There`s a standard weight miss, and then there`s the extreme situation one fighter is accused of causing ahead of a championship bout against a former UFC competitor.
Featherweight Jarno Errens was once seen as a promising talent in mixed martial arts, joining the sport`s premier promotion, the UFC, in 2022 after a win in Brave CF.
However, the Dutch fighter`s tenure in the UFC was challenging. Over two years, he lost three out of his four fights.
Following a stoppage loss to Youssef Zalal, the second TKO defeat of his career, Errens was released from the UFC and returned to competing on the regional circuit.
A subsequent victory over Caio Machado under the Levels Fight League banner set the stage for the former UFC prospect to fight for a title. Yet, these plans abruptly fell apart due to truly astonishing circumstances.
Jarno Errens` Bout Called Off After Opponent`s Reported 22-Pound Weight Miss
After a successful return to the regional scene, Errens was scheduled to compete for the inaugural LFL featherweight championship headlining Levels Fight League 18 on June 15.
Errens successfully made weight for his opportunity to claim championship gold in his home country in Utrecht. However, significant drama unfolded when his opponent allegedly failed to do the same – and by a considerable margin.
In a video shared on Errens` Instagram, the 30-year-old fighter is shown speaking to the press after the promotion announced that his opponent, Donovan Desmae from Belgium, had missed the featherweight limit by a staggering 10 kilograms, equivalent to 22 pounds.
Errens stated, “I wanted to do my professional part. I did my professional part.”
He added, “He isn’t professional. Maybe he is a fighter, but this is also a fight — being on weight.”
News of the alleged massive weight miss caused significant shock among fans.
One commenter expressed disbelief, writing, “How is that even possible?”
Another user posted humorously, “22 pounds? Did he know he was fighting?”
Some observers suggested that such a significant miss might have been anticipated given Desmae`s recent competition history in higher weight classes.
A fan commented, “Why would they book this guy for a FW title fight? His last 4 fights were at WW.”
Donovan Desmae Disputes Levels Fight League`s Weight Miss Claim
A 22-pound weight miss would indeed rank among the most significant scale failures in MMA history.
The widely reported record occurred just last year when Danielle Koudou reportedly came in 38 pounds over the initial 135-pound contract weight for an Ares 23 bout. Even after the fight was reportedly changed to 155 pounds, Koudou was still 18 pounds over the revised target.
However, according to Donovan Desmae himself, there is more to the situation than has been reported.
The Belgian fighter quickly responded in the comments section of Errens’ Instagram video, claiming that his opponent was misrepresenting the situation.
Desmae, known as `Vegas`, stated that the fight was actually canceled by LFL due to “medical reasons” at a point when he was approximately three kilograms (6.6 pounds) away from successfully making weight.
