Updated

Updated · MMA Fighting · Aug 24

Marcio Barbosa Gains 25.5 Pounds at UFC Sacramento, Outweighing Ryan Kuse by Nearly 20

Updated

Updated · MMA Fighting · Aug 24

Marcio Barbosa Gains 25.5 Pounds at UFC Sacramento, Outweighing Ryan Kuse by Nearly 20

Q: How did one UFC fighter legally step into the cage nearly 20 pounds heavier than his opponent?

He did it legally because UFC weight limits apply at the official weigh-in, not when fighters enter the cage. Marcio Barbosa made the contracted featherweight limit at 145.5 pounds on Friday, while Ryan Kuse weighed 144.5. Once both men were cleared, the rules allowed them to rehydrate and regain weight before Saturday’s fight. That is how Barbosa ended up at 171 pounds on fight night, a gain of 25.5 pounds, while Kuse came in at 153.2 pounds. The result was a 17.8-pound gap in the cage, even though they were only 1 pound apart at the official weigh-in. This is a common feature of MMA’s weight-cutting system. Fighters often dehydrate themselves to hit a lower class, then restore fluids, glycogen and food weight over roughly 24 hours before competing. California’s athletic commission tracks and publishes fight-night weights precisely because the in-cage sizes can differ sharply from weigh-in numbers. In this case, nothing indicates Barbosa broke any rule. He passed the official weigh-in for a non-title featherweight bout, and California does not use a hard rehydration cap that would have barred him from competing at 171 pounds the next night. The large disparity reflects the current structure of MMA regulation rather than a loophole unique to this fight. The UFC Sacramento data showed Barbosa’s jump was the biggest on the card, underscoring why regulators continue monitoring extreme cuts and rehydration practices.

2 articles · Updated · MMA Fighting · Aug 24

25.5 pounds was the biggest fight-night jump on the UFC Sacramento card, with Marcio Barbosa rising from 145.5 at weigh-ins to 171 for his featherweight bout.
171 pounds left Barbosa nearly 20 pounds heavier than Ryan Kuse, who entered fight night at 153.2 after weighing 144.5 on Friday.
California’s athletic commission released the figures Monday as part of its effort to track fight-night weights and discourage extreme weight cutting.
204.4 pounds was Gregory Rodrigues’ fight-night weight after a 19.4-pound rebound, leaving him only 2.2 pounds above Anthony Hernandez despite Rodrigues’ size advantage at middleweight.

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MMA Fighting2h ago

Marcio Barbosa Gains 25.5 Pounds Post-UFC Sacramento Weigh-ins

Yahoo Sports2h ago

UFC fighter gained over 25 pounds after UFC Sacramento weigh-ins - Yahoo Sports

Did a massive $340,000 payout justify the grueling 19-pound weight cut for UFC Sacramento's main event winner?

How did one UFC fighter legally step into the cage nearly 20 pounds heavier than his opponent?

Will extreme 25-pound fight-night weight gains finally force athletic commissions to overhaul MMA's dangerous weigh-in system?

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2 total

MMA Fighting2h ago

Marcio Barbosa Gains 25.5 Pounds Post-UFC Sacramento Weigh-ins

Yahoo Sports2h ago

UFC fighter gained over 25 pounds after UFC Sacramento weigh-ins - Yahoo Sports

Marcio Barbosa Gains 25.5 Pounds at UFC Sacramento, Outweighing Ryan Kuse by Nearly 20

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