The Weight Cut: Acute Weight Loss for Fighters

A weight cut is the short, intense phase before competition where an athlete reduces body weight to make their contracted weight class. Unlike long-term weight (or fat) loss, a weight cut is about temporary manipulation of body weight and has nothing to do with the changing of body composition. This process usually takes place in the final days leading up to the weigh-ins and requires careful planning to protect performance, health, and recovery. Making weight is only half the job—what weight is only half the job—but performing on fight ight is what actually wins fights.

Eric supervising the weight cuts of Brad Katona and Nordine Taleb for UFC Fight Night: Iaquinta vs. Cowboy

Understanding the Basics of the Weight Cut

Before diving into the details of weight cutting, it's essential to understand the fundamental principles of the cut. Acute weight loss, is driven by temporary reductions in gut content, stored glycogen and total body water. The cut usually lasts no more than a week and is predominatnly accomplished by reducing "non-essneital body mass", which, if done efficiently should not have significant impact on health or performance. There are three key components to manipulating non-essential body mass:

1. Glycogen: Carbohydrates are the primary energy source for fighters. The body stores carbohydrates within the muscles and liver as glycogen. When carb intake doesn't match training demands, glycogen stores can become depleted quickly. How much carbs need to be reduced depends on the individual.

2. Gut Content: Food in the gut, including fiber, retains water and adds to scale weight. When overall intake is reduced, the gut gradually empties, which can lead to a quick, visible decrease in body weight.

3. Total Body Water: Because fighters carry more lean muscle, water can make up an even greater percentage of their body weight. This means fluctuations in hydration status can significantly impact scale weight whether from manipulating fluid intake and/or fluid loss.

   
   

Pros & Cons of Cutting Weight

Pros:

• Competing in a lighter weight class: Cutting weight can allow athletes to make weight for short notice opportunities in lighter weight classes.

  • Size and Reach advantage: when done correctly, rehydration allows for an acute weight gain which can be carried into the fight as added weight which helps performance.

• Competitive norms: Cutting weight is often part of combat sports norms. In order to face opponents of similar physical stature and strength, fighters cut weight for the purpose of fairness.

• Psychological confidence: Some fighters feel more confident knowing they've maximized every controllable aspect of competition.

Cons:

• Performance risk: Aggressive or unstructured weight cuts can cause severe fatigue, decreased coordination, and loss of strength, speed, and focus. The goal isn't simply to make weight, but to perform at your best after doing so.

• Health concerns: Large, or repeated weight cuts may increase the risk of dehydration and overheating related issues, hormonal disruption, metabolic disfunction, and other long-term health consequences.

• Recovery challenges: Inadequate recovery between weigh-ins and fight night can leave fighters feeling flat or depleted and raises the risk of health complications during or after the fight.

• Mental stress: Having to cut large amounts of weight on fight week can add psychological pressure during an already demanding time.

Elements of an Efficient Cut

An efficient weight cut is carefully planned, timed precisely, and well controlled. Rather than relying on last-minute or extreme measures, successful weight cuts are prepared for well in advance through structured weight management throughout the camp.

Ideally, athletes should look to enter fight week as lean as possible—typically within approximately 8% of their target weight for men and 6% of target weight for women—while maintaining adequate intake of calories, carbs, dietary fiber, sodium, and fluids. This approach allows for more predictable and controlled weight fluctuations during the final phase of the cut. On the other hand, athletes who enter fight week already depleted— such as those who have significantly restricted carbs or sodium intake for several days— often face greater difficulty achieving the required weight.

Individualization

No two fighters have the same training load, body composition, weigh in, and fight schedule, or previous weight cut history. With these differences, relying on a plan designed for another atlhete—especially one from a different weight class or from years past— often leads to sub-optimal outcomes.

An effective weight cut also accounts for these individual factors and adjusts as needed throughout fight week. This ability to individualize and adapt in real time is often the difference between simply making weight and stepping into the cage ready to perform at your best.

It is also important to acknowledge that weight cutting can present additional challenges for famle athletes. Due to the physiological differences and other factors, weight cuts may be slightly more difficult for female athletes. As a result, female fighters are generally advised to plan for a smaller cut during fight week, typically in the range of 6-8% rather than the 8-10% recommended for males.

The Importance of Rehydration and Refuel

What an athletes does after weigh-ins can have just as big of an impact on performance as what they do leading up to the weigh-ins. Rehydration and refueling are not about simply eating or drinking as much as possible—they are about restoring the body in a controlled and intentional way to prepare for competition.

After a weight cut, the body needs time to properly absorb and utilize fluids. Rehydrating too quickly or qithout structure can lead to gastrointestinal discomfort, poor fluid absorption, and incomplete recovery. A well thought out approach helps restore hydration status, supports muscle function, and improve overall readiness for the fight.

Supplements: To Use or Not to Use?

A diet built around a wide vairety of whole foods should be the foundationof nutrition, however, some athletes may benefit from selected supplements to support training, recovery, or nutrient intake.

During extreme weight cuts, fighters often feel pressured to rely on supplements such as diuretics and laxatives, however, these products can increase health risks and negatively impact performance, particularly when used without proper guidance. At the same time, many athletes have questions about more common supplements such as creatine, multivitamins, electrolytes, and other similar aids — and whether they are appropriate to use leading into competition.

Caution

• Supplement quality and safety: Whenever supplements are used, they shpouldbe third-party tested to reduce the risk of contamination or banned substances. Even well-known products can pose a risk if sourcing and quality control are poor.

• Athletes should consult with a healthcare professional before starting any supplement regimen to ensure safety and efficacy.

Special Considerations for Day-of Weigh-ins and Multiple Day Weigh-ins

Weigh-in procedures vary by promotion, and these differences play a significant role in detemining whether or not a fighter should cut weight. Below is an overview of some athletes that should carefully reconsider cutting weight.

Amateur Athletes

Most amateur athletes have the primary goal of long-term development and skill acquisition. To maximize adaptations from training, calorie intake should remain near maintenance—or even in a slight surplus— to support performance, recovery, and consistent output.

Aggressive tactics surrounding weight cuts such as severe calorie restriction, carb reduction, and dehydration can limit energy availability and recovery, thus affecting the number of high-quality reps in training and delays in technical improvement on the mat.

Lastly, amateur fighters have little to no consequence for missing weight, as there is no purse or contractual penalty in most cases. Given that the fight itself is the reward, it is worth asking: "is going through a tough cut really worth it at this point in my career?"

Same Day Weigh in/Competition

If fighters have to weigh in on the same day as competition, there is very little time to properly rehydrate and refuel. Making weight may be achievable, but fully restoring energy, fluids, and strength before stepping into the cage, ring, or mat may be the underlying issue. For these athletes, it's usually better to compete as close to natural or "walk-around" weight to stay healthy and perform optimally.

Multiple Day Weigh-ins

Athletes who weigh in on multiple days usually face similar issues as those with same day weigh-ins. Even with a full day between weigh-ins and competition, repeated cuts make it hard to recover completely. Fighters must be careful not to regain too much weight, since another weigh-in is coming soon. In these cases, taking fights closer to natural weight is generally safer and helps maintain performance output.

The Role of Coaches in Nutrition

Coaches play a critical role in guiding fighters towards effective weight cutting strategies. Beyond nutritional guidance, they help shape behaviors that directly impact health and performance. Some ways coaches can support athletes include:

• Education: Sharing reliable resources and reinforce basic nutrition and weight cutting principles so that athletes understand how their performance can be affected by the process.

• Meal Planning: Help athletes think ahead and structure meals that align with training demands and schedules.

• Monitoring: Staying aware of athletes' habits, especially during high-stress periods like intense training blocks or fight week.

  
  

Conclusion

Weight cuts can be the most delicate part of a fighter's camp. When handeled correctly, it can be smooth, controlled, and repeatable. However, when handled poorly, it can cost your performance (or the fight itself).

If you're serious about competing at the highest level, your fight-week nutrition and weight cut strategy should be treated with the same respect as your training.