Joe Rogan & Ben Askren explain the solution to all weight cutting problems

[MMouse]

Guys will still have weight advantages by cutting down to a lower bf % vs guys who aren't disciplined enough to do such a thing. I actually like the idea cause it's more healthy for the fighters, they will need more weight classes to implement this solution though.

That or weight range.

Hydration testing is legit.

 

[Clear Winner]

Askren's retired?! Damn, what a waste. Never got to see him fight the best.

 

[MMouse]

So my understanding is theres a couple weigh ins and testing during fight week

2-3 days before fight time they weigh you and test your hydration.

If you make weigh but fail hydration, you gotta ryhydrate your self and retest again on fight day. If you fail hydration again, they wont let you compete.

If you make weight and come in hydrated you you dont have to weigh and retest again fight day?

Sounds legit

 

[LoneStalker]

The system sounds legit.
In any case, I feel really sad to see good athletes looking like complete shit on weight-in day and fighting like complete shit, fully depleted by dehydration because the crazy weight cut. This madness has to end.

 

[Uber_Noober]

I’m sure the trainers at the ufc performance institute are all over this. Shouldn’t the underwater treadmills keep you hydrated while cutting at the same time?

 

[PivotPunch]

That has always been an option and it shoudl have always been done that way. For whatever reason commisisons introduced insanely complicated and dumb and weight cutting measures but not the simple one of hydration tests.

If they really would have wanted to change things they could have been doing this for years both in boxing and MMA

 

[PivotPunch]

California passed regulations that are similar to OneFC's (doing hydration testing). I also think that since USADA is doing testing, they should also be weighing the fighters (along with weighing fighters at any UFC event they attend). Having a large sampling of their weight, and their hydration level, would allow for better determination on whether or not a fighter should be licensed to fight in a specific weigh class, and even if they should be offered a fight at that class. As an example, say a fighter has to be no more than 10% above the weight limit 1 month prior to a fight, no more than 5% over a week out, hit the weight the day before the fight, and then no more than 5% above before stepping into the cage. If they miss the 30 day or 7 day the fights off (and their next fight must be in the weight class up). If they miss at weigh-ins or cage side they're pay is dinged, heavily.

Increase punishments for missing weight (i.e. 50% - with 30% to opponent and 20% to AC) and with limited allowable dehydration, and we'll eliminate unsafe weight cutting.

As for the need for weigh limit adjustments, I think the UFC will eventually adopt the ABC's weight classes - 11 Mens': 125,135,145,155,165,175,185,195,205,225,265 & 4 Women's: 115,125,135,145 = 15 total Champions (not counting Interim Champs in whatever weight class(es) Conor is holding up).

You don't need to do that. Why so complicated? What One FC is doing is 100% enough. YOu don't need to weigh a fighter often. There is not a single way to cheat hydration tests like that. It is enough you don't need any fancy weigh in systems . You don't have to and shouldn't allow any dehydration period. You don't need to there isn't a single reason why. YOu have to be fully hydrated and that#s it it's really that simple to stop weight cutting through dehydration.
The only weight you can cut on short notice is not eating and it isn't much

 

[A.S. Deep]

I'd love this for all MMA orgs, even local amateur orgs.

 

[A.S. Deep]

OK, so what is fully hydrated? Because it's not going to be the same from person to person, from gender to gender, nor is someone going to be the same from day to day.

What about someone that sweats profusely? Do they get an allowance for that?

What about someone with a urinary track infection? A mild case of diarrhea or a fever? What is done to accommodate them?

What if the fighter is diabetic? What kind of allowance would they receive?

What if the fighter ate something with sucrose/common table sugar in it? Say like a candy bar. Since that can skew the specific gravity how does one go about accounting for that?

What level is considered "fully hydrated"? 1.002? 1.010? 1.030?

Etc.

I think Askren said less than 1.025 or 1.25 is considered fully hydrated (he forgot how many zeros). Using 1.25 as an example, your urine needs a specific gravity between 1.0 and 1.25. Hardly an exact number. And he mentioned how meat, for example, increases specific gravity, so he doesn't eat as much the day before weigh-ins start. Much simpler than the current weight cutting madness.

And if someone sweats a lot then all they need to do is drink an extra bottle of water haha.

 

[leto1776]

Ask yourselves this: why did ONE go from having public weigh ins, to private? After someone dying, and implementing all these changes, why move to less transparency when they should have been making things more transparent?

Everything ONE does is a PR move, and keep in mind Askren is working for them directly as an executive now.

 

[giusti825]

Cut weight.....take creatine to dilute urine, rehydrate.....

ONE FC is going to have welterweights fighting at 205lbs in the cage....

 

[machidafan99]

Great, great method. No need for someone to die until they change. Hope the UFC embraces it.

 

[xyzxyz94]

If they weighed in cage side right before the match no one would cut any water.

 

[Apollo33]

OK, so what is fully hydrated? Because it's not going to be the same from person to person, from gender to gender, nor is someone going to be the same from day to day.

What about someone that sweats profusely? Do they get an allowance for that?

What about someone with a urinary track infection? A mild case of diarrhea or a fever? What is done to accommodate them?

What if the fighter is diabetic? What kind of allowance would they receive?

What if the fighter ate something with sucrose/common table sugar in it? Say like a candy bar. Since that can skew the specific gravity how does one go about accounting for that?

What level is considered "fully hydrated"? 1.002? 1.010? 1.030?

Etc.

I don't see any of that as a major problem, maybe the level won't be an exact number it will be a range. Plus there are multiple weigh-ins, so if you aren't feeling well 3 days before, just get better and weigh in again 2 days after.

This sounds like a way better solution than what we have now

 

[Apollo33]

Ask yourselves this: why did ONE go from having public weigh ins, to private? After someone dying, and implementing all these changes, why move to less transparency when they should have been making things more transparent?

Everything ONE does is a PR move, and keep in mind Askren is working for them directly as an executive now.

Iunno, I don't see how this kinda of weigh ins can be public. Are you going to have an audience to see the fighters pee and have their urine samples tested? As long as a sanctioned member of the AC is present to test them I really don't see any down sides to this at all.

Why are we being so cynical about this, obviously after the death they want to avoid more deaths.

 

[Sakuraba7]

Been a fan of this method for a while.

Two 185 pound guys fighting in the 185 division instead of the 170 division is hardly a draw back.

What if they're naturally 175? Are they supposed to fight guys naturally 190 lb?

You can't try to make sense out of what are already arbitrary compartmentalizations.

 

[Sakuraba7]

Askren's retired?! Damn, what a waste. Never got to see him fight the best.

He says he wants GSP.

 

[rb3b3]

for some reason i would love to see woodley smash askrens face in and thats saying ALOT because i fkn hate woodley!

 

[Apollo33]

What if they're naturally 175? Are they supposed to fight guys naturally 190 lb?

You can't try to make sense out of what are already arbitrary compartmentalizations.

or they can naturally lose 5 pounds and fight at LW, people's natural weight is not set in stone you know. Most people fluctuate that much at their walk around weight.

I also think they can re-do the divisions so fighters aren't stuck in the middle

 

[El Fernas]

How much would be the max amount that a fighter would still be able to cut and still be on point? 5-10lbs? for a current 185er in the UFC thats probably nothing.