In fighting sports like boxing, judo, karate etc, there are
different weight classes where fighters compete with others within their own
weight class. This is to prevent mismatches where one guy is far bigger, or far
faster, than their competitors.
However, I had always disliked the idea of weight classes. I
can understand why they have it but I always thought the idea of weight class is
kind of stupid. This is especially so for fighters who decide to cut weight drastically
in order to fight in a lower weight class.
The idea is that if they managed to go into a lower weight
class, they will still have a size advantage over their competitors. Like I
said earlier, I can understand why they do it, but I can’t understand why
fighters put their health a risk for a stupid weight cut.
Recently in Brazil, journeyman MMA (mixed martial art)
fighter Leandro Silva died while trying to shed 30 pounds in 5 days before a fight.
That’s 6 pounds a day and the Brazilian is hardly alone. Earlier this year,
American MMA fighter Diego Sanchez lost 53 pounds in 60 days…and still missed
the weight! He was supposed to lose 55 pounds.
That is just not unhealthy. Such drastic weight cut causes
seriously health issues in the long-run and with MMA growing in Singapore as
well, I do think MMA companies and organizations need to have some sort of rules
to limit weight cut. The last thing anyone wants is any fighter dying due to
meet a stupid weight.
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