Canadian promotion Maximum Fighting Championship is making some changes in the way they are handling title fights. MFC's titleholders will vacate their belt if they don't make weight for title fights.
At MFC 34� in August, Adam Lynn was set to meet Mukai Maromo for the vacant lightweight title. Lynn weighed in at 156.6 lbs., a pound and a half over the limit of 155 lbs. Maromo went on to to win the fight by knockout. Because of Lynn's blown weight, the fight was changed to non-title status, so Maromo didn't win the belt.
Under the new system, MFC champions will lose their title if they blow weight. If they win their fight, they will be considered the No. 1 contender to win back their belt. If they lose the fight, the contender wins the belt. If the contender blows weight, the champion will keep the belt, regardless of the fight's outcome.
The change in policy was put in place so that fighters won't be penalized because their opponents don't make weight. Fighters not making weight doesn't happen all that often at the top levels of the sport. However, it makes sense to have a policy in place in case there is a problem. The people at US Track and Field found out the hard way that policies for rare occasions, like a tie for third place at an Olympic Trials, are still needed.
In the UFC, when fighters don't make weight in a title fight, the title is no longer on the line. Travis Lutter didn't make weight against Anderson Silva for their fight in 2007, so the fight was not a title defense for Silva. Would you like to see UFC go to this system? Speak up in the comments, on Facebook or on Twitter.
John Alessio Houston Alexander Ricardo Almeida Eddie Alvarez
