Evidence-based weight cut protocols from a dietitian who has managed cuts for professional UFC fighters. Serving Miami's combat sports community remotely.
South Florida fighters know the stakes of a bad weight cut. You've seen teammates gas out in the first round because they drained themselves to make weight, or miss the scale entirely and lose a percentage of their purse. In Miami's heat and humidity, the margin for error gets even thinner — dehydration compounds faster, and recovery windows shrink. A weight cut nutritionist who understands both the science and the fight game can be the difference between showing up depleted and showing up dangerous.
South Florida is MMA territory. American Top Team, Killcliff FC, MMA Masters, Sanford MMA — the concentration of elite combat sport gyms here is unmatched outside of Las Vegas. Fighters at every level, from amateur smokers to UFC main events, are cutting weight regularly.
Nelson Marques, RD, CSSD, has managed weight cuts for professional UFC fighters and understands the pressure of making weight when your career is on the line. That experience now serves the broader Miami fight community through remote consulting and the Calsanova AI platform.
A phased approach that protects performance while getting you to the scale on target.
We establish your walking weight, target weight class, and training load. From there, we build a caloric and macronutrient framework for the full camp — not just fight week.
Controlled body fat reduction through the first 6-8 weeks of camp. The goal is to minimize the amount of acute water weight you need to cut in the final days.
Precise sodium, carb, fiber, and fluid manipulation in the final 5-7 days. Post-weigh-in, we execute a structured rehydration and refeed to maximize fight-night performance.
Ideally 8-12 weeks out for a full camp approach. However, we can work with tighter timelines if needed. The earlier we start, the less aggressive the cut needs to be — which means better performance on fight night.
Yes. Whether you are headlining a UFC card or competing in your first amateur bout at an ATT smoker, the principles of a safe, effective weight cut are the same. We scale the protocol to your level and experience.
Most coaches rely on water loading and sauna protocols passed down through gym culture. We use evidence-based methods — manipulating sodium, fiber, and fluid with precision timing — while monitoring biomarkers. The result is a more comfortable cut with less performance loss.
Stop guessing your way through fight week. Get a weight cut protocol built by a dietitian who has done this at the UFC level.
20% OFF Scythene — for Academy students & Calsanova members
Learn more →