REPLAY: UFC 183: Silva vs. Diaz weigh-ins and results
Former champion Anderson Silva stepped onto the scale for the first time in over a year, Friday in Las Vegas in the MGM Grand Garden Arena, and received a returning king's welcome from the fans in attendance. Hi UFC 183 main event opponent Nick Diaz had more than his share of support among the crowd as well, however.
Both men made the middleweight limit and looked forward to their headlining scrap Saturday evening. "We're here to fight the best there is," Diaz said.
"We're taking on the world, here. One fight at a time."
During his interview, Silva took the time to remember how, after his second loss and gruesome injury at the hands of champion Chris Weidman at UFC 168 in Dec. of 2013, his family implored him to retire. He said that he told them what he told the fans in attendance Friday afternoon, that he must fight on because, "this is me. This is my life."
UFC 183's co-main event was supposed to be a fight between contenders Tyron Woodley and Kelvin Gastelum at welterweight, but the TUF winner struggled all day with dropping the necessary pounds, and weighed in nine pounds over the non-title welterweight limit, at 180 pounds. For his part, Woodley came in under weight, and decided to take the fight despite the weight difference.
Sources tell us that Gastelum and Woodley's camp negotiated an arrangement where 30% of Gastelum's purse will go to Woodley. The Nevada Athletic Commission was aware of, and approved the arrangement, making it official.
Further down on the card, John Lineker once again failed to make the flyweight limit, infuriating his opponent, Ian McCall. Lineker weighed in four pounds over the non-title flyweight limit,
McCall, who just yesterday weighed 143 pounds, made weight and came in at 126 pounds. He gestured and shouted profanely at Lineker after making weight, in frustration.
UFC 183: SILVA VS. DIAZ
MAIN CARD PAY-PER-VIEW
MAIN EVENT: Anderson Silva (186) vs. Nick Diaz (185)
Tyron Woodley (170.5) vs. Kelvin Gastelum (180)
Joe Lauzon (156) vs. Al Iaquinta (156)
Thales Leites (186) vs. Tim Boetsch (185.5)
Thiago Alves (171) vs. Jordan Mein (169.5)
FOX SPORTS 1 UFC 183 PRELIMS:
Miesha Tate (135.5) vs. Sara McMann (135.5)
Derek Brunson (186) vs. Ed Herman (186)
Ian McCall (126) vs. John Lineker (130)
Tom Watson (186) vs. Rafael Natal (185.5)
UFC 183 EARLY PRELIMS
Diego Brandao (142) vs. Jimy Hettes (146)
Richardson Moreira (185.5) vs. Ildemar Alcantara (185)
Thiago Santos (185.5) vs. Andy Enz (186)