Kiwi Dan Hooker has remarkably made weight for his UFC 266 bout with German Nasrat Haqparast.
The lightweight bout has been under threat all week with both fighters dealing with US entry visa issues and only arrived in Las Vegas 12 hours before weigh-in time.
Hooker told Newshub this week that he would be cutting weight on the 12-hour plane journey and was one of the first to step onto the scales on Saturday (NZ time), hitting the 156 (71kgs) pound limit with ease.
Haqparast came in a pound lighter to confirm the bout would go ahead, with UFC president Dana White noting during Friday's press conference that he would look after the pair regardless of if they made weight.
"I love those two guys," White said.
"Both of these guys are f***ing savages just getting here. They both want to fight and I'm sure they will be on point but we will look after them."
Hooker's had a tumultuous week just getting to Las Vegas, with a last-minute dash to an Auckland city chemist on Monday to update his passport photo another twist in a story the Kiwi told Newshub was "was pure comedy".
But the 'Hangman ' overcame several issues, including two shutdown fight camps, and now faces the challenge of resurrecting his UFC title hopes against the game German.
"I just want to focus on the positives," he says. "I want to fight so badly and everything else won't really matter, once I'm in the Octagon.
"I can't let my mind be clouded by doubts or feel sorry for myself, I just have to face this as a challenge and overcome it."
Hooker's City Kickboxing teammate Alexander Volkanovski was on the mark for his featherweight title defence against American Brian Ortega in the main event.
And the women's flyweight title fight between champion Valentina Shevchenko and Lauren Murphy is official with both hitting the 125-pound limit.
