The main idea behind weight classes is, of course, setting a level playing field for the different fighters. Another result of the weight classes is for fans to know how much the fighters weigh, making the sport a little more understandable and relatable. If I know that a fighter weighs approximately the same as me, I can compare myself to him.
Boxing, where weigh-ins started, was never a very institutionalized sport. It was always a sport in which fights were made ad-hoc, and in which the different promoters had to go through a lot of negotiations to be able to make these fights. There was never a very orderly, rank driven kind of management for matchmaking. So the treatment the weigh-ins always got was similarly not very professional. Fighters could do pretty much whatever they wanted, as long as they stand on that scale and make weight once, usually the day before the fight.
MMA adopted this amateurish attitude, because for a long time, MMA was also a sport without some central organization which could organize it all in a more professional, safe fashion. Now finally (and after ONE championship has declared its implementation of similar measures a few months ago) the UFC has announced new weigh-in rules, for the safety of the fighters.
I agree that the safety of the fighters is the most important thing. but there is another factor to consider, and that is the the effect on the fans.
When fighters, as they do now, cut a tremendous amount of weight for the weigh-ins, but actually walk around most of the year at a totally different weight, and more importantly, weigh on fight night much more than the what they weighed-in at, it makes the weight classes quite meaningless for the average fan. He knows that the declared weight class is not any of the fighters’ actual weight on fight night, but he doesn’t know what their actual weight is.
The new weigh-in rules state that fighters would have to weigh in when they come into fight week, and weigh no more than 8 percent above the weigh-in limit. That is actually not so little, as a light-heavyweight could weigh in at 223 lbs., almost 20 lbs. above weight, and flyweights at more than 10 lbs. Not making this 8 percent limit would not result in any disciplinary measures; they would only have to undergo supervision and monitoring of their health while they drop the weight.
While I applaud these new measures, I think they are not enough.
Yes, these measures will make the weigh-in process safer for the fighters, and will force fighters who cut too much weight to move up a division, but what is the real goal here?
The idea in the system that was in use until now was that of freedom. Fighters were basically told that it’s up to them. Their weight wasn’t monitored at all, except for on weigh-in day. Other than that they can do whatever the hell they want, and while I don’ t think it was a good system to have at least it kept this principle intact.
But now this principle is lost. Fighters don’t have freedom to do whatever they want about their weight. They have to weigh-in at the beginning of fight week, and participate in some weight drop program if they fail to weigh-in at less than 8 percent over the weigh-in limit.
So why not go all the way already? Why not have them have to weigh-in at the weight class limit at the beginning of the week, and everyday after that until fight night? In other words, why not make the weight class limit the real weight weight of the fighters? Obviously no fighter would lose weight everyday for 7 days in the most crucial time, before the fight. Instead, fighters would just stop losing weight, and would start competing at the weight class they walk around in. Of course that would mean that pretty much all fighters would move up in weight a division or two, but so what? The name of the division doesn’t mean anything now anyway. First of all and most importantly, it would mean safety for the fighters, since they would not be cutting weight at all for the fights. And second, after everyone would move then we, the fans, would know what weight they really are, and not just what weight they are able to make after severe starvation and dehydration.
It seems to me like there is no real thinking behind it. It’s just a matter of not changing things too much. Keeping things as close to the way they are now, but just a little safer. But what is the reasoning behind it? If you are already making everybody weigh-in anyway why not do it right and make them weigh-in at the right weight for the weight class?