What's the point of weighing in 30+ hours BEFORE the fights take place?

[dipstickjimmy]

The official weigh ins use to be closer to the fight. They were moved to the earlier slot for good reason and should stay there. Healthier fighters equal better fights. The ship on fighters competing closer to their natural weights has long since sailed.

I think this is not actually so clear now. Lots of guys have moved up ie not cutting weight. Ceronne, RDA, Nate, Connor have been examples. Mostly because LW -WW is a larger gap.

I would like to see them realign the weight classes to be more in line with what guys actually weigh in cage and then have them weigh in 6 times. 3 scheduled and 3 random. If you are over you lose 10%. Weight classes have become the max weight for 1 second on a scale when they are a range of 10 lbs.

Fly W 145 and under
BW 146-155
FW 156-165
LW 166-175
SLW 176-185
WW 186-195
MW 196-205
SMW 206-215
LHW 216-225
HW 226-245
SHW 246 +

Weigh in 6 weeks out, 3 weeks out and fight night/day (maybe day before). 3 random weigh ins at any time 8 am - 8 pm. For short notice fights subbed fighter must have a history of being in the weight class.

 

[613]

Wait, is that true? I've been following boxing and MMA since like 2002 and I believe boxing has been doing 24-30 hour weigh-in's since at least when I started, and I believe for decades. Boxing deaths are due to brain hemorrhaging and refs not stopping fights, same as in MMA.

Except of course, in MMA, weight cutting is far more extreme due to the wrestling culture. You get a lot more people passing out during weight cutting in MMA and thus more last min fight cancellations. That amateur MMA fighter Rondel Clark died because of dehydrating a couple years back.

Yes it's true. Boxing used to do same day with ins and people were getting fucked up fighting dehydrated. Kim duk-koo was the most famous example. His death after fighting weight drained started a lot of changes in boxing. Most notably 15 round fights and same day weigh ins

 

[Mamou]

So if each fighter had to weigh in an hour or 2 before each fight, they would still be cutting weight?

Are you new to MMA?

 

[Kvothe_the_kingkiller]

No. I always just assumed it was to allow for contingency planning.

If someone is worried about negative dehydration effects...isn't that a clear sign that they should be fighting in a higher weight class? Would love to see them move official weigh ins closer to the fight time. I think this would force fighters to fight at their natural weight.

Christ man. That's embarrassing. If this is true, you really need to learn more about this sport you theoretically love to follow.

I suggest talking less, reading more.

 

[dalegordon]

Safety. Simple as that

 

[Kvothe_the_kingkiller]

I think this is not actually so clear now. Lots of guys have moved up ie not cutting weight. Ceronne, RDA, Nate, Connor have been examples. Mostly because LW -WW is a larger gap.

I would like to see them realign the weight classes to be more in line with what guys actually weigh in cage and then have them weigh in 6 times. 3 scheduled and 3 random. If you are over you lose 10%. Weight classes have become the max weight for 1 second on a scale when they are a range of 10 lbs.

Fly W 145 and under
BW 146-155
FW 156-165
LW 166-175
SLW 176-185
WW 186-195
MW 196-205
SMW 206-215
LHW 216-225
HW 226-245
SHW 246 +

Weigh in 6 weeks out, 3 weeks out and fight night/day (maybe day before). 3 random weigh ins at any time 8 am - 8 pm. For short notice fights subbed fighter must have a history of being in the weight class.

That's one approach.

But the fact is, California made a solid attempt at making fight night weights, weigh-ins and weight cuts safer, and got no traction. No other State AC joined in, UFC worked around them instead of with them, and several fighters who were told by CA that they couldn't get licensed in CA at that weight anymore....simply fought elsewhere. Including Paulo Costa for a title shot.

Maybe "if" (hopefully never but more likely "when") a fighter dies and it is determine it was directly related to a weight cut, things will change. Just like they did in OneFC and amateur wrestling. Maybe. Until then, there is simply zero political will for change.

My guess is you already know this I'm adding to your post for other readers, not debating you. Cheers.

 

[myjohnson9]

If they did same day weigh ins and a fighter is 10 pounds over but making $1,000,000, what do you think is going to happen? Even if is $100k, they will cut weight anyways and the ufc would have a huge liability. Fighters can’t be trusted to regulate themselves that’s why the commission has to. Guys are always trying to get ahead. Eventually some dumbass would fight dehydrated and get seriously injured. It would set the sport back

 

[Fergelmince]

Rehydration.
Is this your first weigh in?

 

[j18lee]

Yes it's true. Boxing used to do same day with ins and people were getting fucked up fighting dehydrated. Kim duk-koo was the most famous example. His death after fighting weight drained started a lot of changes in boxing. Most notably 15 round fights and same day weigh ins

Oh yeah, I knew they did that way back in the day... what year are we talking about? I am very familiar with 2002-current, and somewhat familiar with 1980 on and they haven't done same day weigh in's at the professional level for decades.

 

[FrankDux]

Christ man. That's embarrassing. If this is true, you really need to learn more about this sport you theoretically love to follow.

I suggest talking less, reading more.

 

[613]

Oh yeah, I knew they did that way back in the day... what year are we talking about? I am very familiar with 2002-current, and somewhat familiar with 1980 on and they haven't done same day weigh in's at the professional level for decades.

I think it was mid 80s

 

[j18lee]

I think it was mid 80s

Oh ok, thanks.

 

[TryggeTryggvar]

No. I always just assumed it was to allow for contingency planning.

If someone is worried about negative dehydration effects...isn't that a clear sign that they should be fighting in a higher weight class? Would love to see them move official weigh ins closer to the fight time. I think this would force fighters to fight at their natural weight.

Is this a thinly veiled kelvin gastelum for hw champ thread?

 

[DrTrouble]

Rehydration.
Is this your first weigh in?

So why not just do weigh in the week before?

 

[613]

No. I always just assumed it was to allow for contingency planning.

If someone is worried about negative dehydration effects...isn't that a clear sign that they should be fighting in a higher weight class? Would love to see them move official weigh ins closer to the fight time. I think this would force fighters to fight at their natural weight.

It's been tried in boxing. It didn't work

 

[Phrozenspite]

That's one approach.

But the fact is, California made a solid attempt at making fight night weights, weigh-ins and weight cuts safer, and got no traction. No other State AC joined in, UFC worked around them instead of with them, and several fighters who were told by CA that they couldn't get licensed in CA at that weight anymore....simply fought elsewhere. Including Paulo Costa for a title shot.

Maybe "if" (hopefully never but more likely "when") a fighter dies and it is determine it was directly related to a weight cut, things will change. Just like they did in OneFC and amateur wrestling. Maybe. Until then, there is simply zero political will for change.

My guess is you already know this I'm adding to your post for other readers, not debating you. Cheers.

the problem with One is that they promote it as a good system, but then a lot of the hydrations tests and such happen behind closed doors. so we just have to take their word that it's working as well as they say it is.

 

[DebtCollectorMMA]

Cutting weight to maximize size advantage championships.

 

[Kvothe_the_kingkiller]

the problem with One is that they promote it as a good system, but then a lot of the hydrations tests and such happen behind closed doors. so we just have to take their word that it's working as well as they say it is.

Agreed.

It wouldn't be hard to come up with a system like theirs, but also well regulated and transparent. There just isn't any political will to do so.

 

[dipstickjimmy]

That's one approach.

But the fact is, California made a solid attempt at making fight night weights, weigh-ins and weight cuts safer, and got no traction. No other State AC joined in, UFC worked around them instead of with them, and several fighters who were told by CA that they couldn't get licensed in CA at that weight anymore....simply fought elsewhere. Including Paulo Costa for a title shot.

Maybe "if" (hopefully never but more likely "when") a fighter dies and it is determine it was directly related to a weight cut, things will change. Just like they did in OneFC and amateur wrestling. Maybe. Until then, there is simply zero political will for change.

My guess is you already know this I'm adding to your post for other readers, not debating you. Cheers.

Yeah I agree. The will to eliminate the dehydration part of MMA isn't there. To me the answer is so simple that I can't believe they (The UFC) don't do it. Fighters take months to recover from their weight cuts. If they don't cut they will be healthier and can fight more often.

 

[Ancient Warrior]

It’s not just for rehydration, it’s also for fight promotion.