The UFC has officially cut ties with Aaron Tau following a weigh-in manipulation incident ahead of UFC 325 in Sydney, Australia. MMA Ecosystem was the first to report the news, which was later confirmed by MMA Fighting.
What Happened at the UFC 325 Weigh-Ins
Tau, a Road to UFC Season 4 flyweight finalist, was scheduled to face Namsrai Batbayar in the tournament final on the UFC 325 undercard on January 31. The winner would have earned a UFC contract.
During the official weigh-ins at Qudos Bank Arena on January 30, Tau weighed in behind a privacy box and initially registered at 122.5 pounds — well below the 126-pound flyweight non-title limit. The unusually low number raised immediate suspicion from officials, who ordered a re-weigh without the box. Tau then tipped the scales at 129 pounds, three pounds over the limit and a seven-pound discrepancy from the first reading.
Officials and broadcast analysts concluded that Tau had been resting his arms on the privacy box to reduce the weight registered on the scale — a tactic reminiscent of the "towel trick" famously used by former champion Daniel Cormier at UFC 210. The fight was promptly canceled.
UFC Initially Planned to Rebook the Fight
Notably, the UFC did not immediately release Tau. During the UFC 325 broadcast, commentator John Gooden stated that the Tau vs. Batbayar bout would be rescheduled for a future date. However, the promotion reversed course and has now cut Tau from its roster entirely.
In a related development, Yin Shuai — who lost to Tau in the Road to UFC semifinals — is expected to receive a second chance and face Batbayar for a UFC contract later this year.
Tau's Path to UFC 325
The 32-year-old New Zealander, who trains at City Kickboxing in Auckland, held an 11-1 professional record entering the tournament final. Tau first attempted to reach the UFC through Season 8 of Dana White's Contender Series in 2024, where he lost a unanimous decision to Elijah Smith at bantamweight.
Tau later dropped to flyweight and earned a spot on Road to UFC Season 4, picking up wins over Rio Tirto and Shuai Yin to advance to the final. The weigh-in incident ended what was his closest opportunity to securing a UFC contract.
Tau's Apology
Following the weigh-in debacle, Tau posted an apology on Instagram, though he did not directly address the scale manipulation. "I need to apologize to my opponent, the UFC, my team, and my fans," Tau wrote. "Though I pushed to the end, I have one job, to make weight and fight. I didn't do that. I'm sorry."