The California State Athletic Commission recently revealed a new ten step plan to help MMA fighters battle extreme weight cutting, something that has plagued just about every fighter and organization in MMA.
Some of the finer points of the CSAC weight cutting plan include the introduction of more weight classes, fight day weigh-ins and larger fines for fighters missing weight.
CSAC officer Andy Foster is the author of the plan, but the author sought input from other stakeholders as well.
UFC VP Of Fighter Health & Performance Jeff Novitzky penned a letter in support of the weight cutting plan.
“UFC is encouraged that further steps to assure safe weight management practices, as outlined in CSAC's "10-Point Plan", will result in additional health and safety benefits and positive feedback from promoters and combat athletes and their camps,” Novitzky wrote.
Other MMA organizations such as Bellator MMA and the Invicta Fighting Championships have also penned letters in support of the plan.
“UFC also supports the offering of additional weight classes as outlined in CSAC’s ’10-Point Plan,’” Novitzky wrote. “UFC recently unveiled the implementation of two new female weight classes at 125 and 145 pounds, respectively, as the global brand now offers competition at four 10-pound increment weight classes. By adding these additional divisions, UFC believes it is providing more weight-specific options for UFC athletes to promote safer weight management goals. UFC also anticipates that regional talent, who are regularly scouted and imported to UFC's roster, will soon be robust enough to support these additional weight classes with world-class talent that will eventually be promoted by the global brand. Further positive steps will include financial deterrents and physician sign-offs on weight class decisions for missing weight on more than one occasion.”
There is no official date for when or if the plan will roll out and become law, but now the biggest MMA organization in the world is supporting it.
