Nicolle Caliari Misses Weight by 4.5 Pounds at UFC 333

Nicolle Caliari missed weight by 4.5 pounds for her UFC 333 bout against Iasmin Lucindo, but the fight will still go on as scheduled this Saturday in Abu Dhabi.

Caliari stepped on the scale at 120.5 pounds, well above the 116-pound limit for women's strawweight. Lucindo made weight without issue, as did the other 17 fighters on the card. Because the fight is still happening, Caliari will forfeit 30 percent of her purse to Lucindo and the bout will proceed at catchweight, opening the UFC 333 main card broadcast as the first fight of the night.

Why Lucindo Agreed to Still Fight

Iasmin Lucindo had every incentive to keep this bout intact. She's coming off a nine-month suspension stemming from a failed drug test for mesterolone, which Combat Sports Anti-Doping determined was likely the result of unintentional supplement contamination. Having already sat out nearly a year and traveled from Brazil to the UAE, walking away from a paycheck and a chance to get back in the win column was never a realistic option for her. Lucindo enters at 18-6 overall and 5-2 in the UFC, with her only loss in six Octagon appearances coming via decision to Amanda Lemos earlier this year.

Caliari, for her part, is 9-4 overall and 1-2 in the UFC, with her lone UFC win a submission finish of Shauna Bannon back in May. This marks her first recorded weight miss, and a 4.5-pound overage at strawweight is a significant number, the kind that typically raises questions about a fighter's camp and weight-cutting process heading into future bookings.

What This Means for Bettors

A miss this large tilts the physical equation sharply in Lucindo's favor. Caliari will be carrying extra size and strength into the cage against an opponent who drained down to the proper limit, and that kind of size disparity at 116 pounds is not trivial. Expect the betting market to move toward Lucindo once sportsbooks account for the catchweight scenario, since a bigger, heavier opponent historically produces shorter odds against the fighter who made weight. Bettors should also watch whether Caliari's camp made any public comments about the cut going wrong, since recurring weight issues often signal a fighter is competing above her sustainable frame, which can matter for anyone tracking her long term. For now, the number to watch is how the line adjusts once books fully price in the weight discrepancy rather than treating this as a standard strawweight matchup.

UFC 333 takes place this Saturday, October 24, from Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, streaming on Paramount+, with early prelims starting the broadcast day well before the Volkanovski-Evloev featherweight title headliner.

Frequently Asked Questions

Did Nicolle Caliari miss weight for UFC 333?

Yes, Nicolle Caliari weighed in at 120.5 pounds, missing the 116-pound women's strawweight limit by 4.5 pounds for her UFC 333 bout against Iasmin Lucindo.

Is the Lucindo vs. Caliari fight still happening at UFC 333?

Yes, the fight will proceed at catchweight as the opening bout of the UFC 333 card, with Nicolle Caliari forfeiting 30 percent of her purse to Iasmin Lucindo.

What are Iasmin Lucindo and Nicolle Caliari's records heading into UFC 333?

Iasmin Lucindo is 18-6 overall and 5-2 in the UFC, while Nicolle Caliari is 9-4 overall and 1-2 in the UFC entering their UFC 333 matchup.