Roy Nelson can certainly pack a punch, but he’s also packing a shed load of nun-functional weight.

MMA’s leading nutritional guru, Mike Dolce, shows you how to drop the lard and drop your opponent.

I don’t care if it’s a big, fat tub of lard hanging around your waist, or if it is a pair of 18-inch biceps that look great in your mirror but can’t hold a rear naked choke for more than 10 seconds; it all comes down to functional weight. 

Frank Mir and Roy Nelson both weighed 260lb on May 27th, just one day before they fought each other at UFC 130.

It reads like an even match on paper, but the weigh-in photos tell a different story.

Since he was overpowered by Brock Lesnar in 2009, Mir has worked hard to add lean muscle onto his six-foot-three frame in an attempt to better his chances of competing amongst the modern era of super heavyweights.

After an initial wrong turn building nonfunctional muscle that would make any bodybuilder proud, the former two-time UFC heavyweight champion seemed to find the correct mixture of size, strength and cardiovascular efficiency while remaining elastic, coordinated and well-balanced.

Nelson, the former IFL heavyweight champion, has done a great job in climbing the ranks yet sports a less-than-typical body type one would picture when visualizing a professional fighter.

Embracing this image has made Roy very popular with his fans, as evidenced by his chosen Octagon entrance music, Weird Al Yankovic’s I’m Fat – a parody of Michael Jackson’s hit I’m Bad.

But what would be your reaction if I asked you to put on a 20lb weighted vest, go through your entire day and somewhere around 10pm fight Junior Dos Santos? Imagine if that was 30lb, or 40lb, or more?

Would you possibly be able to perform near your true athletic potential? Now, think about your general health?

I have heard the argument that the extra weight helps to smother and wear down the opposition, but really that argument only stands regarding a big brother to his eight-year-old sibling.

In the UFC, there are no little brothers, and there is no room for error.

In mixed martial arts competition, you will be fighting a highly skilled athlete well versed in as many techniques as yourself, who has a similar support system and goals, and has trained equally as hard to put a hurt on you. 

With so much on the line there is no room to carry around a single ounce of nonfunctional mass.

This not only applies to athletes moving down a weight class, but also to those stepping up and into the ranks of the bigger bodies.

Functional Mass Outline

To truly build functional lean muscle, you must strain against increasingly heavier weights using perfect form.

You must also plan your meals according to ingredients containing the highest nutrient content per calorie.

Here I have outlined a six-week mass program designed to develop the most explosive muscles in the human body: the glutes, hamstrings, quads and upper back – a routine which, over time, could help transform Roy into a lean mean fighting machine.

I have also provided a simple delicious ultra-low fat recipe to fuel your muscle-building journey, regardless of your cooking ability. Believe me, these meals are far easier and quicker to make than visiting any fast food takeout – and plus, they taste a whole lot better.

Functional Mass Foods

> Quinoa and Kidney Beans

Known as a complete protein that includes all nine essential amino acids, quinoa also packs nearly twice the amount of protein per serving as brown rice while boasting a lower calorie and carbohydrate content. Essential for building lean, functional muscle.

Red kidney beans contain 16 grams of fiber and 16 grams of protein per one-cup serving.

They are a delicious addition to quinoa and once cooked (boiled separately), can be mixed together for a nutritious anabolic infusion.

Functional Mass Workout

> Chin-ups: 5 sets x 10 reps

Use a variety of grips. If you cannot reach 10 reps, still perform all five sets until failure.

> Deadlift: 5 sets x 3 reps

We should all be able to do five sets of three reps with our own body weight, this is our first goal. Do not bounce the weight off the floor; this creates momentum that robs your muscles of the necessary adaptation curve. Bouncing will not make you stronger.

> Dumbbell Front Squat: 5 sets x 10 reps

Always maintain perfect form with an upright torso and feet evenly spaced at hip width. Keep your elbows pinched in as if in a striking stance and let the dumbbells rest on your shoulders.

> Plyometric Box Jumps: 5 sets x 3 reps

Try to find a stable surface waist high, but a standard gym bench will do just fine. Focus on landing with perfect control as would a gymnast.

> Bosu Ball Roman Chair Leg Lifts: 5 sets x 10 reps

Press your lower back firmly into the support and, with straight legs, lift your heels straight above your head. Resist the descent on the way down.