UFC on ESPN 11 will be the promotion’s fourth straight Las Vegas card, and features a number of athletes who have found success at new homes in terms of weight class.
Like it or not, weight-cutting is deeply rooted in mixed martial arts. MMA adopted its weight-cutting from the sport of wrestling, where it is presumed to be very advantageous to be the biggest and strongest in your weight class. Known as the ‘fight before the fight,’ most UFC fighters cut anywhere from 5-25 pounds, with some fighters even in excess of 30 pounds.
Weight-cutting is the ultimate test of discipline and willpower. Many fighters in the sport consider it very unprofessional to miss weight. In this series, we will shine a light on fighters who cut a massive amount of weight, who have missed weight multiple times in the past, who have made weight-class changes, along with how the weight-cut and weigh-in could affect possible upcoming match-ups. Basically, every aspect of weight-cutting and how it affects the fight game.
Josh Emmett (15-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC)
Featherweight (145lbs): 4-1 (UFC), Missed weight one time at featherweight
Lightweight (155lbs): 2-1 (UFC)
Josh Emmett began his UFC career back in 2016, an undefeated 9-0 fighter, in the lightweight division. However, Emmett would only stay in the lightweight division for three bouts. In his third fight at 155lbs Emmett lost a split decision to Des Green and snapped his perfect record. This loss absolutely motivated Josh to move down 10lbs to the UFC’s featherweight division. Also along with the fact that Emmett stands at just 5’6″ and posses a 70″ reach.
Emmett has only missed weight one time in his UFC career, before his first-round knockout of Ricardo Lamas back in 2017. Though Emmett weighed in heavy at 148lbs for this bout, he ended up walking away with one of the best knockouts of the year.
Its been almost a year since UFC fans last saw Josh Emmett in the octagon, who is on a two-fight hot streak. Emmett had a first-round ground and pound finish of Mirsad Bektic and four months prior, a stunning KO of lightweight staple Michael Johnson in a comeback finish during the third round. At 35 years old Emmett looks really good at featherweight and will be returning there for his fight against Shane Burgos on June 20th.
I’m trying this new diet where I watch Josh Emmett cut weight and then don’t eat for 3 days pic.twitter.com/0o5Zw47QgD
— Below The Belt (@BelowTheBeltMMA) March 29, 2019
