Cutting Weight in MMA...

[CroCopChill]

What are your opinions on fighters who cut weight?

Do fighters fight better at lower weight classes, or are they better prepared for the fight at their natural weight? Other than fighting smaller competitiors, what are the benefits of cutting weight?

Thanks for the input.

[Lopyswine]

nice thread white belt......

[Dan's Knuckles]

...as a chance to use this thread as a soap box to voice my personal oppinions...

Fighters cut weight so they can, ironically, fight guys their own size since everybody cuts weight. It helps some fighters, and hurts others, like when Joe Riggs said he can't keep cutting so much weight after he lost to Hughes.
Other fighters, Like Dan Henderson have said they don't cut weight because they don't need to, primarily because Pride (in it's past) had pretty loose standards on weight classes.

I personally wouldn't cut weight because I like to eat a lot, and I like to stay hydrated and I don't have access to a sauna.

[mechanikjoe]

Well, fighters cut weight in order to technically have the biggest advantage that they possibly can. I mean, if you naturally weigh 170, but can cut down to 155 for a weigh in, or fight someone who is 170 at the weigh in (but probably closer to 190 actually), which would you choose? IMO, the only fighters that it really has negative effects on are buys that should naturally be 155, because they can't cut down to a lower weight class (in most circumstances, I know of some really small shows that did a 140 weight class once). The only thing I would suggest in that case would be to add muscle mass to make yourself bigger, and then cut back down to 155.

[CIAWARRIOR]

huh???

[dvermillion15]

Usually when i fight,i cut down to light heavy weight,but i could fight at heavyweight. I feel that it helps my mental and physical during the fight. I am bigger then i would be at heavyweight and I already did a lot of work(cutting the weight), so i just think it's too late now and I didnt do all this for nothing as a little more motivation. I believe it is all personal preference though.