Why Mirko Cro Cop called weight cutting MMA’s ‘biggest scam’ during Conor McGregor’s rise

McGregor stunned the world at UFC 194, needing just 13 seconds to knock out Jose Aldo with a single punch.

The Irishman had a major size advantage over Aldo and didn’t fight again at 145 pounds after winning the title.

Instead, he made his welterweight debut before later claiming lightweight gold, becoming the first-ever simultaneous two-division champion in UFC history.

But for Cro Cop, how McGregor achieved those titles takes some of the shine off them.

In 2023, he told Index Video: “Nowadays, the biggest scam in MMA is weight cutting. That’s the biggest scam in combat sports.

“People need this explained because they don’t understand, being in a clinch with someone your own weight, five kilos lighter or 10 kilos heavier, that’s a night and day difference.

“The rules are crazy…and then you see double champions,” he continued. “Double champions of what? For example, Conor McGregor. He weighs around 83-84 kilos…when he had the fight with Jose Aldo, he had 66 kilos on the scale and made the weight, but in the fight he had 78 kilos in the 66-kilo weight class.

“Then he goes for a challenge, weighing over 80 kilos… He will go for the 70-kilo belt. Wait a second, while having 84 kilos?

“Okay buddy, now fight at middleweight and win the belt there. You want to be a double champion? A legend? Then move up to light heavyweight and prove how tough you are.”

Why the debate over UFC weight cutting will not go away

It is still early in the year, but weight cutting has already become a major topic again in the UFC.

The issue drew attention on January 23 after Cameron Smotherman fainted at the weigh-ins for UFC 324.

Although he made weight, Smotherman collapsed after stepping off the scale, which resulted in his fight being called off.

In the lead-up to UFC Vegas 113, main event fighter Vinicius Oliveira opened up about his drastic cut to make bantamweight.

Oliveira began his camp 50 pounds over the division limit and still needed to lose 30 pounds as fight week approached. It is another example of how extreme cuts are still part of this sport.