While the exact cause of Chinese flyweight Yang Jian Bing’s death is still being determined, his tragic death at just 21 years of age is likely to re-ignite the debate about extreme weight-cutting in MMA.
ONE Championship released an official statement
The ONE Championship (ONE) family suffered a tragic loss when Chinese flyweight Yang Jian Bing passed away on 11 December 2015 at 12.06 PM due to cardiopulmonary failure. The formal hospital medical reports and procedures are still being carried out. He was 21 years old.
Yang, a native of China was hospitalized at the San Juan De Dios Hospital in Pasay, Philippines, after a sudden collapse on the morning of 10 December 2015.
At the hospital, Yang received the best medical care possible while ONE officials continuously updated his family directly from his hospital bedside.
CEO of ONE Championship, Victor Cui said, ‘There is nothing more profoundly tragic and sad than when a member of the ONE Championship family, current or past, passes away. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and loved ones of Yang Jian Bing. We will work closely with the family and offer all the support they need in any way we can during this very difficult time.’
Cui added, ‘I want to thank all sports fans around the world for their concern, thoughts and prayers. At this time, we appreciate everyone respecting the Yang family’s privacy as they mourn the loss of their beloved son and brother.’
Below the fighter shows his incredible skill with this flying cartwheel guard pass, vs. Japan’s Sakano Nozomi (JPN).
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Weight cutting has killed a fighter. It has very nearly killed many more. It has led to the cancelation of countless fights. Due to the attendant lack of fluid cushioning around the brain, it has surely led to brain damage. While the use of performance enhancing drugs is finally being addressed with the utmost seriousness in the highest levels of mixed martial arts, weight cutting is not.
However, California State Athletic Commission executive director Andy Foster appeared on Ariel Helwani’sThe MMA Hour, and identified weight cutting as the “most dangerous thing in combat sports right now.”
“Something that’s not talked about, that I think is done by a lot more people than performance enhancing drugs, is the drastic weight cutting that you see,” said Foster as transcribed by Shaun Al-Shatti for MMA Fighting. “That’s just on display at every weigh-in, where you see a fighter walk up, they barely can walk because they’ve cut so much weight, and the trainer will be there holding a bottle of Pedialyte or Gatorade. And that’s problematic.
“It’s dangerous and it’s not MMA specific. It happens in boxing, and it happens in kickboxing. It’s ingrained in our sport — everybody’s gotta make weight.”
Now Foster wants to overhaul the controversial process – which now operates without the benefit of IV hydration – at its upcoming dehydration and weight-cutting summit in Los Angeles, Calif., on Dec. 17, 2015. Foster also has an ongoing process to raise awareness in the fight community.
“The first step is educating,” said Foster. “But that’s something that we’re certainly looking at because I think determining what everyone’s minimum fighting weight should be would prohibit fighters from going down into weight classes that they can’t safely maintain. They might make it once, but it’s dangerous, and to continue to try to do this is not healthy.”
“Education is powerful. Once people read this and understand just how dangerous this is — I had no idea until I did the ABC conference and learned about this. I mean, I thought it was certainly unhealthy, but I had no idea it was that dangerous. It’s not only dangerous, and certainly that’s the primary focus, but it’s bad for the public because you lose fights. You can potentially lose fights. It’s not good for everybody. I mean, we lost the (Gennady) Golovkin title fight. We still got the fight, but Marco Antonio Rubio was overweight for his title fight against Golovkin last year, so it’s not just in MMA that’s it’s a problem. It’s boxing also.
“We’re certainly talking about it, both as a commission in California, and I’m talking with other commissions about it — but it’s how do we properly address this? Because this is a problem. It’s not a talked-about problem. Everybody talks about performance enhancing drugs and that’s certainly a problem also, but this is also a problem.”
Foster recently issued a memo about the dangers of weight cutting, prepared by the Association of Ringside Physicians. Every fighter, trainer, and official in the sport should familiarize themselves with it.
THE DANGERS OF CUTTING WEIGHT AND DEHYDRATING
Unhealthy and dangerous weight loss practices continue to be a serious problem in combat sports. One recent study found that 39% of MMA fighters were entering competition in a dehydrated state. Heat illness and death in athletes have already happened in the sports of wrestling and MMA.
It’s been shown that excessive weight loss, rapid weight loss, and repeated cycling of weight gain/loss causes decreased performance, hormonal imbalance, decreased nutrition, and increased injury risk. Other life-threatening problems associated with improper weight loss and dehydration include:
•Decreased Muscle Strength and Endurance: Decreased blood flow to muscles makes them work less well.
•Decreased Heart and Cardiovascular Function: The heart works harder and less efficiently.
•Reduced Energy Utilization, Nutrient Exchange and Acidosis: With decreased blood flow to tissues nutrients don’t get delivered, and the body’s waste products do not get
removed as well. A buildup of acid occurs which changes cells’ functions in the body.
•Heat Illness: This takes on four forms: heat cramps, heat syncope (loss of consciousness), heat exhaustion, and heat stroke (which may be fatal). Dehydration results in decreased blood flow to skin and muscles. This is followed by decreased ability to regulate body temperature. The ability to sweat becomes impaired and core body temperature can rise. This increases the threat of all of these to poorly hydrated athletes doing strenuous workouts.
•Decreased Kidney Function: Dehydration leads to decreased kidney blood flow and decreased kidney function. This contributes to the problems listed in the points here, in addition to decreased urine output, concentrated urine, and leakage of protein into the urine. (It is not known if these changes can result in permanent kidney damage.)
•Electrolyte Problems: Decreased kidney function results in imbalances of electrolytes such as unhealthy increases in potassium and sodium.
•Mood Swings and Mental Changes: All of the above contribute to increased mood swings, poor concentration and focus, disorientation and other mental changes.
•Eye Trouble: Dehydration can cause blurred vision and dry eyes.
•Increased Risk of Brain Injury: There are likely increased risks of brain bleeding and concussion.DON’T:
•Don’t use extreme methods for making weight such as excessive heat methods (rubberized suits, steam rooms, saunas), excessive intense bouts of exercise, vomiting, laxatives and diuretics.
•Don’t use dehydration as a mainstay of making weight. In addition to the above, it puts you at risk of improper rehydration techniques when, in reality, proper re-hydration takes several hours to days. (Many cases intravenous fluids being used for rehydration after weigh-ins have been reported – this is a doping violation with several organizations.)
DO:
•Commit to year-round proper diet and training for proper weight control and body composition.
•By maintaining your weight year round near an appropriate competition weight and not competing in a weight class outside your appropriate weight class you will help avoid large swings in weight.
•Maintain a good state of hydration by drinking fluid throughout the day and staying hydrated during workouts.
•Follow nutritional programs that meet your needs for adequate amounts of calories from a balanced diet high in healthy carbohydrates, the minimum requirement of fat, and appropriate amounts of protein.
•Be wary of nutritional supplements as they are not regulated by the FDA and some have been shown to be harmful.
For more information visit: associationofringsidephysicians.org
