One Dana White Contender Series competitor is already off to a bad start before even stepping into the octagon.
At Monday’s official weigh-ins in Las Vegas for Week 5 of DWCS, light heavyweight Freddy Vidal came in four pounds over the non-title limit, registering at 210 pounds for his bout with Felipe Franco (204). Circumstances are less than ideal for Vidal, who is stepping in on short notice following Franco already having lost two previously scheduled opponents.
It is not yet known if the bout
will proceed at a catchweight and, if so, what penalty Vidal could be facing from the Nevada State Athletic Commission.
Vidal (3-0) made his amateur debut in 2022 and has only been competing professionally since 2024. He has already fought twice this year, scoring first-round knockouts of Anthony Wilson and Mike Lee competing for Flex Fight Series out of New York.
The more experienced Franco (8-0) was originally set to fight Ivan Gnizditskiy and then Quentin Pasley, with both opponents eventually withdrawing from the contest. Should his Week 5 bout proceed as scheduled, the 24-year-old Brazilian will enter as a heavy favorite with all of his wins coming in the first round.
