The method of weight cutting in the UFC has come under increasing scrutiny in recent times. As sport science continues to advance, it is becoming clear that this is not a sustainable policy. Fighters continue to cut massive amounts of weight in the build-up to fights, leaving many looking incredibly unhealthy when they step on the scales at weigh-ins.
Some title fights have been affected by UFC stars failing to make weight, while Khabib Nurmagomedov even ended up in hospital due to dehydration in a botched weight cut before his scheduled bout with Tony Ferguson.
All of this has led for many to call for the UFC to outlaw these dangerous weight cuts.
The One Fighting Championship could be an example to follow. The Asian MMA promotion has stopped stopped their fighters cutting massive amounts of weight by introducing hydration testing.
Joe Rogan had UFC middleweight Khalil Rountree Jr. on his podcast this week when the subject of cutting weight came up. Rogan feels that the UFC need to follow the example set by One, saying their own rules are now outdated.
Nobody is cutting any weight. They have a system... where they stop you from weight cutting. They check your hydration levels.
It's the right way to do it, they should have done it a long time ago in the UFC.
Ruining cards, even more importantly, causing fighters not to fight at their full potential. How many fighters have got hit when they shouldn't have gotten hit, if they didn't have to recover from a weight cut? Who knows?
Maybe there's shots you ate that you wouldn't have eaten, especially some guy who is cutting a brutal amount of weight.
Healthier fighters should mean better fights, which would ultimately be good for business. It may mean some fighters have to move up a weight class or two, but we cannot see a continuation of what currently goes on within the organisation.
We have seen the likes of Conor McGregor looking incredibly gaunt when weighing in for fights, and it can be physically uncomfortable to look at at times.
Rogan says the only argument for keeping the current rules is that it offers advantages to the athletes who can endure difficult cuts.
The only argument for it is that the guys who are tough enough to do it, and cut a shit load of weight, have this massive size advantage and sometimes it allows them to win. They think they should be allowed to do it because they are tough enough to cut all that weight.
It's hard to do, you have to be a strong person. I just don't think it's good for anybody. It's not good for the athletes, it's not good for the sport. I don't think it's good for anybody.
It's just an old thing people are doing so they don't have to fight the bigger people.
