Ever wonder why Daniel Cormier is fighting as one of the smallest men in the heavyweight division? Because he wrecked his kidneys cutting weight. Kid Nate looks at the risk of this common practice at MMA Nation.
10 months ago
Nate Wilcox
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Time for day of the fight weigh-ins to be reintroduced. Lets see fighters fight at the weight nature meant for them. Test weight measurements starting from 6 weeks or more before fight night will stop this weight cutting bullshit. Time for Jon Fitch and Anthony Johnson to start competing at 185. No more size negating skill and technique!
by sheikybaby on Aug 12, 2011 2:08 PM EDT reply actions 2 recs
Its a good idea in theory, but
weight cutting is an ingrained part of North American (at least) combat sports and wrestling around the world – I don’t see it ever changing.
"Life is tough, but it's tougher if you're stupid." -John Wayne
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by The American Ronin on Aug 12, 2011 2:17 PM EDT up reply actions
Fighters would still deplete themselves to make a better weight class, even if we had same day weigh ins. It’d probably be more dangerous having them weigh in the day of the fight
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by Discman2 on Aug 12, 2011 2:23 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Agreed and rec'd.
Fighters would still try to find a way around it. I’d just like to see the period of recovery become a bit shorter so the person cutting 15+ lbs. would get absolutely destroyed.
by vile(nt)green on Aug 12, 2011 2:25 PM EDT up reply actions
same day weigh ins kill fighters
ask Duk Koo Kim.
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by Nate Wilcox on Aug 12, 2011 2:29 PM EDT up reply actions 7 recs
Right now its ingrained to cut for an advantage, after a time of same day weight ins, fighters will and coaches will change strategy.
But either way lets at least weight the fighters before the fight so we can know how much they really weight during fight time. Even if its “unofficial”.
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Same day weigh ins is a horrible idea. Guys will drain themselves and then fight in that state which can lead to some very tragic endings. A body drained of that much fluid is a little more fragile and i am not sure if its common or not, but my brother had a seizure when he was dehydrated.
I’d rather just climb this fridge
by Riley_96 on Aug 12, 2011 9:38 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Except then missing weight becomes an even bigger problem.
"So even though it’s the gayest sport ever, MMA is still the best sport ever. I love my gay sport." - Wrestling Uber Alles
Huh? Jon Fitch? He’s actually one of the smaller WW’s ever since he started that vegan diet. If you’re going to say Jon Fitch, you may as well say GSP, Shields and everyone else in the division.
"Referees, be sure to step in and stop the fight on time tomorrow, because I might get carried away in the moment and my many punches may end up destroying my opponent." - Tatsuya "CRUSHER" Kawajiri
Clearly GSP should fight at MW, Anderson Silva at LHW, Forrest Griffin at HW, and Carwin, Big Foot Silva, and Brock are SHW
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~ Bobby Hill
Not every fighter is going to be the same size and strength. Not everyone is going to be 185 lbs or whatever weight class limit with this philosophy, and you would see fighters weighing much less than the maximum allowed limit (in this hypothetical world where fighters are fighting at their most natural weight). Even without weight cutting, there would still have varying size and strength discrepancies.
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Interesting read.
I’ve wondered why this isn’t a bigger issue for fighters, insofar as the immediate physical symptoms are concerned (e.g. Aldo). But then again I’ve never cut weight.
Also, nice hat.
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- Baruch Spinoza
Dude is 5'10"
He could easily make 205 without cutting weight. Would just have to maintain a hardly overly strict diet.
by The Ghost of Spike Owen on Aug 12, 2011 2:26 PM EDT reply actions
He fights at between 239.5 and 250, although there is no way to accurately assess body fat percentage from a picture, it is highly, highly unlikely he could make 205 without cutting.
"Life is tough, but it's tougher if you're stupid." -John Wayne
Death before dishonor, drinks before lunch.
Never send sheep to kill a wolf.
by The American Ronin on Aug 12, 2011 2:31 PM EDT up reply actions
There are 5'10" lightweights
I simply don’t believe that body types vary to that degree.
by The Ghost of Spike Owen on Aug 12, 2011 2:38 PM EDT up reply actions
Ummm...
So you think 5’ 9" & 135# Bantamweight Miguel Torres has about the same lean mass as 5’9" 274# Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler?
"Life is tough, but it's tougher if you're stupid." -John Wayne
Death before dishonor, drinks before lunch.
Never send sheep to kill a wolf.
by The American Ronin on Aug 12, 2011 3:16 PM EDT up reply actions
Give Torres some juice, quick!
"I'm a little worried about being a slut"
~ Bobby Hill
I think if they both followed a similar calories in/calories out lifestyle …
… that the law of thermodynamics implies they would be approximately the same weight, with possibly different body composition at that weight.
I think it would behoove Cormier to reduce his caloric intake. Presumably, training and coaching at ATT, he already has a pretty high caloric output from day to day. By maintaining a steady and balanced caloric intake, he should have no problem making 205 without ever having to see the inside of a sauna.
by The Ghost of Spike Owen on Aug 12, 2011 3:28 PM EDT up reply actions
Definitely a question of bone density.
by The Ghost of Spike Owen on Aug 12, 2011 5:10 PM EDT up reply actions
There should be a hydration test during weigh ins
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I’m not familiar with hydration tests. What would be the purpose of having those exactly?
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Basically, you put them on a scale, then you test how hydrated they are to make sure that they aren’t cutting water weight. In this way you can tell what they really weigh when they are in fighting condition.
I can get behind that. However, what are the issues with this though exactly? I mean, what’s the need for it? Is there something with fighter safety? Or just putting everything on an even playing field?
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Fighter safety, mostly. A little of the even playing field thing.
Cutting weight is not good for your health. It also can lead to boring fights with gassed out fighters, and guys being way undersized when they fight in their real weight class (like Frankie Edger, for example).
It’s a good idea, but I don’t think any promotion would be happy with fights canceled by hydration tests.
Fights get cancelled because fighters miss weight, this is no different.
As an added benefit of doing hydration testing, you would be able to do the weigh-in’s a couple of weeks or so before the fight, since you can’t put much size on in 2-4 weeks. It would probably allow for fewer fight cancellations.
Maybe if it was in place long enough eventually would feel like that, but the first rounds of cancelled fights would be a shit storm that no one would want to deal with. The impetus simply isn’t strong enough to overcome initial resistance. Should ≠ will happen.
Oh, I don't think this will ever happen. I think we are stuck with weight cutting.
But, if they did transition to hydration testing, I don’t think there would be that many cancelled fights. I think almost 85% of fighters would simply move up a weight class.
Also, late replacement fights should to be catch weight fights
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by KJ Gould on Aug 12, 2011 2:30 PM EDT reply actions 2 recs
totally agree
It’s good sense for both fighters, especially the replacement.
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There is only one way to eliminate fighters cutting, and frankly I'm amazed no one is talking about it
… Is to eliminate weight classes all together.
by RoB_ex on Aug 12, 2011 3:03 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
WAR Brock Lesnar Vs BJ Penn
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by Chris Hines on Aug 12, 2011 3:18 PM EDT up reply actions 3 recs
LOL!
Anderson Silva, Edson Barboza, Jose Aldo, Charles Oliveira, Thiago Alves = Muay Thai wrecking machines!
by SentientAndroid on Aug 12, 2011 3:35 PM EDT up reply actions
Demetrius Johnson vs Bigfoot Silva!
Anderson Silva, Edson Barboza, Jose Aldo, Charles Oliveira, Thiago Alves = Muay Thai wrecking machines!
by SentientAndroid on Aug 12, 2011 3:35 PM EDT up reply actions
Alistair Overeem vs Dominic Cruz!
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Benavidez/Tim Slyvia! BOOK IT!!!
Anderson Silva, Edson Barboza, Jose Aldo, Charles Oliveira, Thiago Alves = Muay Thai wrecking machines!
by SentientAndroid on Aug 12, 2011 5:46 PM EDT up reply actions
Make it happen, Dana!
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by Chris Hall on Aug 12, 2011 5:50 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
God
I love BE, and off from work I go.
Anderson Silva, Edson Barboza, Jose Aldo, Charles Oliveira, Thiago Alves = Muay Thai wrecking machines!
by SentientAndroid on Aug 12, 2011 5:57 PM EDT up reply actions
You're really "amazed" no one is talking about this?
by The Ghost of Spike Owen on Aug 12, 2011 3:29 PM EDT up reply actions
There's a lot more hate towards weight cutting than I realized
Anyone dehydrating themselves to a dangerous level isn’t cool, but weight cutting in general is more than fine with me. Thiago Alves would be murdered at MW, why should he be forced to fight above a WW.
"I'm a little worried about being a slut"
~ Bobby Hill
Fans are the only solution to weight cutting
1. In addition to official day before the fight weigh ins, Have a secondary weigh in the day of the fight just for public information.
2. Then allow the public to know how much their fighter weighs more than the other officially.
3. We will soon have the community saying X fighter weighs exactly X more lbs that is why he won or loss.
4. Fighters like Thiago Alves and Anthony Johnson will be sub prime fighters because they dont have the inherent skill to fight people of their own weight class.
5. Fighters will feel embarrassed or praised when they lose because the public will know how much of an advantage they had. Fighters will move to proper weight class
Thiago can't fight at 185 because he is 5'9, and has T-Rex arms. Not because he doesn't have the skills to do so.
"I'm a little worried about being a slut"
~ Bobby Hill
I do not know how practical this is in MMA, but in HS wrestling they give you a body fat test at the begining of the year and find out what your weight would be at 7% body fat. They then do not let you go below that weight class. They could test fighters yearly and not let them compete at weight classes that put them below 4 or 5% body fat.
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