WATCH: Match Cancelled After UFC Fighter Faints TWICE During Weigh-in

Sarah RumpfMar 19th, 2021, 5:26 pm

Screenshot via Twitter.

A scary scene unfolded during Friday’s weigh-in for a women’s UFC match when one of the fighters fainted and fell twice.

Lithuanian native Julija Stoliarenko was supposed to face off against American fighter Julia Avlia in a women’s bantamweight bout in Las Vegas Saturday night, but the match has now been cancelled over concerns about weight-cutting issues, according to ESPN.

Stoliarenko, age 27, fainted and stumbled twice during the weigh-in. The videos of her stumbles quickly went viral on Twitter.

Julija Stoliarenko just fainted on the scale #UFCVegas22 pic.twitter.com/3PjNMUGxFf

— The Schmo (@TheSchmo312) March 19, 2021

During the first attempt, Stoliarenko stumbled as she stepped off the sale, and fell back against the UFC backdrop. UFC security helped her to a chair and, remarkably, she was allowed to get back on the scale. She made weight at 135.5 lbs, but collapsed again as she stepped off the scale, with a UFC security team member catching her and helping lower her to the ground.

Stoliarenko was attended to by her coach and a physician on the scene, given water, and transported to an area hospital on a stretcher. Her team has not provided an update regarding her condition.

Full Julija Stoliarenko weigh-in video, courtesy of @mmajunkie. Extremely scary.

I’ve asked why she was allowed to weigh in again after fainting the first time. pic.twitter.com/dAWEE8DcM8

— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) March 19, 2021

This is not an isolated incident for the UFC. There have been multiple instances of weight-drained fighters fainting over the years after losing a massive amount of weight in a short period of time.

“Weight cutting is a dangerous part of mixed martial arts,” wrote ESPN’s Marc Raimondi, noting the growing calls for better regulation of the sport. “Fighters sometimes lose 20 to 30 pounds in the days and weeks leading up to weigh-ins, sweating out the remaining weight in a hot bath or sauna.”

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Sarah Rumpf - Contributing Editor

Sarah Rumpf joined Mediaite in 2020 and is a Contributing Editor focusing on politics, law, and the media. A native Floridian, Sarah attended the University of Florida, graduating with a double major in Political Science and German, and earned her Juris Doctor, cum laude, from the UF College of Law. Sarah's writing has been featured at National Review, The Daily Beast, Reason, Law&Crime, Independent Journal Review, Texas Monthly, The Capitolist, Breitbart Texas, Townhall, RedState, The Orlando Sentinel, and the Austin-American Statesman, and her political commentary has led to appearances on television, radio, and podcast programs across the globe. Follow Sarah on Threads, Twitter, and Bluesky.