What is weight cutting in MMA and why fighters do it

What is weight cutting

Weight cutting means that a fighter temporarily drops body weight to meet a lower weight class limit before the official weigh in. Most of the lost weight is water, not fat or muscle.

How it usually works

• Longer term dieting to get close to the target weight
• Short, intense water cut in the last days before weigh in
• Rehydration and refueling between weigh in and fight night

In many promotions there are around 24 hours between weigh in and the fight. This gives fighters time to regain several kilograms.

Why fighters still cut weight

They hope to be the bigger and stronger athlete in the cage on fight night. If one fighter cuts aggressively and the other does not, the size difference can be significant.

Risks of weight cutting

Hard weight cuts can be dangerous. They increase the risk of kidney problems, bad cardio and reduced punch resistance. Some commissions and promotions are starting to introduce more checks to protect fighters.