Couldn't agree with you more. Cutting weight used to be so a 210 pound guy did not fight say a 255 pound guy. It gave the people on the edge a chance to lose a few pounds to get into a weight class they could handle. But now with all of the diaretics and such guys like Rich Franklin or Tito Ortiz cut down from 200 or 220 and then go replenish that weight easily before a fight. That was how both were so dominant. But you make an excellent point, just look at Anderson Sylva or Randy Couture as a heavyweight. Neither cuts any weight (maybe a few pounds in Sylva's case, but not much) and both are at one hundred percent on fight day! A guy like Travis Lutter cuts so much weight that he can't make it and loses a title shot and looks like shit. Bisping did walk around at around 205 and would get dominated by guys who cut. It'll never change though so get used to it. Me personally I love it when guys can't make weight becasue they always go and get smashed!

LOL...Gabe would be down for the tube! As for the weight cuts I was meaning they should have to lose weight gradually. I will insert something that we have to go by. The UFC needs to run its self more like the NFL or something and keep taps on what is going down. At the very least IMO. To prevent dehydration a fighter should start dropping weight a month before an event. If he/she doesn't like it they could always change weight classes or jobs.
http://www.wvmat.com/wvssacweightshort.pdf

EERS_1_Fan

Head of South East Tribe MMAFIA
MMABRAT, CaptnCrunch, and Michael are all going to start training in the devils MMA lol

OK......how do they enforce a "no cut" policy? And while were at it, lets start a fighters union

"Sometimes you're flush and sometimes you're bust, and when you're up, it's never as good as it seems, and when you're down, you never think you'll be up again, but life goes on."

Ok Big Mac,
I admit I’m a dummy and have no clue, but I am a OSHA certified instructor, so I know that pretty much every safety standard we have in this country is through the “trial and era” process. It just seems a shame that all the athletes from grade school to the pro’s that have already passed away from dehydration, can’t stand as a reminder that what they are doing is unhealthy. My kids think that going without a snack after supper is cutting weight hard! lol. But 10 or 15 pounds in a day is just asking for a heat stroke.

As for the union, I’m union and proud of it!

EERS_1_Fan

Head of South East Tribe MMAFIA
MMABRAT, CaptnCrunch, and Michael are all going to start training in the devils MMA lol

I was being serious. What could we do, what could anyone do? You can't make a law against it bro, there's just not way. It would require a 24hr. "mom" to watch over the fighter. Being an OSHA certified instructor is great, and I feel you about the kids dying. I really, really do. It's one of the reasons I never wrestled in high school. But all I'm saying is that there is no way to enforce a "rule". And don't get all up tight on the Union biz, I love HOFFA! Great movie, what I was referring to was; there has been a lot of talk lately of forming a "fighters union". And all I was saying, that's about as reasonable as finding a way to test for weight cutting. A union can't exist in a individuals game (fighting). Baseball, yes. Manufacturing, yes. Even football players have a union. I was just saying bud, different games. That's all. We gotta get this guy his nintendo wii! And if we ever do find a way to do a "cut" rule--I'm all for it. I'm not mentally challenged, I don't like seeing people die. I don't even like seeing blood in these fights most of the time.

"Sometimes you're flush and sometimes you're bust, and when you're up, it's never as good as it seems, and when you're down, you never think you'll be up again, but life goes on."

http://www.sherdog.net/forums/showthread.php?threadid=771653

Hey EERS this was on Sherdog main forum. I kinda chuckled a bit, I found it prudent

"Sometimes you're flush and sometimes you're bust, and when you're up, it's never as good as it seems, and when you're down, you never think you'll be up again, but life goes on."

i'm going to play devils advocate here...cutting weight is TERRIBLE for the body. i remember cutting weight in high school for wrestling and it was the worst especially since in high school you compete only about 2 hours later....but there's no logical way for people to be on an even playing field if u don't weigh guys in. will it be an honor system? even if they did some thing like they weigh u multiple times coming up to the event people will still cut weight.

i've heard the "cutting weight is bad" argument a million times and it is...but i honestly can't see boxing, wrestling, or MMA getting rid of weigh ins in my lifetime.

As I said, I am not saying anything against weigh- ins....As far as I care A LW can walk around the weight of Butter Bean if he wants. All I said is the weight needs to come off gradually to prevent a heat exhaustion or a stroke. I think it would be perfectly fine to have a program in place that allows the UFC to make them weigh in so long before the fight, if they aren't within a target percentage of their fight weight.....well then they should have stayed away from Ryans. And anyone who doesn't understand what I'm talking about look it up.....its a killa

EERS_1_Fan

Head of South East Tribe MMAFIA
MMABRAT, CaptnCrunch, and Michael are all going to start training in the devils MMA lol

Seems pretty simple to me as to how to regulate weight classes. As Eers says he doesn't care if you weigh 1000lbs a month before the fight but starting a week before the fight make the fighters weigh in 10 times. 8 random tests through the week and twice on fight day...in the morning and 30 minutes before the fight. Why give the guys 24 plus hours to regenerate. Do you think guys would be willing to cut 20 plus pounds if they actually had to fight at that weight? Not a chance. ANd by doing like I said and giving them a range to land in then you should be able to make weight.

FYI I am not a Union guy but am on the record many many times on these boards saying a union would be the best thing for the fighters. You Unionize and the money goes up. You collectivly bargin all contracts. Sure being an individual sport there would be a lot of things to work out but if all the top fighters joined a union (Liddell, Rua, Fedor, Rampage, St.Pierre, Hughes, Penn, Sherk ect.) then if you want to have a main event you must deal with the UFCPA. The UFC Rep and the UFCPA rep would both sit and decide the match ups. The union gets 40% of the gross revenues (or whatever percent) for the event then pays their fighters how they see fit. Obviously the matchups would be the best possible to construct the most lucrative PPV revenue and accidently would provide us with the best possible entertainment. The fighters would get whatever a fair cut of the money is because without them there would be no event and without the UFC owners, money, know how and promotion machine there would also be no event. The Union would also, as all unions do put money away into long term health and life insurance, retirement plans ect to keep the fighters earning after their career is over. Tell me the boys in the WWF wouldn't have liked something along these lines back in the day as well.

they do have a range now but the range doesn't matter. they're technically allowed to weight one pound over the limit for non-title fights. there's just no way to do it.

imagine them calling off a title fight because they randomly gave a fighter a weigh in and he was over the limit? THAT would suck and it would happen often.

Papa what would you rather hapen?

1. A LW fighter is at about 175 pounds a few weeks before his fight and still doesnt reallt care. Then a few days before he drasticly cuts all water weight, has a stroke and dies.

OR

2. The UFC has a program in place to make sure the LW is losing weight the proper way by keeping track of him. Once they set the fight up they would periodicly check his body weight and make sure he was on track. If he really wanted to fight, he would make sure he was staying within his target weight.

example
week 1 175.....week 2 172....so on so forth

EERS_1_Fan

Head of South East Tribe MMAFIA
MMABRAT, CaptnCrunch, and Michael are all going to start training in the devils MMA lol

ahhah...that's the most unfair choice ever! death or no death!

hey i'm all for proper weigh ins. i've said from the beginning that i think cutting weight is terrible.

to be honest, your proposed plan of having them gradually go down..i believe that's what a good coach should be doing, not the UFC. a good coach (and the fighter) should know that a drastic last day cut is the worst thing for his fighter.
i don't think veteran fighters who cut alot of weight (sherk + franklin) are going to like the UFC or some commissioning body babying them weeks up to the fight.

I agree that should happen, but only does it not on a regular basis, they show people cuting water weight on Spike. Yikes Every youth and high school wrestler in the world thinks that is hip!

EERS_1_Fan

Head of South East Tribe MMAFIA
MMABRAT, CaptnCrunch, and Michael are all going to start training in the devils MMA lol

YIKES!

Underboss MMAfia

Head of the West Coast Family
ULTIMATE CHALLENGE CHAMPION UFC 83

jk eers....jk!

Underboss MMAfia

Head of the West Coast Family
ULTIMATE CHALLENGE CHAMPION UFC 83

Gewilikers People

EERS_1_Fan

Head of South East Tribe MMAFIA
MMABRAT, CaptnCrunch, and Michael are all going to start training in the devils MMA lol

yeah. geFNwilikers people!

i'm bored...sorry.

Underboss MMAfia

Head of the West Coast Family
ULTIMATE CHALLENGE CHAMPION UFC 83

eers, i challenge you to a fight to the death!

of course, we have to weigh in beforehand to make sure things are on a fair playing field.

HMMM I accept! Birdman I need your magical powers to assist me in this quest!

EERS_1_Fan

Head of South East Tribe MMAFIA
MMABRAT, CaptnCrunch, and Michael are all going to start training in the devils MMA lol

walla walla!!!!! (you now have powers)

Underboss MMAfia

Head of the West Coast Family
ULTIMATE CHALLENGE CHAMPION UFC 83

that's messed up phoenix. seriously messed up. you can't just be giving out powers left and right.

i hate you.

i hated you first paps. i hated you the day i saw you on CBS. i went, oh i so hate this guy!!!! then i growled in anger because i hate you so much.

Underboss MMAfia

Head of the West Coast Family
ULTIMATE CHALLENGE CHAMPION UFC 83

my feelings are hurt.

phase one complete

Underboss MMAfia

Head of the West Coast Family
ULTIMATE CHALLENGE CHAMPION UFC 83

Cutting weight is part of combat sports. Boxers, wrestlers and all athletes competing in combative sports cut weight. If you can cut 10 pounds of water weight overnight than who is to say you shouldn't be able to. Most fighters know how to cut weight properly. If they are too dehydrated during their fight then they will gas out quickly. If Franklin didn't cut weight he would be a heavyweight. How is it fair for him to fight heavyweight when he is obviously undersized for that weight class.

It is not what we say but what we do that defines us.

If I had my way I would reset the scales to keep the fighters in their weight class. For example everyone that fights at 205 actually weighs somewhere between 210 and 225 right? Nobody in that class is actually a 205 lbs man. So why not just make the class 205-225? As long as your in that 20lbs window your good? 185-205. If Franklin weighs more then 205 he should be fighting as a light heavy weight anyways as nobody safely cuts more then 20lbs in one day. 170-185, 155-170, 140-155.

The argument that a guy weighing in 15lbs heavier then his competitor gives him an unfair advantage is bull. Because at the time of the fight they are back to their original weigh anyway. So realistically the fighters in the 205 wieght class we see on tv are a 220lb Liddel vs a 225lb Tito. Back to my original point...Cutting weight is Stupid.

SBRadial, these are one of the rare occasions we defiantly agree. I have seen times even in youth tournaments when they have satellite weigh-ins for larger tournaments such as state and National tourneys., two days in advance and kids would cut 15-20 pounds. And I’m not talking about 205 #, I’m talking more along the lines of 80 pound kids.

My kids had a strict rule for the most part, they had to stay in the same class for the whole year, that is unless they would have grown out of it of course. Well CaptnCrunch dropped to 80 for one tourney but that was because he had the flu…….lol…..but then he KO’d the kid….hence his sign out.

But I can’t image a few pounds of water weight that a fighter puts on helps them….other than the fact they are hydrated. So why not just let them stay that way?

EERS_1_Fan

Head of South East Tribe MMAFIA
MMABRAT, CaptnCrunch, and Michael are all going to start training in the devils MMA lol

20 pounds in one day is obviously dangerous. They can however cut that in a week and not put as much stress on your body. Food and water intake dramatically decrease the week of your weigh in. As boxers age you see then climb up in weight class as they are unable to continue cutting for smaller divisions. Ex. James Toney

It is not what we say but what we do that defines us.