The UFC 324 weigh-ins in Las Vegas took a dramatic turn when bantamweight fighter Cameron Smotherman experienced a frightening collapse moments after successfully making weight. The 28-year-old athlete stumbled, lost consciousness, and fell face-first on the stage, creating one of the most talked-about incidents of fight week.
Immediate Medical Response and Hospital Evaluation
As the arena fell into stunned silence, UFC medical staff and security personnel rushed to attend to Smotherman. The fighter was quickly carried away from the stage and transported to a nearby hospital for immediate evaluation and treatment. Footage of the collapse quickly went viral across social media platforms, sparking widespread concern among fight fans and raising serious questions about fighter safety protocols and weight-cutting practices in combat sports.
Smotherman's Personal Health Update
Hours after the alarming incident, Smotherman directly addressed his concerned supporters through a video posted to his Instagram story. "All right, I obviously have gotten a lot of messages and I appreciate all the genuine concern about me," the fighter stated. "I'm completely OK. I'm good."
Smotherman specifically addressed the immediate assumptions circulating online that his collapse resulted from an extreme weight cut. "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 very genuinely didn't cut that much weight for this fight. I came in pretty low."
Medical Testing and UFC's Official Confirmation
The Texas native explained that his preparation week involved minimal weight reduction and emphasized his plans to undergo further medical testing. "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."
UFC officials later confirmed that Smotherman had passed CT scans of his head and neck, received several sutures for his injuries, and was discharged from the hospital on the same day as the incident. This medical clearance provided some reassurance to concerned observers following the dramatic scene.
Fight Cancellation and Smotherman's Career Context
Smotherman had officially weighed in at 135.5 pounds during the morning session at T-Mobile Arena before his collapse. His scheduled bantamweight bout against Ricky Turcios was immediately canceled as a precautionary measure following the medical emergency.
"I cut very, very little weight. I'm not sure what happened," Smotherman reiterated in his update. "But yeah, I appreciate the concern. I'm completely OK and I'll hopefully be back soon. I apologize to my opponent and yeah."
The fighter joined the UFC in 2024 and earned an early victory over Jake Hadley before experiencing consecutive decision losses in 2025. While the promotion has not released additional medical details beyond the initial confirmation, Smotherman's personal statement has provided ongoing reassurance about his recovery process and current condition.
