Dober seeks CSAC clearance to return to lightweight
Brian Dunn: “I told [Drew Dober] that if he is cleared by CSAC, I would allow him to compete at 155, but if not, it would have to be at the 165 documented minimum.”
The culture of extreme weight cutting is by far the greatest readily solvable danger in mixed martial arts. No one has addressed the issue as thoroughly as California State Athletic Commission executive direction Andy Foster.
One of the many steps Foster takes is weighing in fighters on fight day. At UFC 214 in Anaheim, lightweight Drew Dober weighed in at 155. The next day he was 183, a middleweight. That’s not reasonable or safe. CSAC recommendations state that the commission can recommend a fighter move up a weight class if he or she is 10% heavier on fight day. Dober was 28 pounds and 18% higher the next day; he knocked out Josh Burkman in Round 1.
Dober is scheduled to fight Jon Tuck at lightweight at UFC Fight Night 135 on August 25, 2018, at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, Nebraska. However, the Nebraska AC has not officially approved the bout. The CSAC inserted a note into the official database explaining that Dober cannot fight below 165, unless he is cleared to do so by a physician.
MMA Fighting‘s Marc Raimondi spoke with the Nebraska Commission’s Brian Dunn about the issue. Dunn, like Foster, is a retired MMA fighter. Further, Dunn is a Vice President of the Association of Boxing Commissions.
I told [Dober] that if he is cleared by CSAC, I would allow him to compete at 155, but if not, it would have to be at the 165 documented minimum, said Dunn.
Foster too is involved
We are closely looking into the request to remove Drew Dober’s recommendation to fight at a higher weight than the 155lb lightweight class, said Foster. Without getting into specifics, CSAC staff and physicians are aware of this, and will make the determination soon. The Commission is focused on healthy weight management without the need to resort to extreme weight cutting followed by rapid rehydration to make an assigned weight on a bout contract. The Commission will act responsibly in this matter.
There is increasing evidence that fighting at a natural weight can increase performance. When Foster bumped Dober up, his next fight was at welterweight. Dober took a Unanimous Decision over Frank Camacho, and bother fighters won $50,000 Fight of the Night bonuses.
Dober told Raimondi that he is stuck given the UFC’s current divisions – too short for welterweight and too thick for 155.
I’m a Flintstone,” said Dober recently. “I’m a dense individual. … We’re stuck in the middle. We’ve just gotta try to make the best decisions.