Critique my weight cutting solution...

[INTERL0PER]

So. Weight cutting. It's fucking up the entire sport. Pretty much every main event that gets ruined can be largely attributed to weight cutting. Even injuries are often the result of a depleted fighter training too hard. Then you've got the actual weight cut issues. The hospitalizations. The pull outs. Even if they make the fight, guys like Darren Till are going BLIND while cutting weight. It's fucking ridiculous, especially with everything we now know about dehydration and brain damage.

We all know it's a problem, and have done for years. But no one has a solution. Or at the very least, no one agrees on a solution.

I doubt this Sherdog thread is where the MMA world is going to suddenly come to a consensus, but I've been thinking about trying to "fix" the weight cutting issue for quite some time.

Here's my idea:

- Weight classes every 10 pounds, but bump all the weight classes up. So, something like...

FLY = 140
BW = 150
FW = 160
LW = 170
WW = 180
MW = 190
LHW = 200
??? = 210
??? = 220
HW = 230+

(I think we need a couple more weight classes. Doesn't matter where we put them. Perhaps we put them where I have, perhaps we add them elsewhere)

- Actively remind everyone a weight class is meant to be range of weight, not a definitive destination (LW would actually be 161-170, not strictly 170). Make fighters train/live within the weight class by instituting a rule where, from four weeks before the fight, a fighter may not be over 5 pounds above his weight limit. They should be encourage to live within their 10 pound weight class, but the extra 5 pounds effectively gives every fighter a 15 pound window in which to live/train.

- Enforce the above by introducing random weight checks during fight camp, much like random USADA tests. Treat weight cutting like the cheating that it really is. Being more than 5 lbs over your weight class could be a similar infraction to PED use, with punishments accordingly. If caught multiple times you will be forced up a weight class. Permanently.

- Also perform hydration tests during fight week as a final measure to discourage extreme weight cuts, although very few fighters should be cutting anything significant.


Obviously there are tweaks to be made and finer details to iron out (where the weight classes start, how many there are, potentially make the random checks within 3 weeks or 2 instead of 4, etc), but as a basic idea I think this should be mean that every fighter can be encouraged to find a weight class where he can live and train, knowing that he'll be fighting people actually his size.

Because of course that's the crux of this issue; Fighters cut weight because the other fighters cut weight. If they all KNEW that their opponent was actually the same weight as them, there'd be no need to cut weight. Guys might shift to different weight classes, especially as they get older, but it wouldn't be by dehydrating themselves. To move down, they'd have to genuinely change their weight, permanently, to move up or down.

Of course there would be growing pains as divisions adjusted. Certain champs would have to move up, even with bumping the classes up... which shows just how fucking bad weight cutting is right now. Guys are cutting through multiple weight classes to get to their weight class. For example, Mighty Mouse and TJ would probably be fine, but there is no way Tyrone Woodley is going to live between the WW limit of 171-180 (even with the 5lb allowance taking it up to 185), so he'll probably have to go up to MW (190) or even LHW (200)... but that's fine, because it'll just be guys like him, not monsters like Rockhold and Romero. It'll be Gastelum, Till, Hendricks, etc.

It does mean that fighters would have to watch their weight outside camp, because getting too far out of their weight class could be disastrous, but without their horrific weight cuts, I think most fighters wouldn't be as likely to binge between fights. It'd also just mean they need to get back to approximate fight shape before they signed a fight contract, because the random weight checks are only relevant during fight camp, within the one month window of the fight date.

It's basically just a matter of stricter control of the weight classes. MMA instituted weight classes without really considering all the loop holes and ways fighters would game the system. It's just an honor system. "Make weight on this date and we'll consider you that weight", when really we need more than that. Tightening up the rules and controls around weight cutting is the most important issue facing MMA at the moment.

It's an issue of fighter safety and health, obviously, but it's a matter of business and fan interest too. I'm a hardcore fan and I'm really, really struggling to get excited for events. They all fall through. Getting rid of extreme weight cuts would mean less fights get scrapped during fight week, and we'd probably have better fights too, because fighters would be truly in their prime, not a dehydrated wreck.

So... What are you thoughts Sherdog? Am I an idiot? Have I missed any glaring holes? Are there still ways of gaming this system? Because honestly, from what I can see, this seems like the best option out of all the options I've seen.


In b4 "TL/DR" etc.

 

[Bobby Boulders]

Re: ONE Championship weight cutting solution.

ONE basically outlawed weight cutting, bumped up weight classes similar to what you said, monitor hydration levels, etc. They actually had a fighter die from cutting weight, immediately banned the practice, and took action. It's sad that that is probably what it will take for the UFC to take action, since it is run by people who don't actually give a shit about its fighters, just money.

 

[Verace]

Im not reading all this, but from what i could quickly gather by skimming through it, wouldnt work.

Fighters would just move a WC down... Unless you do what you suggested and then locked all fighters to their respective current WC for lets say, a year, they would just move down. Maybe the champions wouldnt to avoid having to relinquish the belt, but everyone else would.

 

[Ling Ling]

Agree that ONE has the only solution to this currently.

 

[drazco]

some of your points are good and make sense.its unfortunate that this problem got so bad that person has to think about potentially enforcing all these extra measures/rules.fuking ridiculous

 

[Danespina]

There's a chance your solution would result in more weight dropping than ever.

For example everyone at 185 would struggle to get to 180 instead of 190. Everyone at 205 would struggle to get to 200 instead of 210 etc.

 

[Lando]

TLDR

You couldn’t have a weigh in a month prior, because they would just cut weight for the weigh in. Weight also flunctuates depending on diet, water weight etc so random testing would be too hit and miss.

I think they should have a weigh in before they get in the cage, and if they are ten pounds over the limit they get fined 40% of their purse. Or something like that

 

[Turkleton]

Re: ONE Championship weight cutting solution.

ONE basically outlawed weight cutting, bumped up weight classes similar to what you said, monitor hydration levels, etc. They actually had a fighter die from cutting weight, immediately banned the practice, and took action. It's sad that that is probably what it will take for the UFC to take action, since it is run by people who don't actually give a shit about its fighters, just money.

this!!!!

there already is a solution, people are just uninformed and/or ignoring it

Ben Askren talked about that on the JRE podcast a while ago

 

[Badr Hari]

simplest and most logical solution: weigh in 30 minutes before the fight

 

[INTERL0PER]

Im not reading all this, but from what i could quickly gather by skimming through it, wouldnt work.

Fighters would just move a WC down... Unless you do what you suggested and then locked all fighters to their respective current WC for lets say, a year, they would just move down. Maybe the champions wouldnt to avoid having to relinquish the belt, but everyone else would.

TLDR

You couldn’t have a weigh in a month prior, because they would just cut weight for the weigh in. Weight also flunctuates depending on diet, water weight etc so random testing would be too hit and miss.

I think they should have a weigh in before they get in the cage, and if they are ten pounds over the limit they get fined 40% of their purse. Or something like that

You didn't read my post, and it shows in your responses. If you're not going to bother reading, don't bother posting.

 

[INTERL0PER]

Re: ONE Championship weight cutting solution.

ONE basically outlawed weight cutting, bumped up weight classes similar to what you said, monitor hydration levels, etc. They actually had a fighter die from cutting weight, immediately banned the practice, and took action. It's sad that that is probably what it will take for the UFC to take action, since it is run by people who don't actually give a shit about its fighters, just money.

Agree that ONE has the only solution to this currently.

I have to confess, I'd heard about ONE FC's weight cutting measures, but hadn't actually sat down and read them. Yes, they're great. I especially like how fighters are assigned to division's. It's not really their choice, although they can appeal.

If the UFC followed ONE's lead, I would be more than happy and the sport would be better for it.

 

[INTERL0PER]

There's a chance your solution would result in more weight dropping than ever.

For example everyone at 185 would struggle to get to 180 instead of 190. Everyone at 205 would struggle to get to 200 instead of 210 etc.

How?

You sign a contract to fight at a specific weight. If you cannot be more than 5 lbs over that weight, subject to random testing, how are you going to cut 15 lbs to fight at a lower weight?

 

[DaleBoca]

928 words...

 

[NationWideNinja]

What ONE is doing seems to be working perfectly fine. Why the UFC doesnt implement it and have less events fucked by weightcuts is beyond me.

 

[kuka45]

What ONE is doing seems to be working perfectly fine. Why the UFC doesnt implement it and have less events fucked by weightcuts is beyond me.

They are not transparent, everything is behind closed doors. Weigh ins 1 hour before fights. I don't think there will be more cancelled fights than right now.

 

[Stranger Come Knocking]

why am I the only one who ever mentions central nervous system fatigue in these threads? you think Pyrros Dimas or Szymon Kolecki ever cut weight?

 

[Individualthoughtpatterns]

How about they live up to their contract and make weight, or else they get huge funancial penalties like 50% of their pay going to their opponent.
125-205 up by 10lbs
Heavyweight remains 205+

And bring back PRIDE rules with yellow cards if fighters arent actibely looking to fight/finish but only score points and stall.

 

[Hoop]

California seem to have a good solution/rule where at the start of the week, the fighter can not be a certain % off of the weight they will weigh in at on the scales. The head of the commission wrestled in high school and college, and I think around the time he was wrestling, there were a couple of deaths - maybe some American posters can add more to that story - I'm sure they changed the rules on weigh ins/weight cutting with wrestling when that happened.

It's really up to the fighters at the end of it all to keep themselves at a weight that before they do a training camp they know the weight will come off when they finish it and they're not eating less throughout the training camp and more or less keeping tabs on their weight during training camps, instead of working on skills, techniques, etc.

If Holloway was talking the way he was before he arrived in Vegas, and his team didn't push him to get checked out, that's scandalous. But we don't know what's happened in this case and hopefully he's okay. I'd rather a fighter pull out of a fight then risk seriously hurting himself in one.

It's going to take something like that to happen to a high profile fighter before they look at changing things, imo.

 

[SirKratos]

There are 2 very easy solutions to weight cutting, but neither are being implemented because UFC and Commission officials are being lazy and shy with their "punishments"

1- If a fighter misses weight, take away 100% of the fight purse.

2- If a fighter misses weight, force them to move up a division. No what ifs, no buts, no exceptions, no stupid fighter excuses. You pulled out because you were trying to cut enormous amount of weight, no more "I just got sick and hospitalized" BS.

Implement one of these two or both of them at the same time, and fighters would suddenly start fighting in a more guaranteed weight range.

 

[nick1990]

There are 2 very easy solutions to weight cutting, but neither are being implemented because UFC and Commission officials are being lazy and shy with their "punishments"

1- If a fighter misses weight, take away 100% of the fight purse.

2- If a fighter misses weight, force them to move up a division. No what ifs, no buts, no exceptions, no stupid fighter excuses. You pulled out because you were trying to cut enormous amount of weight, no more "I just got sick and hospitalized" BS.

Implement one of these two or both of them at the same time, and fighters would suddenly start fighting in a more guaranteed weight range.

Im also in favour of this. Why are professional athletes treated with kiddie gloves?

Im also in favour of more red cards in football ("soccer") but referees are terrified to do it, I think a sport where people are almost killing themselves to try to gain an advantage physically damaging someone should be addressed even more strictly.