This is a huge bummer.
UFC lightweight champ Charles Oliveira just missed weight by HALF A POUND at weigh-ins on Friday ... which means he's no longer the lightweight champ.
Oliviera is slated to fight Justin Gaethje at UFC 274 in Phoenix on Saturday ... a fight that many have been excited about for months.
Charles initially weighed in at 155.5 pounds earlier on Friday ... and in title fights, you HAVE to make weight.
⚖️ = 155.5lbs
— UFC on BT Sport (@btsportufc) May 6, 2022
Charles OIiveira has been unable to shift the final weight.#UFC274 | Saturday | BT Sport 1 HD pic.twitter.com/fIRlDIUIGC
Do Bronx was given one hour to shed the 1/2 pound ... but unfortunately, he was unable to make it happen.
Now, if Oliveira wins against The Highlight, the championship will be vacant ... but if Gaethje is able to come out on top, he'll get the belt.
Charles was confident he was going to make weight earlier in the day ... even tweeting, "weight ✔️ peso✔️ #UFC274."
Oliveira is 32-8 in his career ... and just won the belt after beating Michael Chandler in May 2021 at UFC 262. He has one title defense after choking out Dustin Poirier in the 3rd round in December.
⚖️ = 155.5lbs
— UFC on BT Sport (@btsportufc) May 6, 2022
Charles Oliveira is last to the scales and is over by half a pound.
He'll have an hour to cut the remaining weight.#UFC274 | Saturday | BT Sport 1 HD pic.twitter.com/nK1bjOACJ3
Gaethje is the former interim champ, who came up short against Khabib Nurmagomedov in October 2020.
Oliveira has yet to address missing weight ... but Gaethje's camp says it's business as usual, and they're unfazed.