How Mixed Martial Arts Fighters Cut Weight Before a Fight

If you are a fan of MMA, then you are undoubtedly aware that most fighters need to cut weight before a fight. Some cut more than others - names like Anderson Silva, Brock Lesnar and Georges St. Pierre all have to cut substantially in order to make weight for their fights. There is a reason why some fighters look much bigger than others, even though they fight in the same weight class. Some fighters have no problems making weight, naturally hovering around the maximum number of pounds in the class that they fight in. Others have to embark on major cutting campaigns in order to make weight. You can see the advantages though - a fighter who has to cut 10-15 pounds before a fight will have a major advantage over someone who needs to cut just a little / or not at all.

It's no coincidence - the best MMA fighters are usually the ones that have to cut the most before a fight. They want every advantage that they can possibly get, and if they can cut 10-15 pounds without losing any muscle mass, then why wouldn't they cut?

How do these fighters do it? How does someone who "walks around" at 215 cut down to 185 for a fight?

First off, fighters don't cut 30 pounds in the 1-2 days before a fight. Normally the maximum amount of short-term weight loss will be 10-15 pounds.

There are three different stages (as it applies to a fighters weight) before a fight.

You have their "walking around" weight. This is maybe 2+ months out from a fight, when a fighter is training but hasn't really stepped up their regimen yet.

After this, as the fighter starts to seriously prepare for their fight, they start to change their diet in order to start dropping weight. This will include reducing the amount of carbs and salt that the fighter will ingest. It also includes increasing cardio, consuming a clean diet and cutting carbs near the end of the day. Reducing the amount of salt in their diet will lead to the fighter retaining less water, which will in turn lead to a drop in weight.

So the weigh-in is now approaching, and the fighter is still 10-15 pounds away from making weight. This is the second stage - the pre weigh-in.

At this stage, water is cut back significantly. Many fighters will not drink any liquids in the 24 hours leading up to their weigh-ins. They will use "sweat" suits in order to drop more pounds (water). They will sit in saunas. They will try and eliminate as much liquid from their bodies as they possibly can. By doing this, a fighter can easily drop 5-10 pounds over the course of just 24 hours. If you don't believe me, weigh yourself on a hot summer day, and then go for a long run. When you get back, weigh yourself again. This is the principle of dropping weight before a fight - you are not losing muscle, you are simply dropping water weight. They will cut back on food as well, and some will even try to clear out their bodies using laxatives.

This leads to stage 3, which is the weigh-in weight. A fighter at this point will weigh-in, and then go about rehydrating their bodies before their fight. They will consume extremely small meals in order to replenish their bodies, and of course drink plenty of liquids.

There is a reason why the weigh-in is not immediately before a fight. Fighters need time to replenish and rehydrate their bodies - when they arrive for their weigh-ins, they are normally in extremely weakened states due to their cutting routine. If they fought directly after their weigh-in, their performances would be severely diminished.

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