Fighters: How do you feel about opponents not making weight?

[Jesse Lawrence]

I've just read the story that Cris "Cyborg" Santos came in at 152 when she was supposed to make 145. Well for those who haven't read Hitomi Akano decided not to accept the fight due to her opponent not making weight. She also made a comment about Gina Carano not making weight.

If I remember recently someone at the last UFC event also came in over weight. I've had opponents before come into fights not initially making the weight, either way I've always accepted the fight. However, I don't think that it's always the right thing to do depending on the individual. I'm just curious to see what other fighters both amatuer and professional feel about their opponents not making weight. Will you still take the fight or not? Do you feel it's unprofessional or just a matter of human error?

[JulianP]

Originally Posted by Jesse Lawrence

Will you still take the fight or not? Do you feel it's unprofessional or just a matter of human error?

It's unprofessional, because you have so much weeks before the fight to control your weight. And if fighters don't do that, it can be extremly unfair.

I fought heavier guys before and it was so much harder to get a takedown or even hurt my opponent.

And the chance to get seriously injured is much higher if the heavier fighter can overwhelm you.

I would definitly not take the fight.

[Gary27]

Male fighter yeah they should make the weight. But females not really sure about making the weight but one or five above the weight should not matter.

[RhoneKill]

There really needs to be a real punishment for fighters that don't make weight. Maybe a no-win bonus even if they win plus a 20% pay cut and the fighter who did cut the weight should automatically get the win bonus.

Its harsh, but if its not, then this will just continue.

[AaranJ]

I think once can be forgiven, then it really needs to be asked if the person is fighting at the correct weight and able to make the agreed weight. Gina Carano is the perfect example, she struggles to make her weight, if that was a male fighter they would get crucified for it. I personally would fight someone a pound of two above as I think mistakes can happen, but if I knew the person had a history of not making weight then I probably wouldn't as it is unprofessional and also unfair.

The worst case of not making weight was Filho against Sonnen, meaning that Sonnen was denied a chance at the title, that is something that seriously needs punishment.

[Paradox]

From the view point of a fan I disapprove of a fighter not making weight. If it's only by a pound, or maybe 2, I put it down to human error, and if it's a one off I don't mind too much. If it's a larger amount I find it hard to accept. I was disgusted by Alves coming in 5lbs over against Hughes and looking completely fresh. I have no doubt the he could have sucked out a couple more lbs but knew he couldn't make weight so didn't bother. I would have liked to have known how far in advance his camp knew he wasn't going to make weight. The only decent thing to do was to inform Hughes camp in advance to make it a catch weight bout. Then Hughes would not have had to drain himself cutting the extra 5lbs.

[KillDevilHill]

Its hard to take this sport legit with women if this is how the divsiion will conduct themselves.

It seeems only japanese women wnat to make weight

[Black Paladin]

If I got even the slightest impression they were trying to fraud me, I would decline.

[DeadEnd]

If the penalties for not making weight remain the same then fighters need to start turning down fights. As someone pointed out, the Hughes/Alves is a prime example. Start taking win bonuses and leaving the fighter not making weight with next to nothing for pay and alot of this will end. If the fighter that made weight is already getting the win bonus before the fight then the onus is on the fighter not making weight to decide if he/she will fight. In other words, if you make the penalties stiff enough and reward the fighter that made weight with a sizable portion of their opponents purse then the fighter that didn't make weight has to decide whether or not it's worth fighting.

I also think that these penalties can be written into the fight contracts when they actaully think they can make the weight. Then when they don't they're not caught off gaurd by the severity of the penalties.

[Glen Sonnabend]

Its a fucking disrespect. Someone shouldnt take a fight unless they are 100% sure they can make weight. It takes so much dedication and sacrifice to do so for so many of us, and to come in and not take a fight serious with diet and preparation is just a disrespect to the one who does make those sacrifices.

Either way, I think any competitor should accept the fight regardless, even if the opponent doesn't make weight.