At UFC 169, one of the more notable stories outside the main events was the continued trials and tribulations of one John Lineker. As Lineker prepared to face Russian Ali Bagautinov, he also faced a separate battle – one against his continuing struggles to make the flyweight division’s 126 pound limit.

John Lineker – A Cautionary Tale?

John Lineker’s MMA career has been full of remarkable runs. With thirty fights in just over six years, Lineker started off fairly unimpressively reaching a record of 6-5 by the end of 2009. However six fights in 2010 and seven fights in 2011 later, and Lineker had a thirteen fight winning streak on his hands, with seven finishes and a championship win for the well-regarded Jungle Fights promotion. The UFC beckoned.

Crucially, all of Lineker’s success to that point had come in the bantamweight division. When the UFC finally called the spot on offer was in the UFC’s newly minted flyweight division, and Lineker decided to make the drop to the promotion’s newest weight class. Many in the UFC’s flyweight division were coming from the higher weightclass, including top contenders Demetrious Johnson, John Dodson and Joseph Benavidez. Lineker was not a big bantamweight but any stretch of the imagination, so if he could maintain his power at flyweight the move seemed logical. Unfortunately the cut proved to be a lot harder for Lineker than he had anticipated, and his debut was a disappointment – a loss to the scales, coming in at 127 pounds, and a loss to Louis Gaudinot by submission.

Missing weight never makes you popular in Zuffa towers – just ask Rumble Johnson – so Lineker had at that point attached a millstone to his own neck, meaning he likely had one foot out of the door of the organisation almost as quickly as he had entered it. Knowing he had to go out and make the right impression, Lineker earned back to back victories in December 2012 and May 2013, making weight both times. In the shallow flyweight division such results make you an instant title contender, and many began talking about the young Brazilian as a future challenger. His first fight on pay per view beckoned, jerking the curtain at UFC 163 in Brazil against Jose Maria Tome.

Unfortunately for Lineker and the flyweight division, Lineker stepped on the scales at 129 pounds. Choosing not to cut the extra weight, Lineker surrendered 20% of his purse and once again put himself on the back foot. However, after his second impressive knockout win in a row the UFC were left in a very awkward position indeed. Here they had a top prospect who was finishing fights in devastating fashion, but has serious problems making weight. Later the same year Lineker managed to weigh in just a pound lighter in Manchester for his fight with Phil Harris, his third knockout win on the bounce.

UFC president Dana White was, understandably, very much unimpressed with the continual weight issues. At the post-event press conference in Manchester, White announced that he had spoken to Lineker who understood he had issues, and the Brazilian had agreed to work with renowned nutritionist Mike Dolce to get his weight problems in check. The irritation in the president’s voice was evident, and it was clear that Lineker was reaching the end of a short rope. Fast forward to the UFC 169 preparations, and Lineker’s team reveal that they didn’t in fact work with Dolce, instead choosing their own Brazil based expert.

Of course, we all know how this story has ended up. Though he made weight on the second time of asking in New Jersey, there is little prospect of Lineker being able to make 125 pounds on the nose in one go – the requirement for a title fight. Lineker’s camp have been, predictably, full of excuses. Things were going fine in Brazil, when he was under constant supervision, they say. His body just stops sweating, for some reason. Unfortunately, that second excuse is the one that makes me seriously worry for the health of Lineker and the professionalism of his team. Stopping sweating is a huge warning sign that damage is being done to the body, and is probably proof if ever it was needed that Lineker should not be attempting to make 125 pounds.

Cutting down a weight division can be an appealing prospect for fighters, but in years to come it worries me that we might hear the cautionary tale – “remember John Lineker.” Weight cutting is dangerous, no bones about it. In an ideal world, it wouldn’t be allowed. But when fighters like Urijah Faber and Renan Barao dominate the 135 pound division, often weighing close to 150/160 pounds on fight night, it’s understandable that Lineker would not be thrilled at having to fight those guys.

Unfortunately, I don’t think John Lineker has a choice. If he wants to continue to fight and not endanger his life, he must go to bantamweight. Last year we saw a death in Brazil due to excessive weight cutting, no one wants to see another one.