UFC stars will go to any length to make weight , but Mackenzie Dern’s revelation might take the cake for creativity. In a recent video, the strawweight champion shared an unconventional method her coach once suggested when she was cutting it dangerously close to her weight limit.
“My coach, Parillo, he had me have a beer on the night before because it helps you, it dehydrates you, and you go pee more,” Dern explained. “I mean, my weight was, like, very close, and he said, ‘Hey, have this beer.’ And so he had me have like a big IPA, and I made weight.”
Jason Parillo’s advice came at a critical moment when Dern was teetering on the edge of missing her contracted weight. The strategy, while unorthodox, has some basis in physiology.
Certain beverages act as diuretics, increasing urine production and causing rapid fluid loss. When an athlete needs to shed just a few more pounds of water weight before stepping on the scale, that temporary drop can mean the difference between competing and losing a portion of their purse.
However, what worked for Dern in that particular situation comes with significant risks. Weight cutting already pushes athletes into a state of severe dehydration. Adding a diuretic into that equation can amplify the dangers, potentially disrupting electrolyte balance and increasing the likelihood of serious medical complications. While the UFC has no specific rule banning such practices during weight cuts, that doesn’t make them safe.
Dern isn’t alone in employing questionable tactics. Featherweight champion Ilia Topuria has mentioned incorporating red wine into his weight management routine before weigh-ins. But Dern’s story reads more like an emergency measure than a planned strategy.
The video featuring Dern also included fellow UFC veterans Edson Barboza and Neil Magny, both of whom shared their own harrowing weight cut experiences. Barboza’s response was perhaps the most alarming in its casual delivery.
“Pass out, come back, keep going,” Barboza stated matter-of-factly.
Neil Magny described a different but equally concerning approach. “I used to drive in my car to the venue with the heat on, full blast, and the sauna suit, trying to sweat in my car to make the last bit of pounds on the way to weigh-ins,” he revealed.
Salt baths, hot tubs, sweat-inducing gels, and layer upon layer of clothing in heated rooms have all become standard tools in the weight-cutting arsenal. Some athletes lose 20 pounds (9 kg) or more in the final week, only to rehydrate and regain much of it after the weigh-in ceremony.
The physical toll is well-documented. Dehydration affects cognitive function, reaction time, and overall performance. It can also have long-term health consequences, including kidney damage and cardiovascular stress.
