UFC Fight Night 234 Weigh-in Results: Headliners Cleared; Kape vs. Nicolau Off

Ultimate Fighting Championship flyweight Manel Kape
is not putting his best foot forward as he hunts for an elusive
title shot.

The
UFC Fight Night 234 card is now down to 11 fights, and is
headlined by a light heavyweight clash between contenders Magomed
Ankalaev and Johnny
Walker. All fighters except for would-be flyweight Kape
successfully made weight for the first card of the year. Kape
checked in 3.5 pounds over the flyweight limit at 129.5 pounds for
his fight against Matheus
Nicolau, and the fight has been canceled, per MMA
Fighting.

Both men in the main attraction have unfinished business, as their
October 2023 fight ended in a no-contest after Ankalaev (17-1-1, 1
NC) landed a blatantly illegal knee. The Russian fighter hasn’t won
since July 2022, as his fight before was a draw against Jan
Blachowicz for the vacant light heavyweight title. The
31-year-old will look to get back in title contention with a win,
and weighed in at 204.5 pounds.

Fan-favorite Walker (21-7, 1 NC) was on a three-fight win streak
prior to the disappointing result at UFC 294. Victories over
Anthony
Smith and Paul Craig
showed the 31-year-old Brazilian at his best. Walker stepped on the
scale weighing 205.5 pounds for his third UFC main event.

UFC Fight Night 234 will air live on ESPN+ in its entirety on
Saturday. Prelims begin at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT, and the main card
starts at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.

UFC Fight Night 234 Weigh-in Results:

Magomed
Ankalaev (204.5) vs. Johnny
Walker (205.5)
Matheus
Nicolau (126) vs. Manel Kape
(129.5)*
Jim
Miller (155.5) vs. Gabriel
Benitez (155)
Ricky
Simon (136) vs. Mario
Bautista (135.5)
Phil
Hawes (185) vs. Brunno
Ferreira (185)
Andrei
Arlovski (247) vs. Waldo
Cortes-Acosta (261.5)
Matthew
Semelsberger (170.5) vs. Preston
Parsons (170.5)
Marcus
McGhee (135.5) vs. Gaston
Bolanos (135.5)
Farid
Basharat (136) vs. Taylor
Lapilus (136)
Westin
Wilson (145.5) vs. Jean Silva
(145.5)
Nikolas
Motta (155.5) vs. Tom Nolan
(155)
Joshua
Van (125.5) vs. Felipe
Bunes (125.5)

* Kape missed weight by 3.5 pounds and the fight has been
canceled.