Renan Barao out due to weight cutting issues - which begs the question...

[Makalakumu]

Despite title fight miss at UFC 177, Renan Barao said weight cut isn?t issue | MMAjunkie

When does weight cutting become too dangerous to keep doing? Barao seems to think that this wasn't an issue for him, but if he's cutting 22 lbs and fainting, that is a huge problem. Apparently, he fell in a bathtub and hit his head. That could potentially have been a serious accident.

Anyway, if you could wave a magic wand tomorrow and change the weight cutting policy, what would you change it to? Would it be safer or superior in any way?

 

[Steve]

I'd ask some doctors and get some objective data on the risks.

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[Brian R. VanCise]

Hey Steve, living with a doctor I can tell you that excessive weight cutting is not good. No doctor would recommend it. The yo yo effect on the body
is very, very hard and in the end has some potentially damaging issues. However, fighters, promoters, fans, are not going to care! Look at me last night
after buying the event and excited to see the Barao/Dillashaw fight we found out it was not going to happen. Nobody was happy at my house!

 

[Makalakumu]

The fight would still be on if there was a different policy in place. Could this policy actually be a drag on the sport?

 

[Steve]

Hey Steve, living with a doctor I can tell you that excessive weight cutting is not good. No doctor would recommend it. The yo yo effect on the body
is very, very hard and in the end has some potentially damaging issues. However, fighters, promoters, fans, are not going to care! Look at me last night
after buying the event and excited to see the Barao/Dillashaw fight we found out it was not going to happen. Nobody was happy at my house!

Sure. I get that, Brian. But we do things all the time that we know aren't healthy. At an elite level, most sports are pretty destructive to the body. What a panel of doctors and some objective information could tell us is where it begins to risk the life of the athlete. I mean, can we even come up with a formula? I don't know. Everyone knows it's not healthy. But when does it become dangerous?

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[Brian R. VanCise]

Well I think that would be a great thing to do is to get a board of physicians not paid by any of the MMA regulating bodies to discuss "cutting weight" and potentially come up with a formula of what would be acceptable. In regards to Barao well unfortunately for him, his fan's, etc. he on that particular night obviously went to far for his body to handle and that is why he ended up in the hospital. The physician's I know do not advocate "cutting weight" at all but instead fighting at a body weight that is natural for the athlete. However, we both know athletes. They will do anything for an edge. Whether that is "cutting weight", new training methods, better coaching, performance enhancing drugs, etc. They want an edge. Promoters really don't care they just want the product out there and the bottom line of making money! Fans just want to see the fights. What is a fighter to do?

 

[Buka]

I have stronger opinions on this issue than any other issue in the fight game. A lot of people get upset, but I've been pissing off folks for a long time anyway. To me - anyone who encourages a juvenile who is "in shape" to cut weight should be thrown in jail or shot. As far as honor is concerned - to cut weight so you can be bigger and probably stronger than your opponent in an unnatural way is the same thing as PHDs in my opinion. Shame on you and shame on trainers for encouraging it. A usual argument I hear is "my boy is in high school and that might get him a scholarship". I know, but that makes your boy a whore. If that's okay with you, so be it. It ain't okay with me and has not and never will happen in any gym I'm part of.

 

[Steve]

I have stronger opinions on this issue than any other issue in the fight game. A lot of people get upset, but I've been pissing off folks for a long time anyway. To me - anyone who encourages a juvenile who is "in shape" to cut weight should be thrown in jail or shot. As far as honor is concerned - to cut weight so you can be bigger and probably stronger than your opponent in an unnatural way is the same thing as PHDs in my opinion. Shame on you and shame on trainers for encouraging it. A usual argument I hear is "my boy is in high school and that might get him a scholarship". I know, but that makes your boy a whore. If that's okay with you, so be it. It ain't okay with me and has not and never will happen in any gym I'm part of.

I 100% agree where kids are concerned. Adults, however, are a different story.


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[Brian R. VanCise]

I am pretty sure at some point someone will die cutting weight for an mma event. (it has already happened I believe in wrestling) I agree with you Steve that adults are a different story and that the UFC probably at some point will put in rules for fighters for their own safety. Similar to restrictions on steroids, etc. Athletes really have a hard time unless their is some kind of penalty.