate, UFC twerker Ailin Perez found herself in a challenging position during the early weigh-ins for UFC Paris on Friday. The Argentinian athlete, known for her vibrant personality and social media presence, struggled to make weight for her upcoming bantamweight bout against newcomer Daria Zhelezniakova.
Perez, who had recently criticized fellow UFC star Tracy Cortez for a similar situation, missed the weight limit by 0.5 pounds. The incident occurred just months after Perez had publicly mocked Cortez for cutting her hair in an attempt to make weight for a main event opportunity against Rose Namajunas.
During the weigh-in, Perez appeared visibly uncomfortable on the scale, trembling and struggling to maintain her balance. As a result of missing weight, she will be fined 20% of her fight purse, and the bout will now take place at a catchweight.
The situation has led to discussions about the challenges fighters face in making weight and the potential hypocrisy of criticizing others for similar struggles. Many fans and observers have pointed out the irony of Perez’s predicament, given her previous comments about Cortez.
Despite the setback, Perez seemed to recover well for the ceremonial weigh-ins and final face-offs. She was seen enjoying a sandwich on stage, indicating that she had begun the process of rehydrating and refueling after the grueling weight cut.
This marks the first time in Perez’s 12-fight professional career that she has missed weight. The 29-year-old has been on a three-fight winning streak since losing her UFC debut to Stephanie Egger in a featherweight bout.
Perez has expressed ambitious goals for her career, including aiming for Raquel Pennington’s undisputed bantamweight title and even considering a matchup with Olympic judoka Kayla Harrison. However, this weight-cutting incident may serve as a wake-up call for the fighter to reassess her approach to preparation and nutrition.
Ailin Perez is currently earning more from OF than from the UFC: “On a month-to-month basis, it really depends on how it’s been because I keep evolving with this. But, since Thursday until now, it’s been over $30,000.”
“Each time I fight it is going to keep multiplying, it’s just going to be better every time I fight… I got paid $24,000 for the fight because I’m on my first contract. As I keep fighting I will get paid more and more and by the next contract, hopefully, it is more.”
“By the next fight, hopefully, I get a new extension, which is what I’m looking for and hopefully, I can multiply that number so it is even better pay than what I got.”
