GSP believes early weigh-ins are doing more harm than good

[Wild]

Count Georges St-Pierre as one fighter who is not a fan of the early weigh-in process adopted by the UFC.

The former welterweight champion will make his return to action later this year at 185 pounds, which is relatively close to the weight where he normally walks around prior to a fight.

In a perfect world, St-Pierre would like to see more fighters competing at a natural weight rather than damaging their bodies to lose dozens of pounds in the weeks leading up to an event to try and gain some sort of advantage.

In fact, St-Pierre believes the new early-weigh in rules where fighters are required to hit the scale on Friday morning instead during the afternoon will ultimately be a hindrance to athletes and could eventually result in someone’s death.

“I’m not a big fan of cutting weight,” St-Pierre explained on the “UFC Undisputed” podcast. “I always prioritize my health over my performance. By the way, I believe the new weigh-in in the morning before fight, I think it’s a bad thing. I think guys see it as an opportunity to cut more weight. So I think it’s a bad thing. I told Dana [White] when I saw him, I don’t see it as a good thing.

“I think they have to change it because one day someone will die. One day someone will die and it will affect all of us.”

Georges St-Pierre explains why he doesn't like the early weigh-in rules in the UFC | FOX Sports

 

[psychicdeath]

I tend to agree. I wrote much the same last week. Dehydrated Fighters: UFC's New Rules Getting Worse Results?

 

[bully4me]

In a perfect world it would be great if fighters didn't cut weight. The issue really starts in schools with wrestlers cutting weight for competition. If we start with young kids doing it all the way through high school, college and even in the Olympics it's going to be a hard sell to get fighters to stop cutting weight.

I understand fighters want to get every advantage in the cage and if you're bigger by cutting and have more strength. However now days everyone is doing it and that advantage is little to none. We're even seeing some fighters move up weight classes because they have better cardio and take punishment better, we are seeing this more recently.

Perhaps the only way to deal with this is have fighters randomly get weighed out of competition when they're tested for PED's or at least a few times a year. Have them allowed to only cut a certain percentage of their natural weight. If that happened there would need to be a smaller weight differential between classes, even ten lb's is a lot but say they start there and go 125, 135, 145, 155, 165,175, 185, 195 , 205 and from that point spread them out by 15lbs, as body percentage of loss would less at the higher weight. Issue with this is as the weight classes go up there isn't as many fighters to be competitive, LHW and HW already have less fighters than most.

In theory it sounds fine but it would be hard to implement and weaken the bigger classes. Tough call.

 

[Robbie Hart]

In a perfect world it would be great if fighters didn't cut weight. The issue really starts in schools with wrestlers cutting weight for competition. If we start with young kids doing it all the way through high school, college and even in the Olympics it's going to be a hard sell to get fighters to stop cutting weight.

I understand fighters want to get every advantage in the cage and if you're bigger by cutting and have more strength. However now days everyone is doing it and that advantage is little to none. We're even seeing some fighters move up weight classes because they have better cardio and take punishment better, we are seeing this more recently.

Perhaps the only way to deal with this is have fighters randomly get weighed out of competition when they're tested for PED's or at least a few times a year. Have them allowed to only cut a certain percentage of their natural weight. If that happened there would need to be a smaller weight differential between classes, even ten lb's is a lot but say they start there and go 125, 135, 145, 155, 165,175, 185, 195 , 205 and from that point spread them out by 15lbs, as body percentage of loss would less at the higher weight. Issue with this is as the weight classes go up there isn't as many fighters to be competitive, LHW and HW already have less fighters than most.

In theory it sounds fine but it would be hard to implement and weaken the bigger classes. Tough call.

When we wrestled in grade school and high school and even when we weighed in for "pee wee" football, our coaches gave us gum before the weigh ins and said "get all of that excess fluid out of your body, cmon fellas, we need this, etc, etc"......looking back on it now, I suppose i wasn't one of the "chosen" one's who needed to lose that much weight but was it necessary?
Btw, my football coach was a state trooper and was a win at all costs type.......mother fucker

 

[Report]

I think the solution is simple. Promotes sign people to fight at the rift weight class.

They don't let khabib fight lightweight (or most light weights). They offer him fights at welterweight. And they don't do it versus Tyron woody. They would only sign Woodley fights at middleweight

It would require integrity. But inevitably, promoters will play favorites and try booking one guy not weight cutting vs one who is...

 

[Porkchop]

I say we make them weigh in when they enter the octagon and no water until the fight is over. The winner gets a tall glass of water and the loser has to drink Monster Energy. Gross.

 

[The EZ Life]

In a perfect world it would be great if fighters didn't cut weight. The issue really starts in schools with wrestlers cutting weight for competition. If we start with young kids doing it all the way through high school, college and even in the Olympics it's going to be a hard sell to get fighters to stop cutting weight.

I understand fighters want to get every advantage in the cage and if you're bigger by cutting and have more strength. However now days everyone is doing it and that advantage is little to none. We're even seeing some fighters move up weight classes because they have better cardio and take punishment better, we are seeing this more recently.

Perhaps the only way to deal with this is have fighters randomly get weighed out of competition when they're tested for PED's or at least a few times a year. Have them allowed to only cut a certain percentage of their natural weight. If that happened there would need to be a smaller weight differential between classes, even ten lb's is a lot but say they start there and go 125, 135, 145, 155, 165,175, 185, 195 , 205 and from that point spread them out by 15lbs, as body percentage of loss would less at the higher weight. Issue with this is as the weight classes go up there isn't as many fighters to be competitive, LHW and HW already have less fighters than most.

In theory it sounds fine but it would be hard to implement and weaken the bigger classes. Tough call.

In highschool wrestling before the season starts we have to pass a hydration test and then we are weighed in, and they do the math that says how much weight u are allowed to drop based on body fat and stuff.


Granted I , and many other people, cheated on the hydration test , if this is implemented in the UFC & they prevent cheating it can be a good thing.

 

[Onetrickpony]

Now would be a great time to add weight classes. 155, 165, 175, 185 and don't think a 195 would be great since splitting 205 and 185 would leave some pretty thread bare divisions but 155 and 170 have lots of great fighters who could go up or down (there may be guys that come down for 185 too). This would also give the new owners shiny new belts to give out to lessen the frequency of the terrible interm fights and they could have some great multi UFC tournaments to determine the belt holders.

 

[Tiiimmmaaayyy]

Is GSP starting to pave the path for excuses if he has a bad performance?

 

[HEATH VON DOOM]

The whole thing to me boils down to weight classes. Just having them at all promotes weight cutting. You can add more weight classes and you will still have people dehydrating to get down. Its just a vicious cycle of fighters trying to gain the advantage.

 

[The EZ Life]

The whole thing to me boils down to weight classes. Just having them at all promotes weight cutting. You can add more weight classes and you will still have people dehydrating to get down. Its just a vicious cycle of fighters trying to gain the advantage.

Weight classes is about as fair as it's going to get. Cutting weight isn't necessarily bad, it's the excessive cutting and certain fighters going about it the wrong way that's bad. I think. I mean who wants to fight up 15 pounds if they can safely make the weight class below

 

[HEATH VON DOOM]

Weight classes is about as fair as it's going to get. Cutting weight isn't necessarily bad, it's the excessive cutting and certain fighters going about it the wrong way that's bad. I think. I mean who wants to fight up 15 pounds if they can safely make the weight class below

I agree but if you change the weight classes and make them every 10 lbs you just open it up for different fighters cutting weight. Cyborg can make 140 but not 135 is the best example of this.

 

[bully4me]

In highschool wrestling before the season starts we have to pass a hydration test and then we are weighed in, and they do the math that says how much weight u are allowed to drop based on body fat and stuff.


Granted I , and many other people, cheated on the hydration test , if this is implemented in the UFC & they prevent cheating it can be a good thing.

Agree 100% , it would be a very good thing. On the other hand as you point out, even at that age some learn it's alright to cheat.

 

[Onetrickpony]

I agree but if you change the weight classes and make them every 10 lbs you just open it up for different fighters cutting weight. Cyborg can make 140 but not 135 is the best example of this.

If new weight classes were implemented with a hydration system similar to the one that ONE has in place fighters would be forced to fight at a more natural weight. If a fighter wanted to fight below the weight class they were put in then they would have to drop muscle to stay within those limits.

The whole argument that fighters will always cut weight and theres nothing that can be done do is just an excuse to not do anything. GSP is correct that it will likely take someone dying (like it did for ONE) for something to change.

ONE policy

1. Athletes must submit their current walking weight and daily training weight regularly. Athletes will input and track their daily weight online via a dedicated web portal. Athletes may input data weekly but must include daily weights.

2. Athletes will be assigned to their weight class based on collated data and random weight checks. Athletes are not allowed to drop a weight class when less than 8 weeks out from an event.

3. During fight week, weights are checked daily. Urine specific gravity will also be checked the day after arrival and 3 hours prior to the event. Athletes must be within their weight class and pass specific gravity hydration tests all week and up to 3 hours before the event. If an athlete falls outside the weight, or fails a test, they are disqualified from the event. Doctors may request additional testing at their discretion.

4. Catch weight bouts are allowed. However, the athlete with the higher weight will not be heavier than 105% of the lighter opponent’s weight.

5. ONE will conduct random weight checks on athletes at our discretion.

6. Athletes may petition to change weight classes outside of the 8-week competition zone and must be within their new desired weight at that time. In addition, athletes must pass a specific gravity urine test when their weight is within the limits of the newly petitioned weight class. ONE doctors can request additional testing to determine the amount of weight drop allowed over a specific time.

7. The usage of IVs for the purpose of rehydration will not be allowed.

 

[HEATH VON DOOM]

If new weight classes were implemented with a hydration system similar to the one that ONE has in place fighters would be forced to fight at a more natural weight. If a fighter wanted to fight below the weight class they were put in then they would have to drop muscle to stay within those limits.

The whole argument that fighters will always cut weight and theres nothing that can be done do is just an excuse to not do anything. GSP is correct that it will likely take someone dying (like it did for ONE) for something to change.

ONE policy

1. Athletes must submit their current walking weight and daily training weight regularly. Athletes will input and track their daily weight online via a dedicated web portal. Athletes may input data weekly but must include daily weights.

2. Athletes will be assigned to their weight class based on collated data and random weight checks. Athletes are not allowed to drop a weight class when less than 8 weeks out from an event.

3. During fight week, weights are checked daily. Urine specific gravity will also be checked the day after arrival and 3 hours prior to the event. Athletes must be within their weight class and pass specific gravity hydration tests all week and up to 3 hours before the event. If an athlete falls outside the weight, or fails a test, they are disqualified from the event. Doctors may request additional testing at their discretion.

4. Catch weight bouts are allowed. However, the athlete with the higher weight will not be heavier than 105% of the lighter opponent’s weight.

5. ONE will conduct random weight checks on athletes at our discretion.

6. Athletes may petition to change weight classes outside of the 8-week competition zone and must be within their new desired weight at that time. In addition, athletes must pass a specific gravity urine test when their weight is within the limits of the newly petitioned weight class. ONE doctors can request additional testing to determine the amount of weight drop allowed over a specific time.

7. The usage of IVs for the purpose of rehydration will not be allowed.

Why add more weight classes? Just add the hydration system. Weight classes are just a arbitrary number someone has assigned to appease the state commissions. Fighters will always be looking for a advantage and weight classes just give them a number to aim for.

 

[Onetrickpony]

Why add more weight classes? Just add the hydration system. Weight classes are just a arbitrary number someone has assigned to appease the state commissions. Fighters will always be looking for a advantage and weight classes just give them a number to aim for.

The difference between 155 -170 and 170 - 185 is huge. You would no longer have guys killing themselves to get to the lower weight classes and you would have guys that are big at the lower class but do not feel higher is an option move up. It should also lead to fewer fighters missing at weigh ins since they will be fighting much closer to their walk around weight. If they were to start a hydration program in conjunction with the new weight classes it would allow the fighters be in the weight class that is the most optimal for their size. These two options should lead to better fights where guys do not gass as quickly due to bad weight cuts.

 

[HEATH VON DOOM]

The difference between 155 -170 and 170 - 185 is huge. You would no longer have guys killing themselves to get to the lower weight classes and you would have guys that are big at the lower class but do not feel higher is an option move up. It should also lead to fewer fighters missing at weigh ins since they will be fighting much closer to their walk around weight. If they were to start a hydration program in conjunction with the new weight classes it would allow the fighters be in the weight class that is the most optimal for their size. These two options should lead to better fights where guys do not gass as quickly due to bad weight cuts.

You will still have people killing themselves to make weight no matter what the weight class is set at. There are probably alot of fighters at 185 that cant make 170 but can make 175. They will still cut weight if the option to do so is viable.

 

[Onetrickpony]

You will still have people killing themselves to make weight no matter what the weight class is set at. There are probably alot of fighters at 185 that cant make 170 but can make 175. They will still cut weight if the option to do so is viable.

Hydration program.

Or as you have consistently tried to point out we could just never try anything new because there is no way it could work and wait for someone to die.

 

[NHBStriker]

When we wrestled in grade school and high school and even when we weighed in for "pee wee" football, our coaches gave us gum before the weigh ins and said "get all of that excess fluid out of your body, cmon fellas, we need this, etc, etc"......looking back on it now, I suppose i wasn't one of the "chosen" one's who needed to lose that much weight but was it necessary?
Btw, my football coach was a state trooper and was a win at all costs type.......mother fucker

I live in a fairly small farm town in California's central valley. Football is a big deal here. I've seen these 6th-8th grade kids getting put through the mill like they're training for the NFL or something. I'm not sure what to make of the coaches. They're organized and serious about it, for sure.