‘Scary moment’ – UFC 324 star rushed to hospital and removed from card after fainting at weigh-in

Cameron Smotherman has been sent to hospital after collapsing at the UFC 324 weigh-ins.

The 28-year-old made the bantamweight limit of 136lbs in Las Vegas on Friday before fainting moments after walking off the scales.

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Smotherman was scheduled to face Ricky Turcios on the UFC 324 prelims, but reports now suggest the fight has been removed from the card.

‘The Baby-Faced Killer’ hit the scales just after Paddy Pimblett made weight for his main event interim lightweight title clash with Justin Gaethje.

As usual, Smotherman then took to his left to exit the stage, but looked extremely drowsy as he made his way off.

In a matter of seconds, the UFC bantamweight lost his footing and face-planted straight on the stage.

Daniel Cormier and UFC fans react to ‘scary moment’

“Oh no!” UFC legend Daniel Cormier said on the Morning Show broadcast as Smotherman passed out.

“What happened? I’ve never seen that.”

Former UFC champion Chris Weidman added: “I’ve never seen that.

“I hope he’s OK, that’s not good. This is going to be a problem with the commission.”

Cormier then offered an explanation, based on his own experience with weight cutting, as to what may have happened.

“Let me say this, there are certain reasons why this happens,” he said.

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“When you cut weight — even my kids, when they’re cutting weight for wrestling — when you take all the heat off, you cannot stand fast.

“You cannot get up from that exhausted state and move too fast. So him walking off the scale to try and get to the back could be his brain going all foggy.

“Then you lose where you are — I’ve had times where you stand up and it’s almost like you get knocked out because you get so dehydrated.”

Smotherman’s collapse heightened the debate around the dangers of weight cutting as MMA fans were left gobsmacked.

One fan responded on X: “Hope he’s okay. Scary moment. Be interesting to see if fights still on.”

Another added: “Not sure of the best solution, but this level of weight cutting is ridiculous. Going from this state to top-level fighting a day later is a dangerous game.”

A third wrote: “This s*** is so dangerous. Gosh.”

While a fourth said: “Weight cuts are brutal.”

Smotherman was carried off stage by his team and UFC staff.

Alex Behunin of MMA Mania confirmed he was being transported to the hospital.