The official weigh-ins for UFC Winnipeg have been completed with all main card fighters making weight. The main event features Gilbert Burns (77.56 kg) versus Mike Malott (77.56 kg) at welterweight. Russian fighters Mark Vologdin (62.82 kg) and Daria Zheleznyakova (61.68 kg) successfully made weight for their respective bouts. Notably, Thiago Moises and John Castaneda made weight on their second attempts. Castaneda had requested a catchweight of 63 kg the previous evening, which Vologdin accepted, with Castaneda forfeiting 30% of his purse.
All fighters on the UFC Winnipeg main card have successfully made weight, clearing the way for a full card headlined by a welterweight showdown between Gilbert Burns and Mike Malott on April 17.
Burns, nicknamed "Durinho," enters the bout ranked 13th in the welterweight division with a professional record of 22-10-0. The 39-year-old Brazilian trains out of Kill Cliff FC and brings a well-rounded game to the octagon, averaging 2.12 takedowns per 15 minutes alongside 3.15 significant strikes landed per minute at 48 percent accuracy. Both he and Malott hit the scales at 77.56 kg, making the main event official at the welterweight limit.
Russian prospects Mark Vologdin and Daria Zheleznyakova also came in without issue, weighing 62.82 kg and 61.68 kg respectively for their individual bouts on the card.
The weigh-in process was not entirely smooth for two fighters. Thiago Moises, the 31-year-old Brazilian lightweight out of American Top Team who carries a 19-10-0 record, needed a second attempt before registering a legal weight. He was joined by John Castaneda in requiring that extra effort.
Castaneda's situation carried additional complications. The 34-year-old American, who fights out of The Academy under the nickname "Sexi Mexi" and holds a 21-8-1 record, had requested a catchweight of 63 kg the evening before the official weigh-ins. His opponent accepted the adjusted limit, but the arrangement came at a cost — Castaneda forfeited 30 percent of his purse as a penalty. Despite that concession, he still needed a second attempt on the scale to register a legal weight. Castaneda is a volume striker, averaging 4.42 significant strikes per minute at 50 percent accuracy, and the weight miss raises questions about his preparation heading into fight night.
Why it matters
- Burns, a former title challenger, looks to climb back up the welterweight rankings from his current position at number 13
- Castaneda's weight trouble and purse forfeit adds uncertainty around his conditioning ahead of the bout
- Moises also required a second attempt, leaving two fighters on the card having dealt with weight complications before competing
