Bout Canceled After Fighter Collapses Twice at Weigh-In

A routine part of the drill for competitive fighters turned into a scary scene in Las Vegas on Friday and forced the cancellation of a weekend bout. Julija Stoliarenko, a mixed martial arts fighter, collapsed twice during her weigh-in, reports CBS Sports. The 27-year-old Lithuanian was helped to her feet after the first collapse and eventually allowed to get back on the scale. After making the required 135-pound limit, Stoliarenko collapsed again when getting off the scale, notes ESPN. (The scene is captured here.) She eventually left on a stretcher and was taken to a hospital for treatment. Her UFC bout scheduled for Saturday against Julia Avila has been canceled.

Exactly what happened is unclear, but the Guardian points out that MMA fighters often go through a period of "severe dehydration" in the days leading up to weigh-in that can leave them prone to fainting. ESPN adds that fighters have been known to shed up to 30 pounds in the weeks before a fight, losing their last pounds by spending lots of time in the sauna in the final days. Some states, including California, have put rules in place to guard against such drastic weight-loss programs. Stoliarenko's team has not commented yet on what happened. (More mixed martial arts stories.)