UFC 324 Fighter Collapses at Weigh-In: Cameron Smotherman Refutes Cause of Passing Out
The UFC's first event since the calendar turned to 2026 began with weigh-ins on Friday, January 23, doing so with a scary scene involving fighter Cameron Smotherman. The 28-year-old was slated to take on Ricky Turcios in a prelim bout for the UFC 324 card headlined by Justin Gaethje vs. Paddy Pimblett. However, immediately after completing his weigh-in, Smotherman appeared to be walking slightly off-balance before collapsing on the stage from passing out. He was quickly tended to by the on-site medical staff, but the scene understandably led to immense concern for those in attendance, a reaction that was echoed on social media when the video surfaced.
What Led to Cameron Smotherman Passing out and Collapsing at UFC 324 Weigh-Ins?
— clips (@t8confidentiaI) January 23, 2026
Smotherman was helped up, carried off the stage and went to the hospital shortly after. Thankfully, the UFC provided a positive update on the bantamweight fighter later in the day, revealing that he had passed CT scans for his head and neck, needing just a few sutures before leaving the hospital, as MMA Fighting detailed.
While there was no shortage of questions about what led to Smotherman's collapse, a popular opinion across social media was that it involved the MMA fighter cutting weight. UFC fighters and boxers commonly cut weight or add weight depending on the division they're fighting in, with Smotherman needing to check in between 126 and 136 lbs for his bout at UFC 324.
However, on Friday night, following the incident, Smotherman provided his own update, telling fans that he was "good" while also refuting that his collapse was due to cutting weight.
"Obviously, I have gotten a lot of messages, and I appreciate all of the genuine concern about me," Smotherman said. "I am completely OK. I’m good. I’m not entirely sure what happened. I see a lot of people online saying, 'Oh, it was a crazy weight cut,'stuff like that. I genuinely didn’t cut very much weight for this fight. I came in pretty low, but even in the course of this week, I haven’t cut much weight.
Smotherman added that he has some additional tests scheduled following the collapse, but reiterated the fact that he didn't cut much weight before weigh-ins at UFC 324.
"I’m not entirely sure what happened, and I have some more tests and stuff to take in the coming weeks to get to the bottom of it. But for all the people saying I must have done a crazy cut or something like that, I cut very, very little weight. I’m not sure what happened."
Smotherman went on to apologize to his opponent after the fight was cancelled following his collapse. While he's been a professional MMA fighter since 2019, Smotherman joined the UFC in 2024, debuting with a victory by unanimous decision over Jake Hadley. He's had two fights since then, losses to Serhiy Sidey and Ricky Simon in 2025.
Smotherman holds an overall professional record of 12-6 and is 1-2 since joining the UFC.
UFC 324's Fight Card Marks Debut of New Multi-Billion Deal With Paramount+
Along with being the first event of 2026, UFC 324 also marks the debut of the company's new multi-year deal with Paramount+. The two sides agreed to a seven-year, $7.7 billion deal running from January of this year through 2033. While most future events will be aired only on Paramount+, specific cards will be available on CBS.
As for UFC 324, along with being headlined by Gaethje and Pimblett, there are several other noteworthy bouts on tap. Here's a rundown of the event's main card for Saturday, January 24.
- Lightweight Title Fight (Interim): Justin Gaethje vs. Paddy Pimblett
- Bantamweight: Sean O'Malley vs. Song Yadong
- Heavyweight: Waldo Cortes-Acosta vs. Derrick Lewis
- Women's Flyweight: Natália Silva vs. Rose Namajunas (Alex Grasso originally scheduled, replaced due to injury)
- Featherweight: Arnold Allen vs. Jean Silva
The title bout between Gaethje and Pimblett is for the interim lightweight championship, as current champion Ilia Topuria announced he would not be competing for the first quarter of 2026 for personal reasons, as MMA Fighting previously reported.
Related: UFC 324 Fighter Collapses at Weigh-In: Cameron Smotherman Refutes Cause of Passing Out