"In wrestling, we had about three hours to eat, drink, and recover before our matches. For MMA matches, we had 8-24 hours depending on the state and the organization. In the IBJJF, we have about 10 minutes." –Josh Hinger

Weight cutting is one of the most bizarre rituals happening in modern sports. In hopes of gaining an advantage, athletes rapidly shed weight before the competition, often leaving themselves feeling mentally distressed and malnourished in the process. Is it worth it? Are the advantages of weight cutting worth the physical and mental toll?

Joe Rogan has had a front-row seat to weight cutting since he was a Massachusetts state champion in Tae Kwon Doe. Now serving as a UFC commentator, he regularly sees fighters drop weight for weight-ins. Here he tries to steer UFC superstar, Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone away from weight cutting.

"When someone first told me about the IBJJF and that we had to weigh-in about 10 minutes before we step onto the mat, I thought it was outrageous. I thought, 'How could they possibly expect anyone to recover in just 10 minutes?'" – Josh Hinger

Although weight cutting is seen in many combat sports, jiu-jitsu athletes are often given the least amount of time to recover before a competition. Some competitors take this risk in order to qualify for a certain weight division. They believe this will improve their odds to take the podium and become world champion. Competitors like Mikey Musumeci have done this in the past. Mikey even cut their hair before stepping on the scale in order to make weight. Immediately afterward, Mikey dropped to the floor and chugged his water bottle. Are these drastic measures really necessary? 

"When it comes down to people really going into a suana and cutting weight for an event, I steer people away from that because you have to walk straight out to your first match from the scale. You could have a really [poor] performance and be out first round. Fully because you weren't you and had to shed that last weight. I am a big advocate of dieting and being smart." – Rafael Lovato

While dropping a few weight classes might give you a considerable size advantage, overall weight cutting is not worth the health risks. Ten pounds is not going to make the difference between winning and losing. However, not being physically and mentally at your best will definitely hold you back when it matters most. Be smart, diet properly, and avoid rapid weight cuts. 

"The mental distress you create for yourself over the weight disparity is far more likely to cause you to lose than the actual weight itself. Essentially, you might be defeating yourself." – Josh Hinger

To bring light to this issue, FloSports has been crafting a documentary for over two years. Take a ride and see first hand how weight cut is affecting athletes in multiple combat sports. Understand the risks and what the consequences could be if this issue is not addressed.

Bad Cut is set to premiere April 24th at 7 PM EST. Be sure to tune and see how this strategy is affecting athletes worldwide.

Watch The Premiere of "BAD CUT" April 24th At 7 PM