Potential solution in NJ to weight cutting issues
Nova Uniao flyweight fighter Leandro “Feijao” Souza passed away from a stroke on September 26 while cutting weight for the…
Nova Uniao flyweight fighter Leandro “Feijao” Souza passed away from a stroke on September 26 while cutting weight for the Shooto Brazil 43 card in Rio de Janeiro. He was 26 years old.
Souza reportedly passed out in the sauna, and was transported to the hospital, where he was declared dead. A further report over the weekend indicated that Souza used the diuretic Lasix to help him cut weight. He had two pounds to go to make weight.
Inside MMA recently reached out to New Jersey State Athletic Control Board (NJSACB) Counsel Nick Lembo for suggestions on what regulators might do to prevent dangerous cutting. Inside MMA erroneously reported that the procedure had been implemented in MMA, and that the AC would be weighing fighters in 30 and 7 days out from the fight. However, as Lembo details, the concept has merit, and deserves consideration.
“It was actually a World Boxing Council policy for championship boxing matches,” explained Lembo to MMAMania’s Matthew Roth. “And it’s something that New Jersey did in conjunction with them and still does for championship title matches. And what it is, is 30 days out, a fighter has to be within 10% of the contracted weight. 7 days out, the fighter is 5% of the contracted weight. And then you have your typical day before weigh in, where you have a one pound allowance, other than for championship fights.”
“So the question was posed to me (by Inside MMA) – ‘what can be done to stop the dangerous, rampant weight cutting in MMA?’ And I said that that’s something to consider. Something under contemplation, but we have not changed our rules, yet. And I’m not sure if or when we would do so.”
“We are not in favor of the rules where you have a second weigh in. Like for example, I believe the IBF and it was contemplated by Massachusetts for a time, where you have a weigh in — a standard one day weigh in and then you re-weigh in the fighters the next day. And limit their percentage. That I’m not in favor of, even though it has been discussed.”
“I think that after a fighter weighs in, that focus should be done. And they should then focus on their fight. They shouldn’t sit there and have some pedialite and have to think ‘okay, I can gain two pounds.’ I think the focus after the weigh ins, should be completely on your fight.”
“We’ve evaluated it, the fighter that gains the most weight after the weigh ins, it was only 52% that the fighter who gained the most weight won the fight. So really, it didn’t really statistically prove that the weight gain after the weigh ins had given the fighter a significant advantage. Typically, the fighter that gains all that weight gassed out after the fight went beyond the first round. It had a negative impact.”