‘Why Cameron Smotherman collapsed…’: UFC star's fall ahead of Ricky Turcios bout raises questions; ‘keeps happening’

Cameron Smotherman suddenly collapsed Friday after his weigh-in for Saturday's UFC 324 in Las Vegas

Published on: Jan 24, 2026, 02:24:28 IST

By Yash Nitish Bajaj

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Cameron Smotherman suddenly collapsed Friday after his weigh-in for Saturday's UFC 324 in Las Vegas. Scary scenes emerged after the 28-year-old made weight at 135.5 pounds and stepped off the scale. He fell to the floor. Now, fans and experts have one big question: ‘Why did Cameron Smotherman collapse?’

Cameron Smotherman collapsed after the weigh-in on Friday (UFC/YouTube)

Cameron Smotherman's health update

The UFC, in a statement, said that Cameron Smotherman's clash with Ricky Turcios was canceled due to his health issues. The 28-year-old was carried off the platform and examined by physicians at T-Mobile Arena. The exact issue was not specified.

Reacting to Smotherman's fall, one social media user asked his followers: “Why are you surpised?”

“This happens ALL THE TIME BACKSTAGE in UFC fights. Welcome to Dana’s White world, boxing fans,” they added on X, platform formerly known as Twitter.

Other fans also blamed weight-cutting. “Prime example of what happens when you try to cut weight last minute.... That's something you do throughout camp , not trying to cut 20lbs a day or two before . And if you can't do that .... just fight at your regular weight," another fan tweeted.

Weight cutting remains a routine part of life in the UFC and across MMA, with fighters often shedding significant mass ahead of official weigh-ins. In many cases, athletes reduce well over 10% of their body weight in the final days before stepping on the scale, then rapidly rehydrate before fight night.

Weight issues hit Saturday’s card at the top, with former UFC flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo coming in 2.5 pounds over the limit for his marquee fight against Umar Nurmagomedov.

Alex Perez also failed to make the 125-pound mark, missing by the same margin ahead of his bout with Charles Johnson. Both fighters were assessed 25% purse penalties, though their matchups are still set to go forward as planned.

Saturday night's headliner is a clash between Paddy Pimblett and Justin Gaethje for the interim lightweight title.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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