A Statement in Winnipeg
Weight cuts continue to be an issue in the UFC as the science of finding the best weight for a fighter’s body type is not an exact one.
Rafael Dos Anjos know this all too well as he continued to struggle to make weight in the lightweight division.
Yet despite that struggle, he continued to win and rose all the way to the top of the division winning the lightweight belt.
That is the perfect example of why fighters find themselves trying to cut weight fight after fight.
There is a balance in fighting where every fighter wants to come in as the bigger stronger fighter but also needs to make the weight without hurting themselves.
The bad side of weight cutting has been shown multiple times in the UFC where big stars are unable to answer the bell.
Khabib Nurmagomedov is one example as he continues to cut to lightweight but the last time he did that he ended up in the hospital.
His kidneys had shut down because he simply had nothing in him while he was trying to cut and it stressed his body too much.
Sometimes it is simply a fighter’s plan to cut weight that falls short and they can easily make the weight if they did it right.
Other times it is the fact that a fighter is just not meant for that weight class and coming in as the bigger fighter is not worth it when they are so depleted from the weight cut.
Dos Anjos was someone who struggled to make weight but never got into serious trouble in his weight cut to 155 lbs.
He consistently came in as the bigger and stronger fighter allowing him to be a better physical presence than others.
Eventually, though the weight cuts caught up to him and his body began to reject the idea of cutting the weight.
It became tougher and tougher for him to cut that weight and despite his ability to beat some of the best in the world he started to see that point of diminishing returns.
After losing his lightweight belt he struggled to get back to that spot and realized that he may require a change to get back to being great.
That came when he decided to move up in weight to the welterweight division where he would no longer be the stronger guy in his fights.
It is the fear of every fighter that struggles with their weight cut as they never want to go in with that new identity.
Before they could use their size and power to overcome some of the lighter fighters but in a more natural weight class, they are just another fighter.
They have to rely more on their ability than ever before and for many fighters that is a mental issue they need to get over especially if they want to continue their careers.
Although Dos Anjos entered a heavier weight class and became just another fighter and no longer the biggest guy it was a great decision.
Do Anjos came into UFC on FOX 26 winning both of his first two fights at his new weight class.
That success earned him a date with a former champion and one of the most violent fighters in the UFC.
Robbie Lawler has been in some of the most brutal fights in UFC history and usually has come out on top in those fights.
That style helped him to win the title in the welterweight division but losing it to Tyron Woodley had put him back into the mix.
He was looking to get back to a title shot as he tried to take his title back while showing that Dos Anjos didn’t belong.
The winner of the main event in Winnipeg was going to be on the fast track towards a date with Tyron Woodley.
For Dos Anjos, it was another step towards achieving a goal of winning two belts while for Lawler it was just a step towards taking his belt back.
The former lightweight champion took a page out of the book of the former welterweight champion in order to make his statement.
It was just a constant forward pressure from Dos Anjos as he continued to put it on Lawler the entire fight.
That pressure forced Lawler to fight on the back foot almost the entire time and with that, he was unable to really get anything going.
Dos Anjos took the win with a great performance ad a performance that could have possibly ended the fight early had it not been Lawler.
It will stop the hopes of Lawler returning to the title in the division at least for now while Dos Anjos made a clear statement.
Despite his move up in weight, he remains one of the best fighters and with three straight wins in the new division, he seems destined for a title shot.
The Sport Addiction 