MMA 2016 - After an incredible year, how can we improve fighters and fights?

While improving a fighter's health and what ultimately may redefine the sport!

Gravity Hydration Testing is something you and I will start hearing more and more about. ONE Championship already and very quickly initiated this protocol after a tragedy of a botched weight cut that claimed the life of a fighter, a human being, a son and warrior by the name of Yang Jian Bing. May he rest in peace, but hopefully we can make changes to the sport that facilitates superb fighting from fighters. Who are not recovering from a brutal weight cut and really open the gates for new names that may not have the luxury of a Mike Dolce cooking for him or her. The policy for ONE looks like this http://www.mmaweekly.com/heres-the-new-one-championship-non-dehydration-weigh-in-policy but I think we can open new weight classes since the UFC alone has almost 600 athletes signed and they all have to fit perfectly in a certain class which can be done, but maybe this can be done better.

ENTER: Gravity Hydration testing which is simply an easy test that compares the density of urine to the density of water. This quick test can help determine how efficiently your kidneys are diluting your urine. Urine that’s too concentrated will indicate that a fighter is dehydrated and must rehydrate to a safe level.

To the UFC use this or alter it a bit for your protocol

1. Athletes must submit their current walking weight and daily training weight regularly. Athletes will input and track their daily weight online via a dedicated web portal. Athletes may input data weekly but must include daily weights. 
2. Athletes will be assigned to their weight class based on collated data and random weight checks. Athletes are not allowed to drop a weight class when less than 8 weeks out from an event. 
3. During fight week, weights are checked daily. Urine specific gravity will also be checked the day after arrival and 3 hours prior to the event. Athletes must be within their weight class and pass specific gravity hydration tests all week and up to 3 hours before the event. If an athlete falls outside the weight, or fails a test, they are disqualified from the event. Doctors may request additional testing at their discretion. 
4. Catchweight bouts are allowed. However, the athlete with the higher weight will not be heavier than 105% of the lighter opponent’s weight. 
5. Conduct random weight checks on athletes at our discretion. 
6. Athletes may petition to change weight classes outside of the 8-week competition zone and must be within their new desired weight at that time. In addition, athletes must pass a specific gravity urine test when their weight is within the limits of the newly petitioned weight class. ONE doctors can request additional testing to determine the amount of weight drop allowed over a specific time. 
7. The usage of IVs for the purpose of rehydration will not be allowed. 

Overage and limits of weight reduction:
3 weeks to event day: Athlete must be within contracted weight class
4 weeks: 1.5% bodyweight over max
5 weeks: 3%
6 weeks: 4.5%
7 weeks: 6%
8 weeks: +6% max over.