Think morning weigh-ins are to blame for the rise in the number of UFC fighters who miss the mark on the scales? Maybe the thing to do is pay more attention to what’s going on over in Dana White’s Contender Series.

Granted, the sample size isn’t exactly enormous, but with DWCS now into its second season, it might be worth looking at how the 9 a.m. weigh-ins are working over there.

According to MMAjunkie’s John Morgan, an even 100 fighters have now stepped on the scales to fight in DWCS. They all did so on the Monday morning before their Tuesday night fights in Las Vegas, and every single one of them successfully made weight (though one needed the extra hour allowance to hit the mark).

Via Twitter:

So what accounts for the difference in morning weigh-in data between UFC events and DWCS? Here are a few possible explanations:

1. Fewer last-minute replacements

One thing that seems to happen much less in DWCS is a frantic hunt for late fill-ins who may or may not be anywhere near the target weight when they get the call. That makes sense, when you think about it. These aren’t high-profile pay-per-view events, which come with pressure to keep the card together even after someone withdraws. If the fighters all have ample time to train and prepare, maybe it makes sense that we’d see fewer misses on the scale.

2. No one wants to come in heavy for a UFC tryout

It’s one thing to call it quits on a weight cut when you know the penalty will include a fine and some public grumbling but not a whole lot else. But if you miss weight for a DWCS fight, which is basically a glorified tryout to begin with, you probably just ruined your chances.

As we’ve seen, you can come in on weight, win via stoppage, and still not get a UFC contract out of the deal. If you screw up before you ever hit the cage, it’s basically a lost cause. It could be that the fighters know this and are extra careful about giving themselves the best chance possible.

3. At a lower level of competition, maybe fighters are just cutting less weight

How many fighters have we seen who come into the UFC at one weight, only to decide that they need to shed pounds to get every possible advantage against the caliber of competition they face in the big show?

This is how middleweights on the regional circuit become welterweights in the UFC – or at least it’s how they try. It could just be that fighters in DWCS tend to fight closer to their natural body weight, making the cuts easier and less susceptible to unexpected mistakes.

4. Sample size, sample size, sample size

Again, it’s worth remembering that we’re talking about data gleaned from 100 fighters weighing in. You can only get so far comparing that to the 1,924 fighters who weighed in during the two-year period examined by MMAjunkie’s Mike Bohn earlier this month.

Still, this does give us something to think about. At least for DWCS fighters, weighing in early in the morning hasn’t stopped anyone from making weight. In all likelihood, it’s some combination of reasons that explains why.

The Blue Corner is MMAjunkie’s blog space. We don’t take it overly seriously, and neither should you. If you come complaining to us that something you read here is not hard-hitting news, expect to have the previous sentence repeated in ALL CAPS.