Healthy Solution to Weight-cutting problem

[Magrabie1988]

It's good the way it is

 

[ragreynolds]

I think they should treat weight similarly to drug testing in that they should randomly weigh fighters throughout the year. Every fighter should be forced to fight at their natural weight - one that is within 5-10 pounds of their average weight throughout the year.

Weight cutting should not be a thing, and it would be better for everyone if fighters would all simply fight at their natural weights.

 

[richardjohnson]

Personally I think there’s an argument to be made that same day weigh ins are even more dangerous. Some fighters will likely continue to cut weight and just fight compromised because they didn’t have time to recover and don’t want to change divisions. Obviously that decision is entirely on the fighter and if they choose to fight dehydrated they have no one to blame but themselves if it goes poorly. But at the same time if we’re talking about what commissions can do to help keep fighters safe I’m not sure same day weigh ins are the answer.

 

[MikeyB]

You either weigh them during camp and cap the percentage of the cut or you don't.

That's the only real solution. Day of weigh ins will just mean someone dies.

You know what else isn't healthy getting punched in the face.

 

[seanb1979]

One FC kinda does this already. DJ fights at 135 there.

Your idea works in theory though I'd argue it needs to be a percentage of contracted weight, say 8% because 10 lbs on a FW is a much bigger change than 10 lbs on a LHW.

problem then is some fighters would go into the cage even more dehydrated so they aren't over weight

Then they would lose horribly lol. I don't care how big you are, if you're dehydrated you['re gonna be destroyed.

 

[Mohawk Banditó]

California has instituted what should be the start of this, doing both official weigh ins and day-of weigh ins, and if a fighter goes above a certain percentage regain, the fight still will go forward (I think the UFC's 'show must go on' mentality will be very unhappy with anything that will stop the fight), but it will be suggested to the fighter to fight up a division their next fight.

But it's really not enforced.

 

[Deleted member 110072]

I would argue perhaps the opposite, I think the talent pool at 185lbs and up is already spread too thin and adding more divisions would spread it even thinner plus if you look at the best HW's ever most of them could probably have made 225lbs so do they need to be protected from anyone?

If anything I would argue you may need to take divisions away at the higher weight class not add them, I wouldnt mind seeing....

125
135
145
155
165
175
195(or maybe 190lbs?)
Limitless HW

I think thats a good comprimise, the guys having trouble reading 170 like say Khazmat can likely reach 175lbs fine so they don't need to fight in the big division, the larger MW's face off with the smaller LHWs(already the big MW's like Costa and Alex are around that size) and the larger LHW's are forced up to HW were they arguably should be anyway.

 

[ServantofGOD]

I think most people agree that the amount of weight that fighters are cutting is very unhealthy.
Additionally, because some fighters choose to cut more than others, they get labeled as "weight bullies".
I think I have a solution to this problem but welcome any critical feedback anyone may have.

I think they should still do weigh-ins the day before, as they have, but also do day-of weigh-ins and enforce that the weights cannot be more than 10 lbs apart. If you weighed in at 155 lbs the day before, you can't be more than 165 lbs the day of. This would both keep fighters healthier and also eliminate the monotonous conversations about fighters being "too big" for their divisions.

Obviously this will mess things up for current champions who cut a butt-load of weight.
So my proposed solution would be adding a 220 lbs cruiserweight class and have each current champion move up one weight, so that no current champions would have to forfeit their titles. (Maybe just do away with 125 altogether)

135 - Figgy
145 - Aljo
155 - Volk
170 - Islam
185 - Leon
205 - Alex
220 - Jan/Ankalaev
220+ - Ngannou

Thoughts?

This is dumb. Just do what ONE does but make the gap at LHW and HW larger

Do hydration testing to end weight cutting and day before, 2 days before and day of

 

[ServantofGOD]

I can't believe sherdoggers think this stuff will work. They will just cut weight for the second weigh ins. Bunch of goofs in here

Yeah. No brain power here


You need to do hydration testing and day before and day of weigh ins and cant weigh in unless fully hydrated which can be tested. It works for ONE only issue is they rig the scales for their favorite fighters letting them come in heavier as some people have noted huge size differences beyond what seems realistic

 

[dog y]

No 220.

10 pounds is too arbitrary. 10 pounds is a lot to a flyweight but not much to a heavyweight. This model would need to be based on a % not a fixed amount for all weight classes.

This

 

[TommyBikes]

I like it

 

[trimmin]

The sport does not suggest you come in 20 pounds over the weight. That’s something the fighters and coaches have decided to do.

 

[BJJ4Tone]

This is dumb. Just do what ONE does but make the gap at LHW and HW larger

Do hydration testing to end weight cutting and day before, 2 days before and day of

Thank you for telling me that my idea was dumb. Just the kind of constructive feedback I was looking for.

 

[warriorfan808]

I’d be down with not weighing in 10% higher, so someone weighing in at 155 can’t go more than 170.5

 

[BJJ4Tone]

what exactly is this problem with weight cutting? 99% of all fights, the fighters make weight. i understand your thoughts on it, but its fine the way it is, as there is no problem.

I don't think fighters missing weight is the issue. It's just a really dangerous and unhealthy practice.
And it's also really annoying how people on here hold it against certain fighters who choose to cut a lot, rather than move up. Like, some people seem to think that all wins by guys like Chimaev and Poatan are invalid, because of their perceived unfair size advantage.
I guess it was dumb to even make this thread, because the responses have been really disappointing. Lesson learned, I guess.

 

[613]

Fucking terrible idea! You want to split two already weak divisions in half? And you know fighters will just still cut weight if you have two weigh ins right? That could lead to deaths like it did in boxing (which is why we don't have same day weigh ins anymore).

 

[ServantofGOD]

Thank you for telling me that my idea was dumb. Just the kind of constructive feedback I was looking for.

My bad man.

But the hydration testing and day before and day of weigh ins and 2 days before makes the most sense. It cannot be cheated assuming you do not rig the scales.

ONEs weight classes are ideal

135lb to 145lb = BW
145lb to 155lb =FW
155lb to 170lb = LW
170lb to 185lb MW
185lb to 205lb LHW
205lb to 225lb LHW
225lb to 265lb HW

Only the HW limit should be 320lbs and the LHW limit 240lbs or 237lbs or so considering many LHWs are over 225lbs and many HWs over 265lbs

 

[SuperNerd]

Weight Class Weight Allowance Glove size
Straw weight up to and including 115 lbs. 3 lbs. 4 to 8 oz.
Flyweight over 115 to 125 lbs. 3 lbs. 4 to 8 oz.
Bantamweight over 125 to 135 lbs. 3 lbs. 4 to 8 oz.
Featherweight over 135 to 145 lbs. 5 lbs. 4 to 8 oz.
Lightweight over 145 to 155 lbs. 5 lbs. 4 to 8 oz.
Super Lightweight over 155 to 165 lbs. 5 lbs. 4 to 8 oz.
Welterweight over 165 to 170 lbs. 5 lbs. 4 to 8 oz.
Super Welterweight over 170 to 175 lbs 7 lbs. 4 to 8 oz.
Middleweight over 175 to 185 lbs. 7 lbs. 4 to 8 oz.
Super Middleweight over 185 to 195 lbs. 7 lbs 4 to 8 oz.
Light Heavyweight over 195 to 205 lbs. 7 lbs. 4 to 8 oz.
Cruiserweight over 205 to 225 lbs. 7 lbs. 4 to 8 oz.
Heavyweight over 225 to 265 lbs. 7 lbs. 4 to 8 oz.
Super Heavyweight over 265 lbs. 4 to 8 oz.

https://www.abcboxing.com/unified-weight-classes-mma/

Crusierweight already exists. UFC doesn't use it.

 

[meast]

Solution without a problem. Next

 

[Alpha_T83]

I agree that you shouldn't be more than 10 pounds over your weight limit. That NEEDS to happen.

The problem is, how do you do this without causing even more fighters to miss weight? And when do you weigh them? The weigh-in protocols are deeply entrenched in combat sports and athletic commission protocols. It's not easy just to add a bunch of extra weigh-ins that they need to pass.

I don't see an easy solution. But I think a good start would be cage-side weigh ins for every UFC fighter, with the UFC releasing every fighter's cage weight. This wouldn't affect weigh-in results or fight outcomes at all, but would simply be information to educate future policies.