[TheCalculator]

This is one of the better articles written about weight cuts.

The best part of about it (and the most important for us as cappers) is the DROP IN PERFORMANCE when dehydrated.

It's extreme.

Many of you will look at the rehydration numbers and think "He's back to full force." Sure... but realize this was his first weight cut. They get PROGRESSIVELY HARDER and the reality is that a lot of fighters are NOT fully hydrated on fight night. This is obviously VERY significant in their performance.

http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog...ut-weight-ufc/

For those who don't understand how DEEP a nightmare it is -- watch this video:
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xlg...t#.UYmw_pWu0_s

Few things are more stressful to the body than having it's water taken out. Far easier to NOT eat.

[omalley21]

Why do they get progressively harder?

[MD]

Why do they get progressively harder?

Strenuousness. It's an incredibly taxing ordeal on the body, and something that really does affect the lifespan of an individual. Daniel Cormier suffered kidney failure and almost died from weight cutting. Possibly the best example of this in action is Anthony Johnson. He's gone from welterweight to heavyweight in, what, two years? Less? He had one of the worst cuts in MMA and could barely make the cut to 170. One day, he simply can't do it any more, he can only make 172~. No problem, he moves to 185. He starts to cut, his body simply can't do it any more, he can't even make 195.

My personal view, I'm not convinced fighters are cutting and re-gaining weight as efficiently as they need to. Some have it down to a science (like Dolce, presumably), but they represent a minority, and it's my opinion that the science of weight cutting hasn't evolved to the point where it's as safe a practice as possible. There are unnecessary risks inherent to it, due to the lack of information and awareness surrounding it.

[The iron sheik]

It certainly isn't safe when it comes to Anthony Johnson and the likes. The guy is just a moron, plain and simple.

[omalley21]

Strenuousness. It's an incredibly taxing ordeal on the body, and something that really does affect the lifespan of an individual. Daniel Cormier suffered kidney failure and almost died from weight cutting. Possibly the best example of this in action is Anthony Johnson. He's gone from welterweight to heavyweight in, what, two years? Less? He had one of the worst cuts in MMA and could barely make the cut to 170. One day, he simply can't do it any more, he can only make 172~. No problem, he moves to 185. He starts to cut, his body simply can't do it any more, he can't even make 195.

My personal view, I'm not convinced fighters are cutting and re-gaining weight as efficiently as they need to. Some have it down to a science (like Dolce, presumably), but they represent a minority, and it's my opinion that the science of weight cutting hasn't evolved to the point where it's as safe a practice as possible. There are unnecessary risks inherent to it, due to the lack of information and awareness surrounding it.

Thanks, I agree cutting excessive amounts isn't good for ones health. Anthony Johnson seems like an outlier to me though, he's bigger than Fedor. I know they get harder when you get old like Hendo.. But I've seen many examples where the first time a fighter cuts weight they look bad, but then they figure out and get used to the cut, and they look progressively better.. I wouldn't cut more than 5-10 lbs if I were fighting.

[TheCalculator]

Why do they get progressively harder?

MD gave a good example.

Essentially you're "tricking the body" to lose water when you're doing a weight cut. The body always adapts to things -- and weight cuts are no exception. Over time, it gets harder and harder to fool the body over and over again.

And MD hit a key point which is that they DON'T fully hydrate. That's the real problem. The key to hydration is having the water INSIDE THE CELLS. I could write 10 pages about different types of water -- but the problem is that they are drinking crappy water that isn't really going inside the cells of the body. When it comes to water (and other nutrients) -- it's all about absoption, NOT consumption.

AJ is an extreme example. But as far as drops in performance (which is my point) -- even GSP was gassing and was tired (in the end of the 3rd I believe) in the fight with Diaz. I would dare to say it's because he wasn't fully hydrated on a cellular level.

[omalley21]

Ya you guys are right, it makes sense, but Aldo had put on muscle mass and was on antibiotics (so ive heard) vs Hominick. AJ had no right to ever be 170 or even 185. GSP was supposedly putting on muscle for his future clash with Anderson..

Calc I would appreciate if you posted your post weigh in analysis again, I believe you did one time. I have no expertise in this area. Hard for me to really tell just how bad someones weight cut went. What do you look at: cheeks, tightness of skin, dark circles under eyes? I'm sure many of you have seen @mmawiseguy on twitter, he's made bold claims about how much he makes simply from weigh in analysis. He seems to have delusions of grandeur though. I'm always looking for any edge I can though, thanks.

[Educ8d Degener8]

I drop a weight class after taking a decent dump.

[MD]

I drop a weight class after taking a decent dump.

I heard you've never lost after making a Large dump, but you're 4-7 on Moderate dumps.

[Educ8d Degener8]

I heard you've never lost after making a Large dump, but you're 4-7 on Moderate dumps.

Those were moderate fliers. They don't count on my record.

[TheCalculator]

Calc I would appreciate if you posted your post weigh in analysis again, I believe you did one time. I have no expertise in this area. Hard for me to really tell just how bad someones weight cut went. What do you look at: cheeks, tightness of skin, dark circles under eyes? I'm sure many of you have seen @mmawiseguy on twitter, he's made bold claims about how much he makes simply from weigh in analysis. He seems to have delusions of grandeur though. I'm always looking for any edge I can though, thanks.

Here's some key ones: dark circles (usually a sign that liver is taxed heavily), muscle loss (compared to previous weigh ins) indicates they will be weaker, higher bodyfat % or more ripped (usually indicates they are on or off the roids), lethargy walking to the ring (sometimes that's just how they walk, but I like to see a fighter that's pumped up and excited compared to walking slow and not seeming to care much).

I usually faded 2 or 3 fighters per card based on the weigh-ins and more often that not it's on the win side.