All Set at the Garden: Gane, Hokit, Harrison and Nunes Make Weight as Terrance McKinney Misses by 4.2 Pounds

The scales have spoken in New York, and both championship fights at Madison Square Garden are officially on. Heavyweight champion Ciryl Gane and unbeaten challenger Josh Hokit each came in at or under the 265-pound limit at Friday morning's official UFC 334 weigh-ins, Boxing News reported ^[2]. In the co-main event, bantamweight champion Kayla Harrison and former two-division champion Amanda Nunes both registered 135.0 pounds, according to the weigh-in results posted by Yahoo Sports ^[3].

Only one fighter on the card failed to make it. Lightweight Terrance McKinney stepped on the scale at 160.2 pounds for his preliminary bout against veteran Jim Miller, 4.2 pounds over the lightweight limit, while Miller weighed 155.6, Heavy reported ^[1].

McKinney Pays, and the Fight Goes On

The UFC announced after the miss that the McKinney-Miller bout will still go forward, according to Heavy ^[1]. McKinney forfeits 30 percent of his purse, and that money goes to Miller, the outlet reported, a penalty Yahoo Sports also listed in its results ^[1][3].

McKinney did not hide from it. He apologized publicly on X and said he will move up to the 170-pound welterweight division for his next UFC fight, Heavy reported ^[1].

For Miller, the extra money arrives during a farewell lap. The longtime New Jersey lightweight has confirmed that he will retire after his 50th UFC fight, Yardbarker reported ^[4]. Few fighters in any era have lasted long enough to even talk about a number like that.

The Main Event

With the scale behind them, Gane and Hokit can finally settle a fight week dominated by talk of eye pokes. Gane's bout with Tom Aspinall last October ended in a no contest after accidental eye pokes, and the injuries and multiple surgeries on Aspinall's eyes eventually forced him to give up the title, CBS Sports reported ^[5]. Gane then stopped Alex Pereira in the second round in June at the White House to win the interim belt and was elevated to full champion in September, which makes Saturday his first defense ^[5].

Hokit has leaned into the controversy. He told CBS Sports it makes no difference to him whether Gane fights dirty and that he is ready to answer in kind if it happens ^[5]. Gane told the outlet he is comfortable with the situation, and his trainer, Fernand Lopez, argued that the reputation is not relevant ^[5].

The records tell their own story. Gane brings a 14-2 mark with one no contest into the cage, and Hokit is a perfect 10-0, according to CBS Sports ^[5]. The Frenchman fell short in his first two tries at the undisputed heavyweight title, against Francis Ngannou in 2022 and Jon Jones in 2023 ^[5]. A third chance, on the biggest stage in New York, does not come around often.

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Harrison and Nunes Are Ready

The co-main event carries just as much weight in the history books. Harrison has not fought since beating Julianna Peña for the bantamweight title in June 2025, a layoff caused by neck surgery, while Nunes is competing for the first time since she retired as a two-division champion in June 2023, MMA Junkie reported ^[6]. Their faceoff after Thursday's final press conference grew intense enough that UFC president Dana White stepped in to end it ^[6].

Elsewhere on the card, the main-card middleweight fight between Caio Borralho and Yousri Belgaroui is set after Borralho weighed 185.4 pounds and Belgaroui 186, and veteran Stephen Thompson (170.6) and Charles Radtke (170.8) are both on weight for their welterweight fight, Yahoo Sports reported ^[3]. The fighters face off one final time at the ceremonial weigh-ins on Friday evening ^[3].

Jessie's Take

Making weight is the first promise a fighter makes to the man across the cage. Every fighter but one kept that promise on Friday morning, and that matters in a sport where a single missed cut can wreck months of another athlete's preparation.

McKinney broke the promise, and he paid for it. But he also did something that is too rare in professional sports: he owned the mistake in public, without excuses, and laid out a plan to fix it. That is the right example for the young fans who watch this sport, and Miller, a man who has spent a career showing up ready, gets compensated for doing his job.

Now the talking is over. After a week of goggles, eye-poke jokes and staredowns, the best thing Gane and Hokit can give the Garden on Saturday night is a clean fight with a clear winner and no asterisk attached.