“Too much pizza and pasta,” one user joked on X, formerly Twitter. “How can you fail hydration for an openweight match?” another said.

Musumeci had shown up last for the weigh-ins out of all 20 competitors billed for Saturday morning’s card at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok.

The 27-year-old Italian-American was unable to submit a sample during the first hour, ONE’s senior director of competition Ric Auty stated.

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He came in with around 1 hour and 19 minutes remaining at the Best Western Plus Wanda Grand Hotel, but his sample provided a reading of 1.0259 – narrowly beyond the 1.0250 threshold that is required to pass.

Musumeci, who smiled and looked bemused after failing, had until 11pm local time to pass both weight and hydration – but it seemed a formality, given that he would be grappling Aoki at openweight, meaning there were no limits on their weights.

All he had to do was pass hydration and then step on the scale, in essence, but when he returned for his second attempt with around 58 minutes left on the testing clock, he posted a reading of 1.0255 – which was still over.

“This is crazy,” Musumeci said, as he walked off with his hands in his short pockets.

He came back a third time with just over 28 minutes remaining, presumably having drank lots of water, and his sample read 1.0128 – well within the threshold to pass.

“Is it still that hot in here?” Musumeci appeared to say. Auty certified his weight, and Musumeci smiled before pointing to the ceiling.

Since debuting in the Singapore-based martial arts promotion in April 2022, when he defeated the legendary Masakazu Imanari with a rear-naked choke, Musumeci had neverhad any issues with his weight or hydration.

Flyweight Muay Thai champion Rodtang Jitmuangnon – who had been notorious for weight issues over the years in ONE – even trumpeted Musumeci for teaching him a “new technique” to help him make weight for his two most recent fights.

Musumeci had suffered a severe bout of food poisoning in Bangkok last week, which could have potentially contributed to his hydration issues.

He had admitted in an interview with the Post on Wednesday that the match had been in danger of being postponed.

“I’m really excited about this match-up, but I’m more excited not about the opponent but showing myself that again with adversity, with everything I just went through last week – I didn’t know I would be here, I didn’t even know I was gonna live – that I’m here and I can do it,” Musumeci said.

“I want to show myself that I can do it, and that’s so motivating for me.”

Nineteen of the 20 competitors passed their checks on Thursday, with the only miss coming from Skakir Al-Tekreeti.

The Iraqi failed hydration multiple times for his late notice lightweight Muay Thai bout with Bampara Kouyate of France – who also failed hydration at first before returning to pass.

That bout was only just added to the card on Thursday, as was Phetjeeja Ormeekun’s 121lbs-catchweight Muay Thai bout against Celest Hansen of Australia.

Thailand’s “Queen” Phetjeeja, a highly-touted threat in the atomweight division, also needed three attempts to pass hydration before making weight.

Saturday’s card has undergone a big reshuffle, after its original top two fights were both postponed.

Fabricio Andrade versus Jonathan Haggerty, for the vacant bantamweight kickboxing title. was pushed back to November for unspecified reasons, while Superbon Singha Mawynn withdrew injured for his crack at featherweight Muay Thai champ Tawanchai PK Saenchai.

Tawanchai will now face Jo Nattawut in a three-round featherweight kickboxing fight, and neither had any issues at Thursday’s checks.

The new main event – an interim featherweight MMA title fight between the former champ Thanh Le, and No 3-ranked contender Ilya Freymanov – was made official early in the night, as both men passed without problems.

Strawweight kickboxing champion Jonathan Di Bella, and challenger Danial Williams also confirmed their title fight without any hiccups at the weigh-ins.