ONE Championship details revolutionary new weigh-in protocol

Severe weight cutting is quite possibly the most dangerous aspect of MMA.

While athletes have long gone through the harrowing act of seriously dehydrating themselves in order to make weight, a much brighter light has been shone on the issue following the recent death of 21-year-old Chinese prospect Yang Jian Bing prior to ONE Championship 35.

As a result, ONE Championship is enacting a new weight-cutting policy in January, focusing on fighters competing closer to their "walking weight" through constant updates and monitoring.

Here are the details from their official website:

1. Athletes must submit their current walking weight and daily training weight regularly. Athletes will input and track their daily weight online via a dedicated web portal. Athletes may input data weekly but must include daily weights.

2. Athletes will be assigned to their weight class based on collated data and random weight checks. Athletes are not allowed to drop a weight class when less than 8 weeks out from an event.

3. During fight week, weights are checked daily. Urine specific gravity will also be checked the day after arrival and 3 hours prior to the event. Athletes must be within their weight class and pass specific gravity hydration tests all week and up to 3 hours before the event. If an athlete falls outside the weight, or fails a test, they are disqualified from the event. Doctors may request additional testing at their discretion.

4. Catch weight bouts are allowed. However, the athlete with the higher weight will not be heavier than 105% of the lighter opponent’s weight.

5. ONE will conduct random weight checks on athletes at our discretion.

6. Athletes may petition to change weight classes outside of the 8-week competition zone and must be within their new desired weight at that time. In addition, athletes must pass a specific gravity urine test when their weight is within the limits of the newly petitioned weight class. ONE doctors can request additional testing to determine the amount of weight drop allowed over a specific time.

7. The usage of IVs for the purpose of rehydration will not be allowed.

Overage and limits of weight reduction:

· 3 weeks to event day: Athlete must be within contracted weight class

· 4 weeks: 1.5% bodyweight over max

· 5 weeks: 3%

· 6 weeks: 4.5%

· 7 weeks: 6%

· 8 weeks: +6% max over.

(ONE Chief Doctor may approve up to +/- 0.5% maximum error in any weekly weight check)

While there's sure to be issues with this new policy, and fighters will likely try other dangerous methods in order to circumvent the rules, ONE Championship is at least trying to take a step in the right direction.