Arguably the biggest hot button topic in MMA today is the issue of weight-cutting. It’s a complex issue embedded in the culture of the sport, with no easy fix or magic answers. It’s also, according to some, cheating.

UFC commentator Joe Rogan recently opined as such on his The Joe Rogan Expereience podcast, calling the practice “sanctioned cheating” and arguing that the effects are more beneficial than using PEDs.

“It is stupid,” Rogan said. “What it is is sanctioned cheating. It’s sanctioned cheating and it’s cheating at a much higher scale even than PEDs. If you get two people and they both weigh 135 [pounds] but they’re both totally hydrated and one of them has been doing steroids and one of them hasn’t been doing steroids, the difference will be far less than if one person weighs in at 135 [pounds] but then balloons up to 160 [pounds] and then gets into that octagon at 160 [pounds] but there’s no PEDs involved. That’s a much greater advantage than someone whose doing some sort of testosterone thing or something. They’re compromised but the benefit of being so much larger might outweigh being compromised.

“Dude, if I was running s**t, I’d fix that first. That would be the first thing I would fix.”

The dangers involved in extreme weight-cutting plus the ubiquity of it in MMA have led to many efforts to curb the practice. Last year, the California State Athletic Commission adopted regulations geared towards ending weight-cutting in the sport, including adding a fight-day weigh-in wherein any fighter who gained back over 10 percent of their body weight would be recommended to move up a weight class. Coincidentally, all but six fighters at UFC 227 this past weekend were over that 10 percent margin and, to prove Rogan’s point, five of the six fighters in compliance with the regulation lost, the sole winner of that group being Weili Zhang who defeated another fighter with the 10 percent margin, Danielle Taylor.

They aren’t the only ones who are trying to stop weight-cutting. Two years ago, following the death of a Yang Jian Bing who died while attempting to cut weight for a flyweight bout with Geje Eustaquio at ONE Championship 35, the promotion announced a new weigh-in program which bans weight-cutting by dehydration. The program works by having fighters weigh-in daily while in camp and sending in their weight to a company database. During fight week, there are daily weigh-ins and daily hydration tests to make sure fighters are competing at their ‘walking-weight.’ So far the program has been successful and Rogan says ONE Championship is the template that everyone should follow going forward.

“People push it, they do push it,” Rogan said. “If you give them more time, they are gonna push it. If they know that they can rehydrate longer - which is the idea, that it’s safer because you can rehydrate from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. instead of from 4 p.m. on. I just think give them all the time they need. ONE FC has laid out the ground work. Look at what they did with their hydration tests and implement that.”

MUST-READ STORIES

Extra-superfight. GSP open to UFC return this year, interested in Khabib vs. Conor winner.

Bracketology. Bellator announces opening match-ups for welterweight Grand Prix.

SOL. Dustin Poirier bristles at notion of Georges St-Pierre jumping the queue at lightweight.

UFC 227 fight night weights: All but six fighters come in over CSAC regulations.

Moving on. Ronda Rousey ragdolls opponent in first televised WWE match.

VIDEO STEW

Fight Motion is always the best.

Highlights from last weekend’s DWTNCS.

Cejudo says he’s open to a rematch with DJ.

Bang calling TJ the greatest martial artist ever.

Hooft’s boys putting in work.

LISTEN UP

The MMA Hour. Interviews with Dustin Poirier, Israel Adesanya, and Sarah Kaufman.

Anik & Florian. Recapping UFC 227 plus Henry Cejudo stops by.

The Co-Main Event. Discussing UFC 227 and Khabib vs. Conor.

SOCIAL MEDIA BOUILLABAISSE

The video everyone was talking about yesterday.

What are your thoughts on this video posted by Khabib of him and his cousin paying homeless people to do press ups for money...



Personally we feel it's disgusting and degrading.. Especially them constantly laughing at those involved.. pic.twitter.com/msE5i9ureE — The MMA Bible (@TheMMABible) August 6, 2018

Marlon leaves off his loss to the dude who has only lost to TJ and has a win over TJ.

My resume:

1)John Dodson top 5 at the time

2) aljamain sterling - 1:07 seconds ESPN SC highlight

3)jimmy rivera :33 seconds also on ESPN sports center

You tell me who deserves this @danawhite @seanshelby — Marlon Moraes (@MMARLONMORAES) August 6, 2018

So much beef.

@ALIAQUINTA don’t be a lil bitch n try to get outta it. come get this work #October6th #UFC229 — Kevin MTP Lee (@MoTownPhenom) August 7, 2018

@ALIAQUINTA you know imma beat that ass — Kevin MTP Lee (@MoTownPhenom) August 7, 2018

Follow around Khabib with someone else you aren’t even fighting in oct what happened to 165 belt you nerd — Al Iaquinta (@ALIAQUINTA) August 7, 2018

“Someone’s going to die cutting weight if they don’t make a 165 LB weight class” waaa waaa .... bird ass 170 lber — Al Iaquinta (@ALIAQUINTA) August 7, 2018

Beijing CHINA vs a guy named LEE — Al Iaquinta (@ALIAQUINTA) August 6, 2018

Someone is forgetting about Matt Hamill.

Ive defeated every man whos ever stood across from me inside the cage. The man in the mirror is a different story. The more I work the more I find his strengths & weaknesses. Im going to win this fight. I will be King again. I will not be denied #MeditationMonday #ComebackSeason — Jon Bones Jones (@JonnyBones) August 6, 2018

“I’m better than the GOAT and the dude who just beat him and so are other people” is one hell of a take coming from a dude who just KO’d himself.

I will be the first to say that I was not impressed with the flyweight title fight. They both act like 40 year old dads . No marketability , just people over 35 like them which my job is to sway younger ones and be interested . But I break the top ten I’ll be mo marketable — Jarred Brooks (@The_monkeygod) August 6, 2018

All of you commenting on this will eat your own words I’m better than these guys there are other flyweights that are better too — Jarred Brooks (@The_monkeygod) August 6, 2018

Respect.

Nothing matters if respect does not remain in the end. What we do is a sport and that is our job. @Trailblaze2top , you are young, fought with joy and are a tough dude; you have a great future ahead of you. Thank you, I will always be rooting for you! #UFC227 pic.twitter.com/SM4HoCmNi9 — Thiago Marreta (@TMarretaMMA) August 6, 2018

Tony still rocking TUF trunks.

“Two Hours Post Op” From My Fall At @UFCONFOX to Surgery, I Made A Decision #snapintuit SnapJitsu™️ pic.twitter.com/h3EhCTKRV2 — Tony Ferguson (@TonyFergusonXT) August 7, 2018

Let go.

Missed this bit of disgusting from the weekend.

Here's your gross-out moment of the week, brought to you by Loma Lookboonmee's elbows. #Pancrase298 pic.twitter.com/5ey7MZ5glV — Kyle Johnson (@Maldobabo) August 5, 2018

FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS

Yusuki Yachi (20-6) vs. Luiz Gustavo (8-0); Rizin 12, Aug. 12.

Douglas Lima (29-7) vs. Andrey Koreshkov (21-2); Bellator 206, Sep. 29.

Paul Daley (40-16-2) vs. Michael Page (13-0); Bellator WW Grand Prix.

Neiman Gracie (8-0) vs. Ed Ruth (6-0); Bellator WW Grand Prix.

Rory MacDonald (20-4) vs. Jon Fitch (31-7-1); Bellator WW Grand Prix.

Lorenz Larkin (19-7) vs. Yaroslav Amosov (20-0); Bellator WW Grand Prix.

TODAY IN MMA HISTORY

2010: Anderson Silva turned in the greatest comeback in MMA history, submitting Chael Sonnen with a triangle in the fifth round of their title fight at UFC 117. This event also featured the final victory of Matt Hughes’ career, a front choke submission of Ricardo Almeida.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Thanks for reading and see y’all tomorrow.

EXIT POLL

Poll What gives a fighter a bigger advantage? This poll is closed. 34% Extreme weight-cutting (607 votes)

39% PEDs (694 votes)

24% They’re about the same (427 votes)

2% Neither gives a substantial edge (50 votes) 1778 votes total Vote Now

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