From the outside, when you see a fighter get on the scale, it’s just a number. What most people don’t realize is how much of a mental and physical toll cutting weight is for many fighters. It’s not just going on a diet like you would before beach season. In many cases it is extreme starvation and dehydration; pure misery to have a size advantage.

However, even if cutting weight is a necessary evil of the sport, that doesn’t mean that those who aren’t fighters shouldn’t understand what goes into it. Why would fighters risk their health to a point where, they could die?

In the above video, former UFC heavyweight contender Paul Buentello discusses his first weight cut to 205 pounds, and the mental toll it took on him. In a previous interview with The MMA Corner, Buentello said, “It shows you the part of the weight cut that most fighters don’t want you to see, but I’ve always been real about my fighting [and] about what I do.”

Buentello is scheduled to fight for the Legacy FC light heavyweight championship tonight.

About The Author

Zach Miller
Staff Writer

Zach is a Boston native and has had a fascination with martial arts since playing Mortal Kombat at five years old. He was introduced to MMA after watching The Ultimate Fighter 5: Team Pulver vs. Team Penn. A recent graduate of the University of New Hampshire, Zach seeks to one day become a full-time MMA journalist. In addition to watching the sport, he has also trained in Brazillian Jiu-Jitsu, kickboxing, and tae kwon do. Zach has also written for NortheastMMA.