Should the UFC switch to doing weigh-ins right before the fight?

Question

I for one am sick of seeing guys billed at 185 pounds when they are clearly 200+. Why can't people fight at their natural weight? You would probably see better fights as a result, since in many instances fighters have sabotaged their performance by trying to cut too much.

If they are worried about too many last-minute disqualifications from fighters who come in heavy, they could penalize them a percentage of their purse for every pound they are over, but still hold the fight. I think that would be sufficient incentive to make weight.

What do you think? I am especially interested to hear the opinions of people who have had to cut weight themselves for mma or wrestling.

Answer 1

It would be fair, but us viewers may not be the largest customer base of MMA fans.  The link between the Nevada Athletic Commission and governing gaming organizations is too close.  People need at least a 24-hour notice if a fight will be at the right weight especially if making weigh-in means a fight will be a title fight or it will not be.  

Think about when Silva completely dominated Lutter.  If people had placed wagers on it thinking it would be a title fight, and then it wound up being an exhibition, there would be some seriously angry gamblers.

From training myself, I can appreciate the aspects of muscle building earlier on - then working endurance really tough in the final preparatory weeks, which will make you naturally use weight.

Trying to weigh the exact same as another opponent, just so you can fight that person is a difficult science and while it would be unhealthy for most people, fighters bodies are very adapted to it.

If you ever want to see a really cool movie about cutting weight, check out Vision Quest.

Answer 2

Fighters don't want to fight at their natural weight.

Answer 3

I dont think this change would help the sport. Rather than having people fighting at their natural weight you would have dehydrated fighters showing up right before the fight to weigh in and then putting on a very unimpressive performance. Fighters will always cut as low as they can go regardless of when you have weigh ins, and the 24 hour window allows for fighters to rehydrate correctly so they dont go out their and look like c**p.

Answer 4

like the idea i really do but if a guy does not make weight an is penalized but is still able to fight is this fair to the other fighter who did make weight and im not talking about the money im talking about the actual fight?

Answer 5

i think they should weigh before the match cause i agree with u

Answer 6

Its a part of the sport. Cutting weight is part of most sporting events. Your supposed to and its part of strategy. I like to think of it as a buffer from stopping guys who cant hack it. If you cant take the cutting of weight, then either fight at your walking weight or dont fight at all.

This will never change. If it did, weight classes would be screwed up.

Answer 7

extreme dehydration and striking to the head is a horrible position to put the brain in.

the sport of wrestling can get away with same day weigh ins simply because there is much less trauma to the brain.

boxing or mma is a worst case scenario for same day weigh ins.  

weight cutting is a part of ANY sport that involves weight classes, always has been always will be.

doesnt matter what your opinion on weight cutting is, athletes are going to do it and have always done it no matter what measures are taken to minimize it.

i live in iowa and grew up immersed in wrestling and wrestling culture and i have watched all the changes made to the weigh ins for high school and college wrestlers, it hasnt changed a thing and its just an amateur sport, no money on the line.

same day weigh ins would increase the chances for fatalities or severe brain injury tenfold.

it likely not what people want to hear and i would be willing o listen to any solution people have to he extreme weight loss, but same day weight ins are not it.

boxing went down this road years ago.  let he lessons they learned about same day weigh ins be the guide for the present.