New UFC fight week check-in weights start in July

The UFC sent out an email to their fighters Friday informing of them of the max weight allowed for a new fight week check-in policy starting in July, according to a tweet from Jeremy Botter of FloSports:

Last Saturday, it was reported that the UFC was planning to implement a new Weight Management Policy in response to concerns over extreme weight cutting and its adverse affect on fighter safety.

A key part of the policy involves fighters weighing in earlier in the week before a UFC event at no more than an additional eight percent of their target weight. Failure to comply would result in increased scrutiny in regards to the fighters weight and vital signs the rest of the week, and a possible cancellation of their bout should they appear to be in any significant danger.

According to MMA Fighting's Marc Raimondi, the email written by UFC vice president of athlete health and performance Jeff Novitzky also mentions the addition of a private weigh-in at 10 a.m. the day before an event. The change will give fighters more time to re-hydrate before they have to compete.

A public weigh-in will still be held at the traditional time of 4 p.m. to allow for promotion and face-offs. Fighters will presumably not be asked to actually make weight a second time.

The early weigh-ins will go into effect ahead of UFC 199 on June 4, an event that features a middleweight title match between champion Luke Rockhold and Michael Bisping, and a bantamweight title match between champion Dominick Cruz and Urijah Faber.

Novitzky assured the fighters that these policies have an emphasis on education not punishment.