After dominant win over Louis Smolka, flyweight Ray Borg says weight-cut issues are over

LAS VEGAS – Ray Borg had arguably the most impressive win of his career on Friday night. It also was a costly one.

Because he came in more than three pounds heavy for the flyweight limit, Borg (10-2 MMA, 4-2 UFC) had to give up 30 percent of his purse to opponent Louis Smolka (11-3 MMA, 5-3 UFC) at UFC 207.

But despite a second weight infraction in three fights, in the season of making resolutions, Borg says he plans to get his weight issues under control in between fight camps to make sure he’s not off the mark again.

“What went wrong is – no excuses – but this was my first time doing early weigh-ins,” Borg said backstage after his win, which opened up the pay-per-view main card at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. “Weigh-ins for me used to be an all-day thing. … With the early weigh-ins, we couldn’t make it an all-day cut like we have in the past. A lot of it came down to time. We cut to the very last minute.

“But I just need to change some things in my personal life – dieting a little more, working with a nutritionist, and just come into fight week a little bit lighter. It’s not that I can’t make the weight – I just need to make some adjustments.”

Borg said his goal for 2017 is to get a few more wins under his belt – after mkaing weight, of course – and start working his way toward long-reigning flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson.

“I want to keep climbing the ladder,” Borg said. “I’m in no hurry to fight ‘DJ.’ He better keep the belt, and I imagine he will. I’m going to pick these guys off, one by one by one. I’m only 23 years old – I’m in no rush.”

Check out the video above for more from Borg after his win over Smolka.

And for complete coverage of UFC 207, check out the UFC Events section of the site.