Advertisement

'Tough to watch': UFC rocked by fighter's scary weigh-in collapse

Julija Stoliarenko, pictured here after fainting while attempting to weigh-in.
Julija Stoliarenko fainted twice while attempting to weigh-in. Image: Twitter

Julija Stoliarenko's UFC fight against Julia Avila in Las Vegas has been cancelled after the fighter collapsed in scary scenes at the weigh-in on Friday.

UFC fans are used to seeing fighters hit the deck, but there was shock and concern when Stoliarenko fainted twice as she weighed in.

'IT'S OFFICIAL': UFC boss makes bombshell call on Khabib

'MAJOR EFFORT': Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua agree on two-fight deal

Confronting footage showed the 27-year-old Lithuanian staggering backwards off the scales before falling onto her backside.

UFC security man Steve Read could be heard asking "Where's the doc?" as Stoliarenko insisted that she is fine while sitting on the stage.

After recovering briefly while sitting on a chair, she stepped onto the scales again with Read in close proximity and made the required weight of 135.5 pounds.

However she collapsed for a second time as she stepped off the scales and was later removed from the venue on a stretcher.

Her bout with Avila was canceled due to “weight-cutting issues,” according to ESPN.

It remains unclear why she was allowed to attempt to weigh-in a second time.

Many combat sports athletes go through a period of severe dehydration in the run-up to weigh-ins, expelling as much water as possible from their bodies in order to make weight and leaving them susceptible to fainting.

Julija Stoliarenko, pictured here moments before collapsing.
Julija Stoliarenko poses on the scale moments before collapsing. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

UFC world in shock over 'scary' scenes

Avila joined fans in sending their well-wishes to Stoliarenko.

"Speedy recovery fellow Julia," Avila tweeted.

"Your health comes first, hopefully we see each other at another date. Prayers sister."

Stoliarenko boasts a 9-4 record in UFC.

She was last beaten by Yana Kunitskaya via unanimous decision at UFC Fight Night 174 in August, which snapped a previous five-fight win streak dating back to 2019.

Aliva, 32, is currently 8-2 following her loss in September to Sijara Eubanks at UFC Fight Night 177.

with agencies

Click here to sign up to our newsletter for all the latest and breaking stories from Australia and around the world.