UFC commentator Joe Rogan was one of the many people that were upset to hear the news that the UFC interim lightweight title fight between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson was canceled.
Nurmagomedov was taken to the hospital hours before the official early UFC 209 weigh-ins “due to weight management medical issues.”
Upon hearing the news of Nurmagomedov being hospitalized, Rogan tweeted, “Weight cutting is the biggest problem in MMA. We need a solution where we transition towards fighters competing at their actual weight.” A following tweet stated, “To severely dehydrated yourself 24 hours before a cage fight is insane and has massive health and performance consequences.”
Weight cutting is the biggest problem in MMA. We need a solution where we transition towards fighters competing at their actual weight.
— Joe Rogan (@joerogan) March 3, 2017
To severely dehydrated yourself 24 hours before a cage fight is insane and has massive health and performance consequences.
— Joe Rogan (@joerogan) March 3, 2017
This isn’t the first time Rogan has voiced his opinion on cutting weight for mixed martial arts competitions as he stated his stance on the matter in length back in 2014.
“I really wish there could be some sort of an agreement with fighters where it’s just, ‘Goddammit, what the f— do you weigh? You weigh 180 pounds right now? Is that what you weigh when you’re fit? Then you should fight at 180 pounds.’ This making weight thing drives me crazy,” Rogan stated in an interview with SB Nation. “I understand that it’s important for championship fights, to define how big the fighters are so we have people competing against people who are the same size, but I think it should stop. I think it’s a dishonorable part of the sport, and I know that’s a very controversial stance to take, and I know that a lot of people may say that I’m ignorant for saying that. ‘Who are you? You’re the commentator. You’re the guy who is the supposed expert who is explaining MMA in the No. 1 organization in the world, and you think that weight cutting is cheating?’ Yeah, I do. I think it’s cheating that everybody does. It’s one of those situations where everybody has to cheat, because everybody else is cheating.”
What are your thoughts on cutting weight for mixed martial arts competitions? Sound off in the comment section!
This article first appeared on BJPENN.COM on 3/3/2017.