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10 of the most memorable UFC weigh-in moments

By Joseph Duffy

LAS VEGAS - JULY 10: UFC heavyweight fighters Brock Lesnar (L) and Frank Mir (R) square off at UFC 100 Weigh-Ins at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino on July 10, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS - JULY 10: UFC heavyweight fighters Brock Lesnar (L) and Frank Mir (R) square off at UFC 100 Weigh-Ins at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino on July 10, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images) /
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BOSTON, MA – JANUARY 18: Matt Van Buren looks on before a light heavyweight fight against Sean O’Connell during the UFC Fight Night event at the TD Garden on January 18, 2015 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA – JANUARY 18: Matt Van Buren looks on before a light heavyweight fight against Sean O’Connell during the UFC Fight Night event at the TD Garden on January 18, 2015 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images) /

UFC Fight Night 59: Sean O’Connell vs. Matt Van Buren

Sean O’Connell is a former UFC light heavyweight fighter, the former PFL light heavyweight champion, and now current PFL broadcaster. O’Connell was a very good fighter, as evidenced by his one million dollar prize for winning the PFL light heavyweight crown, but what O’Connell will always be remembered for isn’t what he did in the cage, but what he did before the fight.

O’Connell is the first, and greatest, weigh-in comedian there ever was. Whether it be a prop, some sort of gimmick, or toying with his opponent, O’Connell always brought something different to the ceremonial weigh-ins and it became something fans couldn’t help but pay attention to any time he was slated on a card. Ahead of UFC Fight Night 59, O’Connell squared off with his opponent Matt Van Buren. The two shook hands at the center of the stage and catching everyone off guard, O’Connell gives Van Buren a poke on the nose. White’s reaction to O’Connell is hilarious as he is stepping in, looking as if he’s trying his hardest not to laugh. It was a moment that took the air out of the room because of all the tension surrounding the main event and other fights on the card. Normally laying a hand on your opponent at a weigh-in is always a no go, but a nonchalant nose poke toed the line pretty well for O’Connell, and from here things only got better.

It’s always something with O’Connell, who has even brought his opponents flowers ahead of fight night. While guys are focusing all of their energy and all of their emotion on their opponent ahead of fight night, O’Connell keeps it loose and always has fun. He isn’t trying to get a mental edge like McGregor and he isn’t trying to stir things up. This is a guy who genuinely just finds it funny to play rock, paper, scissors, in front of his opponent, knowing that they are just hours away from exchanging leather. O’Connell is a weigh-in treasure we may never see in MMA again, and for that, this slide is dedicated to Sean O’Connell.

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