UFC Vegas 50: Karl Roberson Describes Weight Cut Issues, Move to 205

Las Vegas, NV – Weight cuts are, at times, an ugly part of combat sports that has become a big issue with fighters. Canceled fights are one aspect of it, but ultimately fighter health is at the top of priorities when it comes to professionals making weight. For UFC light heavyweight Karl Roberson the move to 205 comes after trouble making 185 pounds.

Roberson (9-4) was scheduled to meet Nick Maximov at UFC 266 in Sept. 2021, but was pulled due to what was at the time described as “due to illness”.

“My last cut got real bad and I got hospitalized. They had to pull the fight,” Roberson said at UFC Vegas 50 media day on Wednesday.

Roberson took a step back to rethink his career and how he wanted to move forward.

“Getting the right doctors around me they cleared everything up so I’m 100%. They’re just like, ‘No need to put the strain on your body. You’ve been doing it for too long, you’ve been doing it wrong for a lot of that time. You know at the beginning fighters don’t know what they’re doing. It’s cause and effect. Had to figure it out the hard way. They said don’t put no strain on your body and I feel good,” Roberson said.

Roberson faces Khalil Rountree at UFC Vegas 50 on Saturday night at the UFC APEX in his first light heavyweight bout in the UFC. He previously fought at 205 in Dana White’s Contender Series where he won which begs the question as to why Roberson moved down to middleweight.

“It’s more the people around you as fighters we don’t care. We’ll fight anybody, anywhere, anytime that’s the way we are. We’re built this way. That’s how we got here. It’s more the people around you ‘Hey you’re kind of not that big you’ll do better if you cut weight.’ And you’re like ‘Oh sure!’ why not? Then you get into the game and it becomes habit,” Roberson said.

“Dana, he asked me right there (DWCS). I was fat and chubby. He said, ‘Hey you ever been down to 185?’ I said ‘Yeah’. He said ‘Ok that’s where you’re fighting.’ From there hey I’m going down to 185, the boss man.”

For his first go at 205-pounds Rountree is a big time matchup for Roberson.

“I was excited. I’m a fan of Khalil. He’s been fighting for a while, he’s been in the game for a while. He’s a heavy puncher he stays true to who he is. I’m excited to stand in there and bang with him. Show him what I can do with this weight.”

Watch the full UFC Vegas 50 media day appearance from Karl Roberson above. More coverage can be found below. The event takes place this Saturday, March 12, 2022 at the UFC APEX in Las Vegas, NV.