Proposed weight cut solution

no, for a number of reasons

+ theres the issue that your weight can fluctuate massively during the day depending on what time it is, how much youve eaten, drunk etc.

but the bigger issue would be logistics.

+ Testing is carried out on ufc fighters by anti doping agencies all around the world. they in turn use collection agencies to do the sample collection and transportation. You are literally talking hundreds of collection agencies around the world, in various countries collecting samples. Telling some random collection agency in Singapore, or Thailand, or the Dominican Republic, "by the way, you need to carry scales around with you because of some random client of USADA" it just isnt feasible. Its not simply a matter of giving ever usada collector a set of scales, you are literally talking giving thousands of sets of scales, to hundreds of collection agencies worldwide.

The fluctuation facts are well understood by fighters and staff and should be key to considering what weight class goal a fighter could meet during training camp, not only at final weigh-in. The logistics issue is resolvable (if USADA won't comply), by having the UFC's independent weight testing org receive notice the day USADA performs the random test, and require the fighter to weigh-in as a separate measure from USADA. Seems achievable, if the UFC can be informed, in addition to the fighter, which probably already happens.
 
And weigh ins a few hours before the fight. 2 missed weights and the fighter is done at that weight class, period. Problem solved.
I thought about this suggestion and wondering if stiffer penalties create compliance better than random testing. The random testing would seem to create an atmosphere around the idea that training weight should be much closer to fight weight than it is today, imo.
 
Pretty fascist system devised by a 14 year old.

Because you are a 14 year old.

So say GSP has been on vacation for a week and has been drinking beer, eating burritos, riddiming his gf and chillaxing then he gets jumped by the WeightTestMenInBlack like a USADA drug test except for fucking weight then he’s fucked?

Hard choices will need to be made for sure. The same "fascist" comment has been made about USADA testing. I think more important than "is it too harsh", is whether it "solves" the problem and is logistically feasible. USADA testing is not convenient and VERY expensive, but we now agree its necessary and better for the sport. Random training camp weigh-ins could become acceptable over time and we can trial-and-error into something workable. It has to start somewhere, right?
 
Just increasing the fine would be enough imo. Making everybody involved jump through hoops is going to get old quickly and this isn't even an epidemic.
I thought about this suggestion and wondering if stiffer penalties create compliance better than random testing. The random testing would seem to create an atmosphere around the idea that training weight should be much closer to fight weight than it is today, imo.
 
The logistics issue is resolvable (if USADA won't comply), by having the UFC's independent weight testing org receive notice the day USADA performs the random test, and require the fighter to weigh-in as a separate measure from USADA. Seems achievable, if the UFC can be informed, in addition to the fighter, which probably already happens.

its not about usada "not complying"

have you not just read what i wrote.

testing is carried out on ufc fighters in hundreds of countries around the world. that testing is NOT carried out by usada, it is carried out by other anti doping agencies on usada's behalf.

they in turn use hundreds of different wada accredited collection agencies to do the testing, you would need to supplyu every single one of those agencies with scales.

to weigh a fighter in thailand, involves the local thai based collection agency having a set of scales. to weigh a fighter in Sri lanka involves the local collection agency in Sri Lanka having a set of scales. If a fighter goes on holiday to Stellenbosch, suddenly UFC have to contact South African Anti Doping Agency and provide them with a set of scales..

its simply not possible, they would need to send out thousands and thousands of sets of scales to every collection agency, in every country in teh world.



and an independant weight testing org... again, you do realise that athletes are tested all aroujnd the world every week.. are you seriously suggesting that ufc employ people to fly aroudn the world, to russia, to china, to europe, south america with sets of fucking scales?
 
Make the fucking weight or don't fight and pay the other fighters purse yourself, put it in the contract like that.

Pull out 2x during fight week and go to Bellator.
I thought about this suggestion and wondering if stiffer penalties create compliance better than random testing. The random testing would seem to create an atmosphere around the idea that training weight should be much closer to fight weight than it is today, imo.
 
I thinks that's way too vague and takes way too much effort. Just let them weigh in on the day of the fight, the closer to entering the octagon the better.
 
I thinks that's way too vague and takes way too much effort. Just let them weigh in on the day of the fight, the closer to entering the octagon the better.
Fighting dehydrated will send concussions and CTE through the roof. Sorry mate but that would be an awful awful idea.
 
The only solution is to make the risk far more severe than the possible benefit. Right now, the risk of missing weight is relatively minor. Pay a small penalty and still be able to foght while enjoying a size advantage. Win and the UFC basically acts like nothing ever happened. The UFC and the athletic commissions have no one to blame but themselves. They've crewted an environment where the potential reward outweighs the potential risk. They have to flip that situation around or we'll keep seeing weight misses on practically every fight card. Make the penalties severe enough that no one wants to risk missing weight. That's the only real solution.
I thought about this suggestion and wondering if stiffer penalties create compliance better than random testing (which psychology solves the problem best, right?). The random testing would seem to create an atmosphere around the idea that training weight should be much closer to fight weight than it is today, imo.
 
The fluctuation facts are well understood by fighters and staff and should be key to considering what weight class goal a fighter could meet during training camp,.

as for the fluctuation bit.. thats got fuck all to do with being in the right weight class

if i eat a large meal and have a couple of pints with it, im 2-3lb heavier

if i go for a big shit, im a 1lb lighter...

you dont make someone move up a weight class just because they had a meal, just as someone isnt suddenly a flyweight because they had a good old dump
 
Fighting dehydrated will send concussions and CTE through the roof. Sorry mate but that would be an awful awful idea.
Exactly, that's why it's the best way to prevent people from taking the risk of cutting weight. It's no longer worth it
 
I thought about this suggestion and wondering if stiffer penalties create compliance better than random testing. The random testing would seem to create an atmosphere around the idea that training weight should be much closer to fight weight than it is today, imo.
I agree that the random weight checks would probably make a difference, but it could have some drawbacks. Are injured people exempt? Does somebody taking a sabbatical get an exemption? If not, why do they get punished if their weight goes up? If so, how do you make sure people don't game the system this way. Are you going to have people whose sole job is to fly around the world and weight guys? It seems like a logistical nightmare.

If you started taking 50% of pay, you may see an fewer people miss weight (which, again, isn't really an epidemic). Or you may see people just start pulling out of they aren't going to make weight. I really don't know.

If people are trying to take advantage of the current system and want to trade 30% of their purse to potentially do that, so be it. Any system you come up with will have problems. The current system seems to work well enough and isn't costly or invasive.
 
its not about usada "not complying"

have you not just read what i wrote.

testing is carried out on ufc fighters in hundreds of countries around the world. that testing is NOT carried out by usada, it is carried out by other anti doping agencies on usada's behalf.

they in turn use hundreds of different wada accredited collection agencies to do the testing, you would need to supplyu every single one of those agencies with scales.

to weigh a fighter in thailand, involves the local thai based collection agency having a set of scales. to weigh a fighter in Sri lanka involves the local collection agency in Sri Lanka having a set of scales. If a fighter goes on holiday to Stellenbosch, suddenly UFC have to contact South African Anti Doping Agency and provide them with a set of scales..

its simply not possible, they would need to send out thousands and thousands of sets of scales to every collection agency, in every country in teh world.



and an independant weight testing org... again, you do realise that athletes are tested all aroujnd the world every week.. are you seriously suggesting that ufc employ people to fly aroudn the world, to russia, to china, to europe, south america with sets of fucking scales?

yes, I'm suggesting that for the small subset of fighters, currently signed for an upcoming fight in the UFC, an independent body be positioned world-wide to conduct the random 'training-camp' weigh-in. This is not difficult, since the business model of an independent testing group already exists in most countries. We are talking about preventing actual deaths here potentially. Much more dangerous than PED use, IMO. There is no requirement that it be the same company, only that the weigh-in be conducted by a reputable independent body preferably located near major cities. These facilities already exist to some degree.
 
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Simpler solution. Fighters cannot weigh more than 10 pounds of his/her weight class in the beginning of a fight week. That way fighters will be able to safely cut the weight. On the day of the fight fighters cannot weigh more than 10 pounds of their weight class.
 
I agree that the random weight checks would probably make a difference, but it could have some drawbacks. Are injured people exempt? Does somebody taking a sabbatical get an exemption? If not, why do they get punished if their weight goes up? If so, how do you make sure people don't game the system this way. Are you going to have people whose sole job is to fly around the world and weight guys? It seems like a logistical nightmare.

If you started taking 50% of pay, you may see an fewer people miss weight (which, again, isn't really an epidemic). Or you may see people just start pulling out of they aren't going to make weight. I really don't know.

If people are trying to take advantage of the current system and want to trade 30% of their purse to potentially do that, so be it. Any system you come up with will have problems. The current system seems to work well enough and isn't costly or invasive.

The training camp weigh-in only applies to fighters with signed contracts to fight upcoming, not all fighters under the banner (as with USADA). The reputable independent testing facilities that already exist in most major cities globally can be leveraged by the UFC. Shouldn't be much need for flying, as its not the UFC performing the test per se.
 
Fighting dehydrated will send concussions and CTE through the roof. Sorry mate but that would be an awful awful idea.
Right, this is the current state for some fighters today. Let's create a new 'norm' for training camp weight that more closely matches up with fight night weight goals. Random testing should help reshape training staff evaluations of what weight class a fighter can reasonable stay in.
 
The training camp weigh-in only applies to fighters with signed contracts to fight upcoming, not all fighters under the banner (as with USADA). The reputable independent testing facilities that already exist in most major cities globally can be leveraged by the UFC. Shouldn't be much need for flying, as its not the UFC performing the test per se.
That makes sense. Simple enough.

So do you fine people who would/have otherwise make/made weight when they aren't in an arbitrarily acceptable range?
 
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