“Wait a second, you need me to be hydrated in California to fight? You guys are playing around”
That was the playful reaction of UFC bantamweight Dominick Cruz when he learned of impending changes to California’s weight-cutting rules.
For years, fighters have drained themselves of vital fluids and shedded pounds upon pounds of fat – and muscle – just to tip the scales the right way. It’s not a practice most doctors would approve of, just 24 hours out from a fight.
However, California State Athletic Commission are set to enact new weight-cutting rules. It is welcome news for UFC fighters lined up for action in the Golden State.
With intravenous rehydration now banned the CSAC is bringing in new procedures to give fighters a bit more leeway.
The commission will now conduct gravity tests to check hydration levels. If a fighter fails a specific test, or is deemed to be severely dehydrated, they will be pulled from a bout.
But the big concession is one that could turn the official weigh-in to nothing more that a side-show.
The CSAC will now give fighters the option of weighing in for their bout at 10am. The usual time for UFC weigh-ins in the state is 4pm onwards.
UFC middleweight champion Luke Rockhold is very much in favour of the changes. He told MMA Fighting:
“You sit there dehydrated [on weigh-in day] just waiting for that stage to be built.
“Being able to go in there and just weigh-in, make weight, get it done with – with nobody around – it’s a great thing for the fighters.
“Health-wise, it’s a lot better. We’re not gonna sit there drained of the fluid and it’s sucked away from your body and brain. You can put that back in. Dehydrating for the least amount of time as possible, I think, is key.”
Fighters, then, have the option of getting their official weigh-ins out of the way at 10am. The live weigh-ins will still take place but fighters could well on their way to full rehydration at tip the scales over the set divisional cut-offs – it won’t matter a jot.
The weigh-ins may need to be re-branded as the stare downs.
