Vinc Pichel chose not to fight Ismael Bonfim in their lightweight bout at UFC Sao Paulo after Bonfim failed to make weight, wanting to teach him a lesson in self-responsibility.
Vinc Pichel was set to face Ismael Bonfim in a lightweight bout on the main card of UFC Sao Paulo. However, their fight was called off after Bonfim failed to make weight at the official weigh-ins. He weighed in at 159.5 pounds, three and a half pounds over the limit for a non-title fight in the lightweight division.
Pichel expressed his disappointment and frustration with his opponent’s unprofessionalism. Taking to social media, the 40-year-old fighter stated that he refused to fight an overweight Bonfim in an effort to teach him a lesson in self-responsibility. Pichel emphasized that he has never missed weight in his 15+ year career and stood firm in his decision, pointing out that there was no one else to blame but his opponent.
UFC Sao Paulo, scheduled for November 4, was not spared from other weight miss incidents. Victor Hugo also failed to make weight for his bantamweight contest, resulting in the cancellation of his fight against Daniel Marcos. As a result, the event will proceed with an 11-fight card.
Pichel apologized to his fans who were eagerly looking forward to seeing him in action and mentioned that the cancellation might have impacted betting outcomes. Despite the disappointment, he assured his supporters that they will see him fight again soon. The main event for UFC Sao Paulo features heavyweight contenders Jailton Almeida and Derrick Lewis in the headline bout.