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Weight cutting is a regular practice in MMA and similar sports like boxing, enabling fighters to get down to the correct weight category prior to a fight weigh-in. There are different techniques used across the sporting industries, including dehydration and calorie cutting.
Sodium reduction and increased sweating by using saunas or sweat suits are other common tactics used to help bring weight down in the lead up to a weigh-in. Over the years, a lot of research has been conducted to find safe and effective weight cutting methods that are based on scientific processes.
The most commonly used weight cutting method is manipulating water, which involves water loading and then restricting water intake in the days up to the weigh-in. Combining water manipulation with salt reduction removes electrolytes to aid dehydration but this needs to be managed safely. Dietary changes including reducing carbohydrates and fibre to empty the gut are also efficient ways to speed up weight loss.
There are regulations in place to prevent extreme weight loss for athletes competing in fights, such as limiting body mass loss to 10% during the fight week.
How Does Weight Cutting Affect Performance?
Drastic weight cutting can impact fighters’ performances in many ways, including reducing their endurance and decreasing aerobic capacity. However, reaching the required weight range is essential for fights to go ahead, so elite athletes have teams of specialists who help to cut weight in responsible ways that are less likely to impact performance.
The methods used aim at consistent, long-term weight management rather than last-minute cutting, which means there is less work required after weigh-in to restore fluids, carbs and electrolytes. Over-cutting can often mean that athletes are not performing at their optimal energy levels if they are unable to rehydrate on time.
They may also experience slower reaction times, so there can be significant impact on the results of MMA fights from weight cutting when it is not done in a carefully managed way. There are also health issues to consider, including potential damage to the kidneys.
Does Weight Cutting Impact Sports Betting?
If you enjoy betting on MMA or other sports that involve weight cutting, all of the science behind how it impacts performance can help to identify good value bets. Of course, sports betting sites adjust odds based on weigh-in results but in some cases, the site operator won’t fully align odds around the weight cutting details.
This allows many savvy sports bettors to find good value bets if they review factors such as percentage of weight loss and which weight categories are most affected. Bettors can assess the physical appearance of a fighter to see whether they look drained or in good physical condition to make more informed bets based on how their performance may be affected by drastic weight loss.
Equally, if a fighter looks in peak physical condition and appears to be confident and relaxed in pre-fight interviews or the weigh-in, then this could be a good sign that they could perform better than expected based on form alone.
Bettors can also analyze past weight cutting impact on previous performance, to see whether they have had similar weight cutting results and how this impacted their fights in terms of endurance. This can help to decide whether a fight is more likely to go the distance or end in the early rounds.
Major weight cuts do not always lead to compromised performance as some fighters are extremely good at recovering, which you will be able to monitor from their fight history data.
The options for sports betting in Canada, such as method of victory and fight winner are the two most obvious betting types that are affected by weight cutting. Drastic dehydration can often result in early finishes, and knock-outs as dehydration can affect brain cushioning.
So, next time you are looking at placing bets on MMA or boxing, as well as looking at form and weight, looking in more detail about whether there has been a drastic weight loss, and how the fighter typically recovers could help you to identify successful betting outcomes.
Fighters who have completed severe cuts are more likely to fade earlier but this is not always the case, so analyze past recovery patterns as part of your research as well. The over/under rounds betting options can also be good for applying weight cutting knowledge, as players who are more likely to tire quicker could lose in early rounds.