John Lineker has a problem. And unlike many fighters, his problem has practically nothing to do with how well he performs in the cage. Lineker is currently riding a six-fight unbeaten streak, with three finishes. And whether he's going the distance or getting a highlight KO, he's got a firm reputation as an entertaining fan favorite. The problem for Lineker is his weight.
In five of Lineker's twelve UFC bouts, he's failed to hit the required mark on the scale. For the bulk of that time, he was fighting down at flyweight and struggling to meet the 126 lb limit. Since moving to bantamweight, it seemed like his problems with weight management were gone. He hit 135.5 lbs when he beat Francisco Rivera, 135 lbs dead on when he beat Rob Font, and 136 lbs in his July win over Michael McDonald. However, on Saturday in Portland, Oregon, for his main event fight against John Dodson, Lineker's weight issues were front and center again. He weighed in at 136.5 lbs, half a pound over, and was forced to forfeit 20% of his purse.
That in itself is worth noting, but as Lineker has quickly risen up the ranks of the bantamweight division, he's also put himself in prime position for a shot at Dominick Cruz's title. And in a title fight he has to hit 135 lbs exactly, or he's not eligible to win the belt. With his history of poor weight management, it seems like the UFC would be foolish to risk giving him that shot without the certainty that he could make the required weight.
But, that's not how Lineker sees it. In his post-fight media scrum following the Dodson win, Lineker spoke through an interpreter, telling the assembled press that he still expects to be next in line for Dominick Cruz.
"I don't think it should," Lineker replied, when asked if his weight troubles would keep him from getting a shot at the belt. "It was a small mistake I committed. It was a scale problem. I won't not make weight. I had already made weight, so I don't think that it should be a problem."
When asked to clarify the "scale problem," Lineker blamed a miscalibration of his hotel scale for the half pound he was over at the pre-fight weigh-ins.
"Well, what happened is: I already had made weight, and I was really trying not to drop any lower. And I was using the scale in my room; and when I got there, to the official scale, they were different and I didn't have time to make it."
With Cody Garbrandt, T.J. Dillashaw, Bryan Caraway, and Jimmie Rivera all coming off wins and all ranked near the top of the division, the UFC has several options for the next shot at Cruz's title. Lineker's issues may be down to a faulty scale this time, but with his past problems, it's hard to see the promotion giving him the benefit of the doubt.