MMA Knockout

Joe Rogan Drops Truth Bomb On Weight-Cutting: 'Sanctioned Cheating'

UFC color commentator Joe Rogan is not amused with the standard of weight-cutting.

Zain Bando

Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

UFC color commentator Joe Rogan is heavily against the dangers of weight-cutting, particularly in MMA's top promotion.

Conor McGregor, Tyson Fury Go Ballistic Over Anthony Joshua's Shocking KO Loss

During the 163rd edition of the "JRE MMA Show," Rogan, Matt Serra, Din Thomas, and John Rallo discussed several topics related to the sport, including revisiting the chaos ahead of Dan Ige's last-minute fill-in against Diego Lopes in June.

"No one should be cutting weight, kids," Rogan said. "'I think, what they [the commision] really should do, is just find what they f****** actually weigh and just stop this nonsense. It should be looked at the same way steroids are looked at. It should be looked at the same way all other kind of cheating [in sports] is looked at. It's sanctioned cheating. You're not really 155 pounds."

The night of UFC 303, it was revealed on hours notice Brian Ortega would be unable to compete against Lopes due to illness. With close proximity and active training at play, the UFC called on Ige to take the fight and save a then-chaotic pay-per-view offering.

Given the circumstances of the situation, Lopes vs. Ige did not take place at contracted weight. Rogan said the fight is one of several examples which should allow the implementation of newer divisions and more flexibility.

Conor McGregor Reveals UFC Comeback Plans After Failed Booking

However, same day weigh-ins is an aspect Rogan said he is strongly against.

"It would get more guys hurt," Rogan said. That's the real problem. One of the things they say about head injuries and death in boxing – the vast majority of them don't take place at heavyweight. So, the guys who hit the hardest are not the guys who are getting horrible brain injuries where they [die] inside the ring. They're not cutting weight."

Rogan said there is no perfect solution to the issue. With how much the sport continues to evolve, however, he would like to see more effort put toward it.

Boxing Live Results & Highlights – Anthony Joshua vs. Daniel Dubois

Read More Boxing & MMA News

Stick with MMA Knockout for more daily coverage of the UFC, MMA, and Boxing.

Follow MMA Knockout on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Published
Zain Bando

ZAIN BANDO

Zain Bando is a writer for MMA Knockout, part of the Sports Illustrated/Minute Media umbrella. He has covered combat sports since 2019 for notable outlets BJPenn.com and FanSided MMA. He also co-hosts a podcast called "The MMA Outsiders," part of the Empty The Bench Podcast Network, which airs Tuesday nights at 7:00 p.m. ET/4:00 p.m. PT. A Chicago suburban native, Bando has been enthralled with MMA since 2006 and has been fortunate to attend some of the most high-profile events in the sport's history, both as a fan and media member, including UFC 264, Bellator 297 and Kayla Harrison's PFL MMA debut. He is excited to take the next step in his combat sports writing journey and looks forward to continuing his following of the fight game for years to come. Bando can be reached via email at zainbando99@gmail.com or by social media @zainbando99

Home/News