UFC strips Charles Oliveira of lightweight title due to UFC 274 weight miss

For the first time, a UFC title has been lost on the scales.

Following his half-pound weight miss Friday afternoon, reigning lightweight champion Charles Oliveira has been stripped of the title. However, his anticipated main event clash with former interim champion Justin Gaethje Saturday at UFC 274 will still happen.

However, Oliveira will not be eligible to win the title because he didn’t make championship weight. If Gaethje wins, he will be the new champion. If Oliveira wins, the title will remain vacant.

Oliviera will also forfeit 30% of his fight purse to Gaethje. He weighed in at 155.5 pounds as title fights do not get the one pound overage allowance that undercard fights do.

Earlier today, Oliveira tweeted the following about making weight:

Oliveira, who had won the vacant title in a win over Michael Chandler a year ago, will look to extend a ten-fight winning streak Saturday. Gaethje has won five of his last six.

Oliveira has missed weight four times before, but the last time was back in November 2016.

Here’s the main card for Saturday’s pay-per-view in Phoenix, Arizona:

  • Vacant UFC lightweight title: Justin Gaethje vs. Charles Oliveira (only Gaethje can win the title)
  • Women’s strawweight champion Rose Namajunas vs. Carla Esparza
  • Michael Chandler vs. Tony Ferguson
  • Mauricio “Shogun” Rua vs. Ovince Saint Preux
  • Donald Cerrone vs. Joe Lauzon
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Josh Nason
Josh Nason

Since 2011, Josh has been a contributing editor to Wrestling Observer/F4WOnline.com and also hosts the Punch-Out podcast. He has also written for Fight Magazine, Bloody Elbow, Bleacher Report, and other websites. He's a 2000 graduate of the University of Maine, worked in pro sports, and once was an indie ring announcer.