Paul Felder - "How does this kid even make welterweight"

[Why did you]

Why do UFC commentators , and also ex fighters like Felder and Bisping last night, always act surprised when a fighter looks much bigger than their weight class on fight night?
They bring it up in almost every fight — saying things like, "He looks absolutely huge" , or “How does this kid even make welterweight”
But isn’t the answer obvious?

Fighters weigh in a day before the fight. That’s the whole point — they cut weight, step on the scale, and then spend the next 24 hours rehydrating and bulking back up.
There are well-known techniques fighters use to maximize this advantage.
By the time they step into the cage, many are realistically fighting a weight class above the one they officially weighed in for.
So why do the commentators keep pretending to be shocked? Is it just for show? Some kind of marketing tactic or narrative-building?
Are we really supposed to believe they don’t understand how weight cutting works?

So how does that kid even make [insert weight class here]?
Easy — he doesn’t actually fight at that weight. He just weighs it for a minute the day before.

 

[BangBang]

Yes, it's weight cutting and everyone takes take advantage, some more than others.

It's the same rule for everyone, if you make weight, then fair enough.

 

[nintey]

"He's so big and strong!" Will forever be a selling point. It builds hype.

 

[LEWIS540]

By the time they step into the cage, many are realistically fighting a weight class above the one they officially weighed in for.

I'd guess almost all are fighting a weight class above, and some not far off two.

 

[Paolo Delutis]

Why do UFC commentators , and also ex fighters like Felder and Bisping last night, always act surprised when a fighter looks much bigger than their weight class on fight night?
They bring it up in almost every fight — saying things like, "He looks absolutely huge" , or “How does this kid even make welterweight”
But isn’t the answer obvious?

Fighters weigh in a day before the fight. That’s the whole point — they cut weight, step on the scale, and then spend the next 24 hours rehydrating and bulking back up.
There are well-known techniques fighters use to maximize this advantage.
By the time they step into the cage, many are realistically fighting a weight class above the one they officially weighed in for.
So why do the commentators keep pretending to be shocked? Is it just for show? Some kind of marketing tactic or narrative-building?
Are we really supposed to believe they don’t understand how weight cutting works?

So how does that kid even make [insert weight class here]?
Easy — he doesn’t actually fight at that weight. He just weighs it for a minute the day before.

Weight cutting needs to be addressed honestly or just have two divisions.

Under 200

Or

Over 200lbs


Whats the point of a legal contract saying 170lbs when someones clearly not that in the fight

 

[Why did you]

Exactly,false advertising

 

[HuskySamoan]

Morales is a very large WW but also...Burns us a former career LW and was never considered a large LW. At 170 he found a second life in his career but his frame was small, he wasn't hugely muscled or big for the division. So the size difference probably seems huge. Guys like Shavkat, Khamzat, Morales etc. Are weird middle grounds, they are huge for 170 but you can see Khamzat is maybe an average sized 185er.

 

[Goatenstein]

Weight cutting needs to be addressed honestly or just have two divisions.

Under 200

Or

Over 200lbs


Whats the point of a legal contract saying 170lbs when someones clearly not that in the fight

Oh good whining about weight cutting and weight classes has made a comeback.

 

[BigTruck]

Morales is a very large WW but also...Burns us a former career LW and was never considered a large LW. At 170 he found a second life in his career but his frame was small, he wasn't hugely muscled or big for the division. So the size difference probably seems huge. Guys like Shavkat, Khamzat, Morales etc. Are weird middle grounds, they are huge for 170 but you can see Khamzat is maybe an average sized 185er.

An average 185er is huge for 170

 

[BigTruck]

Weight cutting needs to be addressed honestly or just have two divisions.

Under 200

Or

Over 200lbs


Whats the point of a legal contract saying 170lbs when someones clearly not that in the fight

Seriously though I agree with the we agree to fight at 170 but when we actually fight I'll be 195 is kind of bullshit and then there's the everyone is doing it bullshit bc if that's the case and all cut the same then just stop and you'll still be fighting the same ppl.

 

[Oscar Madison]

Size matters.

Weight is isolated as the metric of preference.

Right or Wrong -- it is what it is...

 

[FreedomCricket]

So why do the commentators keep pretending to be shocked? Is it just for show? Some kind of marketing tactic or narrative-building?

Commentators are hype men for the fights.

Are we really supposed to believe they don’t understand how weight cutting works?

They obviously understand how weight cutting works but that doesn't necessarily make their point moot about someone making weight. They CAN be shocked at the amount of weight someone can cut or just at looking at the body type and be surprised how much different someone can look from weigh ins to fight night. Who knows if they have access to fight night weights, that might also be a factor.

So how does that kid even make [insert weight class here]?
Easy — he doesn’t actually fight at that weight. He just weighs it for a minute the day before.

Yep and everyone that makes weight for their agreed upon fight weighed exactly the same weight within 2 lbs during that 1 or 2 hour window. Make weight and it's a fair fight.

 

[jeff7b9]

But isn’t the answer obvious?

Fighters weigh in a day before the fight. That’s the whole point — they cut weight, step on the scale, and then spend the next 24 hours rehydrating and bulking back up.
There are well-known techniques fighters use to maximize this advantage.
By the time they step into the cage, many are realistically fighting a weight class above the one they officially weighed in for.
So why do the commentators keep pretending to be shocked? Is it just for show? Some kind of marketing tactic or narrative-building?
Are we really supposed to believe they don’t understand how weight cutting works?

So how does that kid even make [insert weight class here]?
Easy — he doesn’t actually fight at that weight. He just weighs it for a minute the day before.

How about a spoiler warning buddy?

Geez... you just go around giving away industry secrets that even the commentators don't know????

 

[usernamee]

They're just trying to talk about shit. And there's for sure fighters that can cut more weight than others due to their physiology and sometimes it can look pretty wild. Like Pereira at MW and it's not that crazy for them to acknowledge it then.

 

[MidgardSerpent]

The world must be a confusing and scary place if you lack the ability to read between the lines.

 

[Pechan]

There will always be big youn guns in every div that will cut weight until they get a certain age.

The trade off its the lack of experience.

 

[linvillegorge]

They're speaking from experience as fighters who have cut weight. I'm sure when they see someone huge for their division they're just thinking "man... that weight cut has GOT to fucking suck"

 

[usernamee]

They're speaking from experience as fighters who have cut weight. I'm sure when they see someone huge for their division they're just thinking "man... that weight cut has GOT to fucking suck"

Yeah even fighters can be surprised lol
and Whittaker even commentating on how people SHOULD be talking more about it haha

 

[meast]

Why do UFC commentators , and also ex fighters like Felder and Bisping last night, always act surprised when a fighter looks much bigger than their weight class on fight night?
They bring it up in almost every fight — saying things like, "He looks absolutely huge" , or “How does this kid even make welterweight”
But isn’t the answer obvious?

Fighters weigh in a day before the fight. That’s the whole point — they cut weight, step on the scale, and then spend the next 24 hours rehydrating and bulking back up.
There are well-known techniques fighters use to maximize this advantage.
By the time they step into the cage, many are realistically fighting a weight class above the one they officially weighed in for.
So why do the commentators keep pretending to be shocked? Is it just for show? Some kind of marketing tactic or narrative-building?
Are we really supposed to believe they don’t understand how weight cutting works?

So how does that kid even make [insert weight class here]?
Easy — he doesn’t actually fight at that weight. He just weighs it for a minute the day before.

He is 6’5 and fights at welterweight. They are surprised he is able to cut that much weight

 

[SalvadorAllende]

He is 6’5 and fights at welterweight. They are surprised he is able to cut that much weight

who is 6ft5 and fights at WW?

I thought this was about Morales.. who is supposedly 6ft (more 6ft1 considering he was almost as tall as Magny)

Morales is not that big. He does not have super big muscles or anything. Just a good frame and nice looking body (no homo.. well maybe a little)