QUEBEC — English middleweight Michael Bisping and former Green Beret Tim Kennedy did plenty of jawing but kept the peace as they made weight Tuesday ahead of their main event showdown at the UFC’s Ultimate Fighter Nations card.
There was more drama earlier between featherweights Akira Corassani and Dustin Poirier, with officials stepping in to separate the two after a Poirier shove on stage before a small audience at the Colisee Pepsi.
And there was a near wardrobe malfunction by women’s bantamweight Leslie (The Peacemaker) Smith.
The televised card goes Wednesday night at the Colisee Pepsi.
PROGRAMMING NOTE: Watch the live TUF Nations Finale Wednesday with a UFC Central preview at 4 p.m. EST, prelims starting at 5 p.m. EST and the main card at 7 p.m. EST on Sportsnet 360
Bisping got in Kennedy’s face, as he did at a photo-op Monday. But this time a relaxed Kennedy talked back in a 25-second exchange on stage. Both fighters weighed in at 186 pounds.
Poirier objected when Corassani got too close, shoving him backwards. The American-based Swede tried to come back at Poirier but was pulled away.
Smith ran into problems taking off her hoodie before getting on the scale. The tie at the back of her bra came loose, but a grinning Smith showed impressive reflexes in grabbing it before anything else happened.
She had a similar problem in a January 2013 win over Raquel Pennington on an Invicta FC card when her top rode up during the fight.
Smith makes her UFC debut against Victoria’s Sarah Kaufman, who held up a "Hi Canada! Eh?" sign as she stood on the scales.
Co-main event fighters Patrick (The Predator) Cote of Montreal and Australian Kyle Noke exchanged a brief handshake and an even longer look as the two welterweights met at the side of the stage.
While other fighters stepped up the antagonism, light-heavyweight Ryan (The Big Deal) Jimmo and Sean O’Connell made nice.
The two fighters, water bottles in hand, squared off and then linked arms as they each had a swig. When done, they toasted each other.
K.J. Noons and Sam (Hands of Stone) Stout of London, Ont., were slated to meet at lightweight (155 pounds) but had their bout switched to welterweight (170) after the Quebec athletic commission and the UFC approved their joint request.
Noons weighed in at 168 while Stout was 169 pounds.