UFC 214 headliner Daniel Cormier weighed in first today – and why it was such a big deal

UFC light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier silenced his critics ahead of Saturday’s UFC 214 headliner when he arrived early to weigh-ins and was the first of the 24 fighters on the card to step on the scale.

Cormier (19-1 MMA, 8-1 UFC), who attempts to make his third consecutive 205-pound title defense as he rematches ex-champ Jon Jones (22-1 MMA, 16-1 UFC), had one of the more controversial weigh-ins in UFC history prior to his April fight with Anthony Johnson at UFC 210.

“DC” appeared to use the towel as a lift, pulling off an old wrestling trick in what many believe saved him from missing weight and likely being stripped of the title. Jones has called Cormier the “206.2-pound champion” of the UFC, and the situation has led to endless criticism of the current champ.

Cormier said at Thursday’s UFC 214 open workouts that he was already ready to step on the scale – and Friday showed he wasn’t lying. Although he still needed a towel, there was nothing questionable about him making weight, and he hit 205 pounds on the nose.

UFC 214 takes place at Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif. Cormier vs. Jones headlines the pay-per-view main card following prelims on FXX and UFC Fight pass.

For more on UFC 214, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.

The Blue Corner is MMAjunkie‘s official blog and is edited by Mike Bohn.