In its three-decade-long journey, Dana White‘s multi-billion dollar promotion, the Ultimate Fighting Championship, has undergone tremendous changes, evolving from being ridiculed as “human co**fighting” to a more regulated product. For the unversed, this transformation was made possible after White took over as President in 2001. Standing alongside White during this remarkable evolution was his close friend and UFC commentator Joe Rogan, who witnessed firsthand the shift in the image of this once-maligned promotion.

However, this doesn’t mean that all crucial changes have been made yet, especially concerning fighter safety. The issue of weight-cutting remains under scrutiny, and Rogan, who is deeply concerned about this matter, frequently appeals to the UFC head honcho when necessary. Recently, the topic of weight cutting was once again in the spotlight, not from Joe Rogan himself but through comments from Andy Foster, the Executive Director of the CSAC.

California State Athletic Commission echoed Joe Rogan’s view on weight cutting

Andy Foster usually doesn’t have a habit of giving interviews to MMA media outlets; however, when he does, it garners strong reasons. Recently, during an appearance with renowned journalist Ariel Helwani, Foster was asked about the “current state of weight cutting.” He nodded in affirmation and described weight cutting as a ‘pandemic situation’ in mixed martial arts.

Andy Foster further emphasized, “It’s still the biggest problem in mixed martial arts. I mean, there is no question about it. Here in California, we understand the issue. There are a lot of fighters—I’m not saying everyone—but we have extensive notes and information on many different athletes, so we are trying to get ahead of it.”

Despite the dangerous toll weight cutting takes on the body, it is still not banned by many mixed martial arts promotions, including the UFC, which remains the top MMA organization in the world. Athletes often shut down their water intake to make weight on time, raising serious red flags—something Joe Rogan has also recently addressed.

Rogan is in favor of hydration tests in MMA

Weight cutting isn’t the only issue in mixed martial arts; the most dangerous part of the process is that fighters are viciously dehydrating their bodies to make weight on time. This practice, due to its inherent dangers, has serious medical implications for athletes’ bodies. Alex Pereira is a recent example of this. During his middleweight stint, he pushed his body to such an extent that he “looked like f–cking death”, described by his friend and training partner Sean Strickland.

Joe Rogan, who has witnessed countless changes in the UFC throughout his journey, has long advocated for hydration testing to prevent fighters from dangerously dehydrating themselves, similar to the rules enforced by Thailand-based MMA organization ONE Championship. Recently, in his JRE MMA #163 episode, Rogan expressed his dissatisfaction with MMA organizations for overlooking this issue, saying, “They need to hydrate you too. Dudes will f–k around. They’ll still cut. So if we have a hydration thing, like, say, if you’re going to compete, you need to be in shape, at your fighting weight. And then we’re going to check your water levels, check your hydration.”

What’s your take on Andy Foster’s remarks? Do you agree that weight cutting is currently one of the most critical issues in the fight world, with fighters pushing their bodies to extreme, sometimes perilous limits? Should the UFC take action to prohibit unsafe dehydration practices in weight-cutting? Drop your opinion below.