UFC 232 fight night weights are revealing
Something is fundamentally wrong when a fighter fails to make weight, wins, and then weighs in at the limit two divisions up, like Montel Jackson did.
As part of a major ongoing effort to address the culture of extreme weight cutting in mixed martial arts, the California State Athletic Commission records fight night weights. If a fighter puts on more than 10% of body weight between weigh-ins and fight night, CSAC doctors can recommend that a fighter move up a division.
Jon Jones (204 pounds to 222.5 pounds = 8.5%) beat
Alexander Gustafsson (204.5 to 219.5 = 6.4%)
Amanda Nunes (145 to 156 = 7.6%) beat
Cris Cyborg (144 to 160.5 = 10.7%)
Michael Chiesa (170.5 to 188 = 9.9%) beat
Carlos Condit (171 to 184.5 = 7.9%)
Corey Anderson (204.5 to 225 = 9.2%) beat
Ilir Latifi (205.5 to 219 = 5.6%)
Alexander Volkanovski (145 to 166.5 = 14%) beat
Chad Mendes (146 to 160.5 = 9.9%)
Walt Harris (258.5 to 260 = 0.5%) beat
Andrei Arlovski (245.5 to 248 = 1%)
Megan Anderson (146 to 157 = 7.5%) beat
Cat Zingano (144 to 156 = 6.8%)
Petr Yan (135.5 to 149.5 = 9.9%) beat
Douglas Silva de Andrade (134.5 to 154.5 = 13.6%)
Ryan Hall (154 to 156 = 1.2%) beat
BJ Penn (156 to 163.5 = 4.8%)
Nathaniel Wood (135.5 to 147 = 8%) beat
Andre Ewell (135.5 to 145 = 6.6%)
Uriah Hall (185.5 to 203.5 = 9.4%) beat
Bevon Lewis (186 to 194.5 = 4.6%)
Curtis Millender (170 to 183.5 = 7.3%) beat
Siyar Bahadurzada (171 to 184.5 = 7.9%)
Montel Jackson (137 to 155 = 14%) beat
Brian Kelleher (135 to 148 = 8.8%)
Something is fundamentally wrong when a fighter fails to make weight, wins, and then weighs in at the limit two divisions up, like Montel Jackson did. Paying 20% of purse does not make this OK.
Likewise with Alexander Volkanovski. He made featherweight, but fought above what should be the super lightweight division. The need for a super lightweight division is another story.
It is also notable that Amanda Nunes was just 4.5 pounds less than Cris Cyborg.
And Michael Chiesa weighed 188 pounds on fight night. This clearly demonstrates plainly that the move from lightweight to welterweight was a sound one, as Chiesa actually fought at higher than the middleweight limit.
Recording fight night weights is an excellent step in the process of solving the deadly weight cutting problem in combat sports, and should be applauded, and copied by all athletic commissions.
h/t MMA Fighting