UFC President Dana White has been hearing the critics after more and more fighters deal with health issues related to extreme weight cutting.
One potential solution that White doesn’t think will end the extreme weight cutting phenomenon is the addition of more weight classes to the promotion.
“People are like, ‘Add weight classes, do this, do that,'” White told TSN. “It’s never going to change. You’re still going to have people trying to – let’s say I add a 165-pound weight class. That will only mean bigger guys will try to make 165. Everybody’s always looking for an advantage.”
The most recent weight cutting issue to hit the UFC was with Nik Lentz prior to UFC 216, as the fighter stated that parts of his body went numb before pulling out of his bout with Will Brooks.
White also believes that there are safe ways to make the weight cut and fighters need to stop taking short cuts.
“There’s ways to cut weight,” White said. “There’s safe ways. There’s scientific ways. Nutritionists can help you do this. Everybody just wants to take shortcuts and the easy way. But there is no easy way when you’re cutting weight.”
In 2017 alone, a total of 17 fighters have missed weight for their bouts, there are still two-plus months left in the year.
