In the modern age of cut-throat competition, MMA is not untouched by the fierce stakes of the sport. Fighters are willing to sacrifice anything for the title, even their health. This debate recently surfaced when UFC dual-division champion Alex Pereira moved up to light heavyweight due to weight-cutting issues. His friend Sean Sean Strickland confirmed this, stating, “He looked like fu*ing death. His last middleweight cut.” This topic became the center of discussion on a recent episode of Joe Rogan‘s podcast.

Rogan, along with his friends John Rallo, Matt Serra, and Din Thomas, exchanged views on how to tackle weight-cutting issues in MMA at length. Let’s see what they had to say.

Joe Rogan’s suggestions to MMA promotions to tackle weight-cutting issues

Joe Rogan is currently approaching four decades with the UFC, during which he has witnessed the evolution of the combat sports industry. This experience has made him a notable MMA analyst who never shies away from offering suggestions to improve the sport. His insights have earned him an analyst-like status, and even UFC head honcho Dana White often seeks his advice on making MMA safer and better.

Rogan has long advocated for hydration testing in the UFC, similar to the practice in Thailand’s MMA promotion, ONE Championship. This intention was recently evident in his latest JRE MMA Show episode #163, where he offered advice to other MMA promotions. He stated, “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 you, we’re going to check your water levels, check your hydration.”

Surely, tools like hydration testing are an active way to prevent fighters from entering fights with weakened bodies. This controversial issue recently came to light when ONE Championship’s flyweight submission grappling king, Mikey Musumeci, failed his hydration test before ONE Championship’s big fight in America. However, this is not the first time Rogan raised concerns about the dangerous tactics fighters use when it comes to weight cutting.

Joe Rogan labeled Alex Pereira’s weight-cutting methods as “cheating”

Earlier this June, 6’4′ Alex Pereira shocked everyone when he gained over 25 lbs in less than a day after making his weigh-in at 205 lbs for his second title defense against Jiri Prochazka at UFC 303. This isn’t the first fight ‘Poatan’ has done this in. During his time in the middleweight division, he exhibited the same behavior. Fans thought that after moving to the higher weight class division, this excessive habit would stop, especially after he lost to Israel Adesanya in a disappointing way. However, they were wrong, as Pereira continues to get bigger with time.

His techniques have left fans puzzled, and even Joe Rogan expressed his dissatisfaction with ‘Poatan’s tactics on his podcast. Rogan slammed Pereira’s methods, stating, “He could have been, yeah, he certainly gets above that between fights. And he has a hard time making 185. It’s a bulls— thing. It’s basically sanctioned cheating. It really is. But, everybody does it [Israel Adesanya] barely does it. When Izzy moved up to fight Jan Blachowicz at light Heavyweight he weighed 194, which is crazy because Blachowicz is a giant light Heavyweight.”

What are your thoughts on Joe Rogan’s suggestion? Do you think the UFC along with other major MMA promotions, need to introduce hydration testing like ONE Championship? Drop your opinion below.