The new weigh-ins policy implemented by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has seemingly been failing to protect fighters. Overall, 51 total competitors have been affected since the new policy’s implementation.
Once the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) adopted an early weigh-in policy for mixed martial arts competitors. Many other commissions have since joined in. The world’s most famous mixed martial arts promotion often opts for the new practice.
The policy dictates that MMA competitors weigh-in for their match ups earlier in the day, allowing fighters more time to re-hydrate before their battles inside the cage. However, it would seem that the new practice is perhaps a debilitating factor for fighters that compete under the UFC banner.
In the 18 months leading up to the implementation of the early weigh-in policy adopted by the UFC, 17 total fighters missed weight for their octagon performances. The number since the policy’s use is quite higher.
In the 18 months since the implementation of the policy, 51 UFC competitors have either missed weight or failed to weigh-in entirely for their octagon match ups. Of course, that is not all.
An alarming number of UFC fighters have been hospitalized following bad weight cuts as of late. Top UFC lightweight contender Khabib Nurmagomedov was rushed to the hospital and pulled from his interim title fight against Tony Ferguson in 2017 after weight management issues.
Most recently, Uriah Hall was pulled from his UFC Fight Night 124 co-main event match up against MMA legend Vitor Belfort after not showing up to the weigh-ins. It has since been reported that Hall has been transported to the hospital, with the fighter’s condition currently unknown.
