Healthy Solution to Weight-cutting problem

[Alpha_T83]

Solution without a problem. Next

Disagree. You think fighters like Pereira cutting 30+ pounds isn't a problem? Get the fuck out of here.

I hate Izzy and I'm glad he lost, but the amount of weight Pereira cut is complete bullshit. That's not ok.

 

[Alpha_T83]

Great, have them be dehydrated in the cage. Real smart

I do think cage-side weigh ins should be a thing, but I don't think they should affect the fight itself and the results shouldn't be published until after the event.

Something needs to be done, but we can't have informed discussions about weight cutting if we don't know exactly how much each fighter is cutting.

 

[humdizzle]

it would be very hard to enforce a 'day of event' type rule. cards would fall apart at the last second with no replacements available. And if you force the fight regardless of weight.... you'd have fighters take advantage of it coming in 10 pounds over, sacrificing 30% of their purse, because if they win this fight they get a title shot and $$$.

 

[Ramon Antonio]

This would be an organizational mess.

 

[ryun253]

Disagree. You think fighters like Pereira cutting 30+ pounds isn't a problem? Get the fuck out of here.

I hate Izzy and I'm glad he lost, but the amount of weight Pereira cut is complete bullshit. That's not ok.

People acting like Pereira is the first person to cut a lot of weight

 

[DelanoRunnymede]

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

You can’t cut weight two days in a row though right.

 

[DestinedAussie]

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 dangerous as some fighters will do a second cut

 

[AfroBanana]

Stop this day before nonsense. Get on the scale then get in cage.
Adding the 225 division is smart.
And yes without extreme weight cutting the men's 125 division will most likely disappear.

I think they should cut but never be heavier than the next weight class. They can be weighed to make the division and then weighed the day of all he fight to not exceed the next division.

Day of weigh ins are unhealthy and everyone is different and not going to be the exact weight. So eliminate anyone who goes beyond the next weight class. That means low divisions can’t cut more than 10 and heavier ones 15 and MW 20lb. This will solve the extreme cutting and allow a more level attainable field. You can’t really whine over a FW that’s 154.5lb beating anyone 145-154.5. It’s the guys that are like 165lb a 170lb we want to get rid of.

I’m not someone who cries over it, that’s just my solution to it. I never say anything about weight advantages unless it’s an undersized guy moving up and clearly he didn’t gain the size needed. Now we have people height and reach shaming fighters which is next level spaztarding. But that’s my solution for those who get upset about it.

 

[ServantofGOD]

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.

For low weight classes maybe but it ceases to be ultimate fighting if you have fighters all within 10lbs of each other

 

[GBJohn]

The problem with any kind of day-of weigh in is that those fighters who are hell-bent on having a weight advantage will still dehydrate, which is dangerous as hell the day of the fight. I know, some will say, "They know the risks, let them do as they choose." I can understand that argument, but as I always say, I like watching MMA. Dehydrated fighters on the day of the fights WILL lead to serious brain injuries or deaths, which could lead to a ban on MMA.
If you want to reduce weight cutting, the safest way I can think of to do it is to bring each fighter to the UFC PI once per year (outside of a fight camp, I wouldn't want to have them cut multiple times in a short time). Weigh them in and do a hydration test. Use that information to set a baseline, lowest weight class at which they are allowed to fight. Do "day of" weigh-ins only to track how much weight fighters are putting back on. If a fighter misses weight, either move them up a class for their next fight, or bring them back to the PI for a new baseline. You could also do the baseline measurements in conjunction with a fight weigh-in, provided you have all the required equipment to do a hydration test.
All of this would require the UFC to both be proactive, and spend some money. Neither of those are really their MO. They prefer to put the onus for fighter safety on the various commissions, which is a shitty, patchwork system.

 

[GBJohn]

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.

This is an interesting idea, but the problem I see is that fighters maintain a different level of fitness outside of camp. For instance, Paddy Pimblett famously blows up outside of camp, as did Johny Hendricks. By contrast, Josh Koscheck generally always looked like he was in mid-camp shape. I'm not comfortable telling fighters they can't eat what they want when they're not training for a fight, and some people simply carry more fat naturally when they're not in fight camp mode.
To use a couple of the fighters I cited above, Koshcheck always seemed like a decent sized welterweight to me. Pimblett seems like a reasonably sized lightweight. Given their habits out of camp, I wouldn't be surprised if Pimblett walks around heavier than Koscheck did when he was active. If you're not paying Pimblett in between camps, I'm not comfortable telling him what he can do in terms of diet, etc during that time. He gets into good shape in time for his fights, he shouldn't be penalized because he likes to enjoy his food in between.

 

[ServantofGOD]

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.

It is fine in ONEs weight classes its just there HW and LHW divisions should be much higher. The UFC could not have a successful LHW division if the cap was 225lbs as guys like Jan, Griffin, Bonnar, Cormier, Rampage wouldnt fight at LHW. Also HW cant have a 265lb cap or otherwise Big Foot, UberMir, Carwin, Uberreem, Lesnar, Tai, Lewis, Hardy, Ngannou Rothwell, would not be able to fight.

LHW should have a like 235lb or 240lb cap and HW a 325lb cap. Light heavyweight is a premier and literally what is says

Light heavyweight aka cruiserweight

Heavyweights today are well over 235lbs so logically Light heavyweights would be 205lbs to 235lbs.

Back in the old days of boxing LHWs were 195lbs to 220lbs and HWs were over 220lbs but few if any were over 260lbs

Nutrition and sport science evolution and ways to build muscle mass. Now LHWs are 205lbs to 235lbs. And HWs are almost all 245lbs to 300lbs

The thing is there are some rare HWs who arent on copius steroids or who arent obese who do weigh above 290lbs and would struggle with the weight cut. I.e. Semmy Schilt, Valuev, Hong Main Choi, etc

 

[PunchesOnLunches]

I'm not super enlightened on this topic but can someone tell me why same day weigh ins w/ maybe like a same day hydration test can't be done/isn't supported as a good idea?

 

[Oscar Madison]

You get approved for a weight class.

You contract for a fight in the weight class.

You fight your weight class.

Everything else is convoluted Bullshit that fans have been conditioned to accept.

 

[Tweak896]

UFC would have a fuck load of cancellations of main events. It would be a huge risk for them for last minute pull outs for fighters to be healthy. Do you think that less hard weight cuts would equal more fights and longer careers of their stars? I like the concept really, but it would be a dramatic shift in divisions for basically an unquantifiable benefit. Guys today cut more weight than any generation in the UFC.

 

[HBomber]

It is fine in ONEs weight classes its just there HW and LHW divisions should be much higher. The UFC could not have a successful LHW division if the cap was 225lbs as guys like Jan, Griffin, Bonnar, Cormier, Rampage wouldnt fight at LHW. Also HW cant have a 265lb cap or otherwise Big Foot, UberMir, Carwin, Uberreem, Lesnar, Tai, Lewis, Hardy, Ngannou Rothwell, would not be able to fight.

LHW should have a like 235lb or 240lb cap and HW a 325lb cap. Light heavyweight is a premier and literally what is says

Light heavyweight aka cruiserweight

Heavyweights today are well over 235lbs so logically Light heavyweights would be 205lbs to 235lbs.

Back in the old days of boxing LHWs were 195lbs to 220lbs and HWs were over 220lbs but few if any were over 260lbs

Nutrition and sport science evolution and ways to build muscle mass. Now LHWs are 205lbs to 235lbs. And HWs are almost all 245lbs to 300lbs

The thing is there are some rare HWs who arent on copius steroids or who arent obese who do weigh above 290lbs and would struggle with the weight cut. I.e. Semmy Schilt, Valuev, Hong Main Choi, etc

ONE has hydration tests in addition to weigh-ins to try to curb massive cutting but its not a great system. They keep having to strip Champs and have catchweight fights cuz fighters are still trying to cut a bunch of weight but they can't hit their weight and hydration numbers. I don't personally have a good solution. Weight cutting is so engrained in the culture of pro fighting that maybe harsher penalties are needed. Fighters have no problem putting their bodies thru hell to make weight so maybe put their wallets thru hell or "suspend" them for a fight. There isn't a quick easy solution to this.

 

[Prologue]

I'd keep it the way it is, but make hydration a part of the USADA mandate. You must drink and be fully hydrated before weigh in.

 

[Bend NvR Break]

Great, have them be dehydrated in the cage. Real smart

You missed the entire point. Fighters wouldn't be dehydrating to fight. They'd fight at their natural weight.

 

[Bend NvR Break]

I think they should cut but never be heavier than the next weight class. They can be weighed to make the division and then weighed the day of all he fight to not exceed the next division.

Day of weigh ins are unhealthy and everyone is different and not going to be the exact weight. So eliminate anyone who goes beyond the next weight class. That means low divisions can’t cut more than 10 and heavier ones 15 and MW 20lb. This will solve the extreme cutting and allow a more level attainable field. You can’t really whine over a FW that’s 154.5lb beating anyone 145-154.5. It’s the guys that are like 165lb a 170lb we want to get rid of.

I’m not someone who cries over it, that’s just my solution to it. I never say anything about weight advantages unless it’s an undersized guy moving up and clearly he didn’t gain the size needed. Now we have people height and reach shaming fighters which is next level spaztarding. But that’s my solution for those who get upset about it.

Every high school wrestler does same day weigh ins and competes multiple times that same.

Same day weigh in will gradually eliminate massive weigh cuts but a few people will get hurt as examples in the process.

 

[taugrim]

I hate weight cutting. It’s dangerous, and it’s almost surprising that nobody has died yet.

The toll it takes on organs, esp the kidneys and heart, can't be understated.

I like the One FC solution as you have fighters competing at a weight which is sustainable.