“Ant Hell” Lee Chang-ho accepted the game even though his opponent’s 1.6kg boundary was exceeded.
ROAD TO UFC Season 2 Bantamweight winner Lee Chang-ho matched the weight allowed for general bantamweight events with 61.7kg in the UFC Fight Night: Emmet vs Murphy weigh-in at a hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada on the 5th (Korea time). However, the opponent Cortevius Romiers weighed 63.3kg, exceeding the allowed weight by 1.6kg.
It was a crossroads of choice. 1.6 kg is about 2.6% of the bantam grade allowable body weight. Since the opponent did not go through the process of squeezing moisture at the end, it is disadvantageous in weight, physical strength, and muscle strength on the day of the game. Therefore, some players choose to cancel the game at the risk of economic damage. However, Lee Chang-ho decided that he could no longer postpone his long-delayed debut.
“Ant Hell” Lee Chang-ho accepted the game even though his opponent’s 1.6kg boundary was exceeded. Photo = Courtesy of UFC
Lee Chang-ho said, “I heard that Romiers was in a bad condition two hours before the game, so it was difficult to match the game,” adding, “I thought a lot about whether to cancel the game, but I decided to play in the end.” He then vowed, “It may be disadvantageous for exceeding the opponent’s weight, but I will focus more and win unconditionally.”
In exchange for agreeing to proceed with the game, Lee Chang-ho will take over 20% of Romiers’ fee in addition to the original fee. “UFC Fight Night: Emmett vs Murphy” will be held at UFC Apex, a dedicated stadium next to UFC headquarters in the U.S. on the 6th.
This is a showdown between the daredevil grapplers. The style is a little different. Romiers is more of a jiujittero aiming for a submission after a takedown. On the other hand, Lee Chang-ho aims for TKO through ground and pound rather than submission after takedown. Romiers has good explosive power in the early stages, and Lee Chang-ho has good afterthought in the second half.
Currently, gamblers predict that Lee Chang-ho’s chances of winning his UFC debut are about 55%.
Cortevius Romiers weighed 63.3 kg, exceeding the permitted weight by 1.6 kg. Photo = Courtesy of UFC
UFC featherweight No. 8 Josh Emmett and No. 10 Leron Murphy, who will compete in the main event, passed the relay safely. Emmett weighed 66.2 kg and Murphy 66 kg, matching the permitted weight of featherweight events.
Both players are hit hard, but their styles are different. Emmett is a one-pun man who knocks everyone out in one shot. Murphy, on the other hand, is a technique to score points with elaborate batting. Although the styles are contradictory, the two players have something in common that they miraculously recovered from a big accident.
Emmett fractured his left face after being struck by ground Elbow after a knockdown against Jeremy Stevens in 2018, and developed paralysis symptoms. However, he overcame his injury after surgery, returned after a year, won five consecutive games, and challenged the UFC featherweight provisional title in 2023.
Murphy was shot three times in 2013 when he was attacked by a gunman on his way out of his hometown of Manchester. Murphy, who managed to save his life, debuted as a mixed martial arts (MMA) player and is on a 16-game unbeaten streak (15 wins and 1 draw).
Unbeaten Holy Murphy wants to beat Emmett and get the title shot. Former UFC featherweight champion Ilya Topuria beat Emmett to secure the title challenge. Emmett is determined to make Murphy regret calling for a match against him.
The main card of “UFC Fight Night: Emmet vs Murphy,” in which Lee Chang-ho will participate, will be broadcast live on TVING from 10 a.m. on the 6th.
In exchange for agreeing to proceed with the game, Lee Chang-ho will take over 20% of Romiers’ fee in addition to the original fee. “UFC Fight Night: Emmett vs Murphy” will be held at UFC Apex, a dedicated stadium next to UFC headquarters in the U.S. on the 6th. Photo = Courtesy of UFC
[MIN JUN KU, MK Sports Reporter]
