Fighter Safety and Product Quality

[Matthew Fedler]

Belfort-Hall and Dodson-Munhoz join other weight-cut related last-minute cancellations like Barao vs Dillashaw II at UFC 177 and Khabib vs Tony at UFC 209, among countless others. Hall reportedly had minor a seizure/heart attack and Barao suffered a serious head injury.

I think it’s also fair to suspect that the depleted physical state and weakened immune system that comes with severe dehydration may have contributed to a number of fight week illnesses and injuries as well (Nunes-Shevchenko at 213, DJ-Borg at 215, etc).

Weight cutting regulations/restrictions would lead to a better/more reliable overall product and put an end to serious health risks taken by fighters at the same time. It’s a no-brainer and probably inevitable.

I’ll add my personal 3 step solution:

1. Body Composition Tests for UFC fighters to calculate a healthy body weight range for each individual, which would then determine the weight classes they would be eligible to compete in.

2. Hydration Testing before weigh-ins, ala One FC.

3. Narrow the gaps between weight classes:
- Split 170 into 165/175.
- Add 195.
- Depending on depth/necessity (if enough LHW move up and some larger HW are not eligible for 265) add 225 and bump HW to 285.
- Possibly abolish/suspend M125 if lack of depth warrants it.
- Possibly abolish/suspend W115 and add W155 (depending on divisional depth).

Fighters would be given 1-2 years notice to adjust before changes are enacted.

 

[SeattleFightFan]

i agree with everything you said. i've often thought your 2nd paragraph doesn't get enough attention.

unfortunately, politics is messy, and state AC's control their own rules.

let's hope that CSAC gets their system going strong, and it gets onto the next set of "Unified Rules", which seem to get updated about every 7-10 years.

as a fan, i would love to see two 180lbers fight at 170 or 175 instead of 155 or 145.

 

[JOLLYjoe]

To be honest, i feel like its the fighters fault. No one forces them to balloon up 35lbs.

Yes there should be better regulations as far as safety though.

 

[SuperNerd]

Ready for new weight classes, the Hydration test seems legit, but I would have to look in to the science behind it and these Body Composition Tests to fully support them.

 

[RyuHayabusa]

 

[Bend NvR Break]

as a fan, i would love to see two 180lbers fight at 170 or 175 instead of 155 or 145.

This.

Khabib vs Ferguson is going to happen at 155 with 2 guys that weigh 190+. If you walk around more than 30 pounds for weight division you shouldn't fight in that division.

 

[magicmarker]

This.

Khabib vs Ferguson is going to happen at 155 with 2 guys that weigh 190+. If you walk around more than 30 pounds for weight division your shouldn't fight in that division.

Even if it does happen, it's still 1 for 4 in making it all come together. Easy to see why...

 

[VIPERdude]

I would just go with a simple one week required weight cut report. Also only applying to fighters that missed weight in the past not all fighters are bad at it. Sometimes its just the body not responding to the usual cut process.

So 5-7 days of fight week fighters must be at least within 15-20 pounds of the weight class. If they are over or under...That fighter is out and that gives the UFC days to find a replacement so A FIGHT can still go on.

Solved