5 of the scariest UFC weight cut stories

Brutal weight cuts have been an issue in the UFC ever since mixed martial arts evolved into a mainstream sport.

For UFC fighters, the decision to choose which weight class to compete in is not as easy as it sounds. Would you rather be undersized or depleted? That's the dilemma most fighters have to consider before selecting a weight division.

Many in the UFC opt to take the risk of cutting a huge amount of weight as it gives them the size advantage when done correctly. However, losing an unnatural amount of mass ahead of a physically demanding contest comes with a host of health problems.

From severe dehydration and liver shutdown to mental health problems, cutting weight can affect MMA fighters in a multitude of ways. Today, we'll discuss five horror stories from the perspectives of UFC fighters who have cut a dramatic amount of weight for a fight.

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#5. UFC welterweight Kevin Lee

UFC welterweight Kevin Lee [Photo via @motownphenom on IG]

Kevin Lee has been a lightweight contender for most of his career. But recently, 'The Motown Phenom' has tested the waters at welterweight in hopes of finding a new home. While many consider Lee's move to 170 pounds an unwise decision, it made sense after he revealed the troubles he had to go through to make the 155-pound threshold of lightweight.

Lee revealed that he went through the most brutal cut of his career as he prepared to take on Tony Ferguson for the interim UFC lightweight title at UFC 216. At the official weigh-ins, Lee looked visibly drained despite successfully making the 155-pound limit.

Morning Report: Kevin Lee on UFC 216 weight cut: I don’t even know how I got it off. I don’t know where I was https://t.co/d6PjFnDu3B pic.twitter.com/ZFpEy5QGbX

— MMAFighting.com (@MMAFighting) October 12, 2017

Come fight night, Lee put in a valiant effort but went on to lose by submission in the third round. In an interview with MMA journalist Ariel Helwani, Lee revealed that he was not at his hundred percent heading into the fight. Recounting the events of his fight with Ferguson, the 28-year-old said:

“The worst cut that I’ve had was the Ferguson fight. I felt like I was close to death, for sure. If I had to pull off another half-a-pound, I think I would’ve had to go to the hospital. It felt like the biggest adrenaline rush that you can possibly feel. Your body is trying to maintain that homeostasis and keep you stable. It’s one of the biggest reasons why I don’t want to go down anymore.”

#4. Former UFC middleweight contender Yoel Romero

Former UFC middleweight contender Yoel Romero

Yoel Romero was unfortunate to be in a weird spot when he competed in the UFC. He was too big for the middleweight division but was also too small for a light heavyweight.

Ultimately, 'The Soldier of God' selected 185 pounds as his weight division of choice. But that came with the caveat that he'd have to trim a significant amount of weight every time he fights.

The hulking Cuban fighter apparently walked around at 205 pounds, according to his manager Malki Kawa. This meant that he cut at least 20 pounds during training camp to prepare for his middleweight contests.

To be fair, though, Romero rarely had trouble making the cut throughout his seven-year UFC tenure. He has only failed to make the 185-pound threshold twice in his UFC career. Unfortunately, those two instances couldn't have come at worse moments.

Romero agreed to fight Luke Rockhold on short notice for the UFC interim middleweight title at UFC 221. However, his lack of preparation time proved to be very consequential as he went over the 185-pound limit and was subsequently stripped of the opportunity to capture the interim middleweight belt. Just the same, the fight went ahead and Romero defeated Rockhold via KO.

Due to his convincing performance, Romero earned another title shot against undisputed 185-pound champ Robert Whittaker at UFC 225. Once again, the MMA gods were not on Romero's side as he missed weight and subsequently lost his title opportunity for a second time.

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#3. Former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov

Former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov

It's no secret that lightweight great Khabib Nurmagomedov has gone over 155 pounds outside the fight camp. In fact, teammates and trainers have revealed that the Dagestani fighter walks around at 190 pounds when he's not preparing for a fight.

Nurmagomedov's weight management issues were in full effect when he was scheduled to fight Tony Ferguson at UFC 209. In what is now known as the UFC's biggest what-if, Ferguson vs. Nurmagomedov was booked five times but got nixed every single time.

This was Khabib Nurmagomedov at media day yesterday. Told me weight cut was tough but going as expected #UFC209 pic.twitter.com/xjroo4pwAt

— Damon Martin (@DamonMartin) March 3, 2017

This was the third time the UFC tried to put together a matchup between 'The Eagle' and 'El Cucuy.' But on the morning of the weigh-ins, Nurmagomedov was rushed to the hospital after he suffered severe dehydration and intense liver pain.

Thankfully, Nurmagomedov seemed to figure out how to manage his weight effectively. The Russian fighter went on to have a stellar run as the UFC lightweight champ before he retired in 2020.

#2. UFC middleweight contender Darren Till

UFC middleweight contender Darren Till

To say that Darren Till is huge for his UFC weight division is an understatement. According to Till's coaches and teammates, 'The Gorilla' walks around at 210 pounds outside of the cage.

That's a large out-of-camp weight for a middleweight fighter who needs to come down to 185 pounds. As bad as that sounds, though, Till was cutting even more weight at the beginning of his UFC tenure as he used to compete in the welterweight division (170 pounds).

Video chronicles Darren Till’s brutal weight cut before UFC Liverpool https://t.co/KJJawMkQxh pic.twitter.com/8kBvWAvkIJ

— Marc Raimondi (@marc_raimondi) May 31, 2018

Till's weight-cutting woes were as apparent as ever when he fought Stephen Thompson at UFC Fight Night 130. Till missed the mark by 3.5 pounds but it wasn't due to a lack of effort. Footage of a miserable Till going through grueling exercises leaked ahead of the fight.

The weight cut was apparently so bad that Till lost his vision temporarily due to depletion. Nonetheless, the fight went ahead and Till managed to secure a unanimous decision victory over Thompson.

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#1. Former UFC bantamweight champion T.J. Dillashaw

Former UFC bantamweight champion T.J. Dillashaw

After defending his bantamweight title against rival Cody Garbrandt, T.J. Dillashaw set his sights on a second title. But for that to happen, Dillashaw had to pull off a daring cut to the flyweight division to fight then-champion Henry Cejudo.

Experts and fans alike doubted Dillashaw's ability to make the 125-pound limit in the flyweight division as he was already shredded for bantamweight in the first place. However, Dillashaw was intent on becoming a champ-champ by hook or by crook.

It is absolutely amazing that @TJDillashaw made the flyweight limit for tomorrow night's fight. I'm very curious to see how that weight cut affects him. His preparation was INSANE https://t.co/BhPGKsmooc

— Joe Rogan (@joerogan) January 18, 2019

At the weigh-ins, Dillashaw looked malnourished and depleted, resembling a man who had been stranded on a desert island for several months. Nonetheless, the cut was successful and the fight was on.

But it didn't take long for Cejudo to expose that Dillashaw does not belong in the flyweight division. 'The Messenger' made quick work of the 135-pound champ, putting him away via TKO in the first round.

While it seemed like Dillashaw was at the lowest point of his career, things took a turn for the worse. It was later revealed that Dillashaw tested positive for the banned substance EPO, which netted him a two-year suspension from active competition.