THE CANADIAN PRESS
LAS VEGAS — Former heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar weighed in at 266 pounds, three pounds more than Alistair Overeem ahead of their UFC 141 showdown Friday.
Lesnar, never one for the media niceties, did not stick around for a few comments at Thursday’s weigh-in at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Overeem (35-11-1), a veteran heavyweight making his debut in the UFC, repeated his promise of a knockout.
"I predicted a first-, and if not a first-, a second-round knockout," said the six-foot-five Dutch fighter who is a former Strikeforce and Dream title-holder.
The two engaged in a short but intense staredown at the weigh-in, with the six-foot-three Lesnar (5-2) walking away before a handshake could be had.
The heavyweight limit is 266 pounds for a non-title bout.
Sparks were expected at the weigh-in meeting of co-main event lightweights Nate Diaz and Donald (Cowboy) Cerrone after Diaz knocked off Cerrone’s cowboy hat when the two posed earlier in the week at a news conference.
But the bad blood seemed to take a backseat to Diaz missing weight. The younger brother of welterweight contender Nick Diaz weighed in at 157 pounds, one over the non-title limit.
Diaz tied a second time, stripped down behind a towel, but still came in at 157. Rather than quit the stage to work off the extra weight, Diaz got a reprieve when Cerrone said he would fight Diaz whatever the weight.
The two then squared off, with Diaz doing plenty of talking and Cerrone nodding his head.
Sean (The Punisher) Pierson of Pickering, Ont., weighed in at 171 for his welterweight bout with South Korean Dong Hyun (Stun Gun) Kim (171).
