Why Fighters Cut So Much Weight (and Why It's A HUGE Problem)

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[Idranim]

Connor at 145 looked like a skeleton I’m honestly not surprised he did everything in his power to not defend that belt

[andrewcruz]

I always felt the same . What’s the point if none of the fights aren’t happening at the weight they’re supposed to ? If they hit 155 at the weigh in, they should have to hit 155 on fight night right before they get in the octagon.

[hypnotwist_]

TJ you should watch MMA on Points interview with a doctor where he explains and demonstrates how the Hydration testing doesn't actually work in stopping weight cutting. Step in the right direction for sure though.

[zaidkidwai]

Sanctioned cheating is a perfect way to describe it

[TXCSPIKES]

It's sad because this extreme behavior trickles all the way down to literal children. I wrestled in Middle School/High School and I saw kids as young as 14 cutting 10-15 pounds to make weight. Obviously this involved a lot of dehydration, laxatives, and starvation. One of my teammates was so drained and pale before a weigh in that teachers wanted to send him home since his cheeks were sunken in and he could barely stay awake in class. People of all ages/levels should be able to partake in combat sports without needing to kill themselves to do so. I really hope hydration tests become the standard everywhere.

[VTdarkangel]

How you solve the weigh cutting problem is have weigh-ins on the same day of the fight, preferably within a couple of hours of the fight. At that point, the time to rehydrate following cutting for weigh-in would be too short and create a performance concern for the fighters. This would encourage fighting at a more natural weight.

[thegoat]

Weight cut is more dangerous than the fight itself. What's worse is weight cut makes you more vulnerable during the bout.

[DeadricSummoner]

It’s pretty dangerous to cut more than 15bs (depending on body fat). The more I see this becoming an issue the more recent fighter protests about having a 160-5lb weight class makes sense. GSP used to cut from 190lbs while he was a welterweight, but today it’s not uncommon for lightweights to cut from that range along with welterweights cutting from 220lbs. Even with Paddy the baddy cutting 60lbs to fight.
It’s time to force fighters to fight in their proper weightclass

[HipBlackPoodle]

I'm writing a college research paper on how weight cuts physically affect a fighter and all the health risks and this video is insanepy useful. I obviously has to find your sources on my own but I appreciate you compiling and simplifying them.

[Godly_Nose]

this is why heavyweight is my favorite division and its the hardest, everyone is a monster aint no weight bullies there.

[jldriver]

Imagine being a 170 pounder ur whole career and they bring in weigh ins on the day and u gotta fight an unranked ngannou😂

[hemmydall]

Just bring back weight ins "on the day" of the match, and if you fail weight then there are options;

1) still fight, but you lose a percent of your pay (the greater the difference, the greater the pay cut with a )
2) you get disqualified and lose the match

I think its way past time to end the cutting practice. Especially given that prep time for matches are much longer then they use to be. There is no excuse to not be able to show up for a given weight on the day of the fight.

Nice to hear about the walk around weight tests. That could easily be added on top of what I mentioned.

[smackdoe]

99% of UFC fighters cut weight and on fight night they are almost always similar in size. Like you covered in your video, cutting a large amount of weight is more of a disadvantage than anything. Justin Gaethje said he doesn't cut weight because the only year he was an All-American in NCAA wrestling was the year he didn't cut any weight. That's shown when fighters move up a weight class and immediately start doing alot better. Dustin Poirier, Conor Mcgregor, Henry Cejudo, Kelvin Gastelum and Robert Wittaker among others.

[mailboy]

The main subject of this video (specifically the use of dehydration in cutting weight) was actually very strongly addressed in the US state of California. Executive Director Andy Foster personally witnessed several fighters passing out and/or collapsing on the scale at weigh-in ceremonies for several consecutive MMA events. This became so common that Foster himself unilaterally withdrew the fighters licenses on health and safety grounds. The fighters were (justifiably) unhappy as they would not be paid and their bout(s) were called off, but they couldn't protest as they were being literally wheeled away on a gurney into a waiting ambulance. This is all on film. Foster then instituted CA state regulations that strictly regulate weight cutting practices on health and safety grounds and for the betterment of combat sports as a whole.

[louthawriter]

This reason alone is why Izzy's run was so legendary, he fights at his natural weight.

[Brenthousand]

The weigh in should be immediately after the ring walk that will fix this shit real quick

[cornball]

Frankie Edgar is what a Lightweight SHOULD look like

[Joshua-uwwm]

That's my favorite thing about Floyd Mayweather. He purposely stays in fight shape and at his weight at all times. He doesn't need to get in shape for a fight he is always in the perfect condition for professional combat.
That's soo BADASS especially when you realize how rare that is

[froulouxio]

bruh i'm such a casual, i thought all fighters just fight at the weight they weigh at weigh ins😂

[KayoKidBoxing]

Hydration tests are good, but multiple weigh ins are a double edged sword as it usually ends up with fighters doing several weight cuts in camp as opposed to just the one in fight week.