Ariane Lipski has a few choice words for her UFC Sao Paulo opponent Isabela de Padua.
What got her stewing is the confusing situation that ensued when “Pedrita” failed her drug test and was replaced by Veronica Macedo to fight Priscila Cachoeira. However, the night before official weigh-ins, Macedo was replaced by Isabela de Padua by the promotion, since Macedo was suffering severe headaches.
“I was on weight on Thursday night and didn’t know if I would have a fight or not because Veronica had concussion-like symptoms,” Lipski disclosed after the decision victory, her first win under the UFC banner. “They gave me a few names, but I didn’t know any of them.”
It was revealed that De Padua was picked up by the UFC just 48 hours later and was weighed under 4.5 pounds on Friday morning. The UFC gave Lipski two options: decline the fight and get paid her purse, or take 30 percent of de Padua’s money and compete.
“After the weigh-ins, I thought (about not fighting) because she was 4.5 pounds heavier, what I was waiting for was if the UFC would give me a fight in December. If they did I wouldn’t fight (in Sao Paulo), but since there was no fight in December I said I would fight right now.”
“Isabela lied about her weight. She said she would make weight and took the spot from another athlete that was willing to make weight.”
According to Lipski, de Padua was simply “swindling” her and the UFC in order to fight and gain an advantage on Saturday night.
“Unprofessional,” Lipski said. “The first obligation of a fighter is to make weight. She tried to get an advantage to win the fight, saying she would make weight but then be heavier and have an advantage.
“That did not piss me off, but wasn’t the right thing. She doesn’t have my respect… It pissed me off a little bit, but I was focused from start to finish.”
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