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Posted 07/09/2008 at 05:50 PM
I had the opportunity to talk with Keith Keizer of the Nevada State Athletic Commission at a recent UFC event, and found out a couple of interesting aspects. The NSAC is in charge of regulating all the boxing and mixed martial arts events in the state of Nevada, and he said that the weigh ins are largely ceremonial.
When fighters show up, they go backstage to fill out some paperwork, get checked out by doctors, pick up their fight gloves, etc. There are also scales everywhere, so fighters pretty much know what they are going to weigh before getting on the scales before crowds. I asked him why they still use the old scales and not the newer ones that list the weight digitally, and he said it's pretty much tradition.
The most interesting aspect was why they don't do the weigh in the day of the event, and it is for fighter safety. Fighters would still cut weight, so they would be very lethargic during the event. The 24-hour period between weigh ins and the fight gives the fighers a chance to recharge their batteries. I've talked with numerous fighters over the years, and I know the light heavyweight division fighters weigh in at 205 pounds but are usually 220-225 by the time they enter the octagon.
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