Al Iaquinta bashes Dana White for planned weigh-in change: “this is the last straw”

UFC lightweight contender Al Iaquinta, who will return to the cage to fight Justin Gaethje in the main event of UFC Lincoln this August, is one of the many fighters to speak out against Dana White’s choice to end the practice of early weigh-ins. In fact, he might be the fighter to speak out against it most vehemently.

Iaquinta went off on White in a recent interview with ESPN, calling the decision to end early weigh-ins “the last straw,” and assuring that he will do everything he can to assure fighters still weigh in in the morning.

“I’m going to weigh-in and then I’m going to start eating,” Iaquinta said, point blank. “I signed a contract under the assumption we are weighing in in the morning, so we are. There will be no afternoon weigh-in, 100 percent.”

“Dana is out of line, and this is the last straw,” Iaquinta said. “They’ve never seen anyone like me. I will do everything in my power to make sure this is done the right way. We are weighing in in the morning.”

Iaquinta also commented on the potential blowback he might receive for championing this cause. Apparently, he’s not worried.

“That was me saying, ‘I’m not freaking Yair Rodriguez,'” Iaquinta said. “You cut me, I’m not crying and coming back. Dana White has no power over me. That guy has zero power over me.”

“I’ve got to keep fighting inside the cage and out,” Iaquinta continued. “The UFC needs a person like me, because I love this sport and Dana — I don’t know if he loves this anymore. I think he’s just addicted to the spotlight and making it all about him.

“The more Dana White gets in front of a mic, the stronger we get. The more he opens his mouth, the more [Project Spearhead] forms we fill out. The fighters have gotten a taste of what it feels like to get a full, almost 36 hours of time to rehydrate. I’ve reached out to more than enough people to know that if he moves that, it will the last straw that does him in.”

Needless to say, it sounds like Al Iaquinta is about to do some serious moving and shaking.

This article first appeared on BJPenn.com on 6/18/2018.