New Zealand flyweight, Aaron Tau, became the center of controversy on Friday at UFC 325 in Sydney after officials caught him trying to manipulate the scales during the official weigh-ins.
The 32-year-old fighter was the first to step on the scales at Qudos Bank Arena. Behind a privacy curtain, Tau initially registered a weight of 122.5 pounds—3.5 pounds under the flyweight non-title limit of 126.
The unusually low number immediately drew suspicion from commentators.
Officials quickly demanded a second weigh-in, this time without the privacy curtain.
Tau stepped onto the scales at 129 pounds, three pounds over the limit and a striking seven pounds heavier than his first attempt.
The dramatic discrepancy prompted analysts to speculate live that Tau may have been “resting his elbows on the curtain to reduce his measured weight.”
The move echoed the infamous “Towel trick” of 2017, when former light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier admitted to placing his hands on a towel during his UFC 210 weigh-in against Anthony Johnson.
Cormier later revealed during his Hall of Fame induction that his nutritionist had reminded him of the old wrestling trick after he initially missed weight by 1.2 pounds. Unlike Cormier, Tau’s attempt was quickly detected.
UFC matchmaker Mick Maynard confirmed during the weigh-in show that the Road to UFC flyweight final between Tau and Namsrai Batbayar had been canceled.
The bout had been slated as both the tournament finale and an early prelim on the UFC 325 card, headlined by the featherweight championship rematch between Alexander Volkanovski and Diego Lopes.
The cancellation is a major setback for Tau, who trains at City Kickboxing in Auckland and holds an 11-1 professional record.
He had reached the final after wins over Rio Tirto and Shuai Yin in earlier rounds of Road to UFC Season 4. Tau’s only previous defeat came on Dana White’s Contender Series in September 2024 against Elijah Smith.
Meanwhile, Batbayar, who successfully weighed in at 126 pounds, is left without an opponent and uncertain about his UFC contract prospects.
Winners of the Road to UFC tournament typically earn multi-fight UFC contracts, heightening the stakes for both fighters.
