Weight cutting is one of the key aspects of MMA, here’s how it works:

Imagine consuming 4,000 fewer calories than your regular intake. Imagine tracking everything you eat down to the volume of micronutrients in each. Imagine rigorous training schedules with limited energy to expend. Imagine pedaling on a stationary bike in a sweat suit (both sweat pants and a sweater) to shed the final five pounds. These situations equal a fraction of what mixed martial arts (MMA) fighters go through during a pre-fight weight cut.

MMA organizations have weight classes for their fighters to compete in to make fights as even as possible. For men, these weight classes range from Flyweight (125lbs) to Heavyweight (265lbs), as well as Super Heavyweight which has no weight limit. Women compete at weight classes ranging from Atomweight (105lbs) to Featherweight (145lbs).

After strenuous fight camps which prepare the fighters for their upcoming fight, the last hurdle is to cut down to their target weight class. It’s a week long process that many fighters and coaches consider a science on it’s own, manipulating their water retention, and shedding off as much water weight possible.

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If the weigh-in takes place on Friday, the fighter starts their water weight cut on Sunday, and drinks two gallons of water. Monday and Tuesday drops to one gallon of water. Wednesday, half a gallon. Thursday, a quarter gallon. And by Friday, they do not drink anything until after the weigh-in. More from Interviews Bellator 180: Ryan Bader Excited for a new journey

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You might be asking, why start with so much water? Two reasons, the first being that it starts a flushing out process, where the fighter constantly urinates until the end, despite the lack of water intake. The other reason is that the high volume of water at the beginning lowers the production of aldosterone, a hormone that helps conserve sodium, secretion of potassium, and water retention.

Fighters have to take more steps to complete a successful weight cut. Since carbohydrates retain water, managing a low carbohydrate intake becomes an important detail. The meals that they do eat need to be low in salt to stop the body from holding water, but high in protein and fat to maintain muscle and provide energy. Hot temperatures also help the body sweat off weight, so baths in steaming water and sitting in a sauna help. More from Cage Pages UFC 219: Two Former Champions added to the Card

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Weigh-ins take place the night before a fight, and then fighters enter the re-hydration phase. A 22 hour period in which combatants re-hydrate themselves and regain the nutrients they need for a healthy fight. The higher the weight gain, the better the advantage. More weight equals more strength. By drinking nine to eleven liters within this period, the fighter can gain up to 25 pounds in water weight alone. However, this should not only be water, because the body needs to recover from its lack of nutrients as well. Drinks with electrolytes such as coconut water and Gatorade help tackle both problems of the recovery process. Concerning food, small meals throughout the day have been proven to be the better option than a couple heavy meals due to the size of the stomach after the cut.

I had the pleasure of interviewing UFC lightweight contender, Joe Lauzon. A mixed martial artist who holds the second-most post fight bonuses in UFC history with 13. Joe gave me a detailed response when I asked him how he would describe the weight cutting experience.

“It’s terrible, but necessary. I fight at 155 pounds, and we are given a 1 pound allowance, so for every fight, I make 156 pounds. I walk around at 170-175 most of the year, but as the fight gets closer I diet down to 168. Around 24 hours before weigh-ins, I will first get into a hot tub for 15 minutes and then directly into a sauna for 20 minutes. I will then wrap up in towels to keep my sweat going. This is one “cycle.” I will typically do 3 cycles and lose around 8 pounds. I will not eat or drink anything that night, then wake up in the morning and do 1 or 2 more cycles. I should be 156 pounds by this point. It doesn’t sound that bad, but its terrible dehydrating so much. Waiting around is the worst part as I am dying of thirst, but surprisingly, by the time I am ready to get on the scale, the thirst is no where near as strong and drinking doesn’t seem as important as it had in the hours leading up to it. Your body feels very weak, sucked out, and sometimes you have cramps.”

As for what Joe eats after his weigh-in, “Steak, chicken, pasta, grilled cheese, tomato soup (for the sodium), and water. All taken in very slowly and pretty much nonstop from weigh-ins until fight time.”

All fighters must complete the grueling process of a weight cut in professional mixed martial arts competitions, and the way that the fighter manages the weight cut determines who comes out once the bell rings. Joe Lauzon mentioned that, “yes, [weight] cutting sucks, but it’s the only way to keep people on an even playing field, because guys will always look for advantages.”

Until a better alternative can determine a fair fight, cutting weight will continue to be a part of mixed martial arts, and combat sports in general.

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