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09th Dec 2016

WATCH: Anthony Pettis loses title shot after missing weight

This card just can't catch a break

Ben Kiely

Anthony Pettis won’t be fighting for a belt in UFC 206’s main event.

The former UFC lightweight champion was set to take on streaking 145 lber Max Holloway for the interim featherweight championship in Toronto.

Holloway made championship weight at the early weigh-ins and looked ready to slug it out for that coveted golden strap, wrapping an imaginary belt around his waist as he stood off the scales.

https://twitter.com/TheMikeyHutch/status/807233170747912192

Reports began to circulate early on Friday that Anthony Pettis was going to miss weight. There were rumours his body shut down when he made it to 146.4 lbs and he was unable to sweat out the final pound and a half.

He showed up to the early weigh-in looking gaunt and downtrodden. With his head glued to the floor, he stood on the scales which read 148 lbs, three pounds over the championship limit. Pettis is only allowed one shot at weighing in under the new system.

This was set to be his sophomore bout at 145 lbs. “Showtime” had a successful divisional debut, submitting Charles Oliveira via third round guillotine at UFC on Fox 21 in August. He dropped down a weight class after going on a three-fight skid at 155 losing to Rafael dos Anjos, Eddie Alvarez and Edson Barboza respectively.

Interestingly, Pettis recently admitted that he struggled with his first cut to 145.