I think most weight classes in the UFC should have no more and no less than a 10 pound difference. This would mean 170 turns into 165 and 175, and 195 gets created. Heavyweight is a little complicated, cause I wouldn't want to see 6 more weight classes created above 205...but maybe a 235 and a 265 class would be good to seperate big and bigger fighters.
I know that this would create more champs, and maybe the UFC thinks that there will be too much champs to keep people interested...but this is 2013 and fans are more educated about MMA than ever before. I don't see that as being a problem.
The biggest advantages for new weight classes to me are:
1- More fighters fighting closer to their natural weight. (Possible same day weigh ins?)
2- More champs = More championship fights as headliners instead of non-title 5 rounders.
3- Increased chances of super fights between champions.
Thoughts?
People will always just cut to the very top of what weight class they can.
When casual fans are already struggling to accept or even remember the newer weight classes, I think it's a fabulous idea to follow boxing's path and dilute the championship belts until only truly hardcore fans can keep track of all the championships, therebye rendering most of them meaningless. Are we going to continue to have this discussion five times a week now? 8 male weight divisions and, oh, 4 to 6 female divisions is enough, seriously. Those "Super Fights" won't be so super when he have so many goddamn champions. Furthermore, as already stated, people will still continue to cut as much as they can comfortably cut. They'd actually be fighting further from their natural weight if you give them more options on where to cut down to.
Realistically there is absolutely nothing wrong with the weight classes imo except the HW cap is too low. Raise that shit (don't scrap it though, because forcing HWs to be in reasonable shape is hardly a bad thing) plz. If HW gets a large enough global population then consider inserting a Cruiserweight division at 225 right where the center of talent would be after weight cutting (you'd grab some of the largest LHWs too with this). That's easily five years out though.
Oh, and maybe add Strawweights and Atomweights as official parts of the Unified Rules, albeit only official for female fighters (male Strawweights could still be catchweight matches and male Strawweight fighters are incredibly rare in any place that the Unified Rules are binding anyway, or any place outside of Asia for that matter).
i dont understand the logic behind 235.
1) the BEST guys in the HW division (now and historically) are 235ish, they dont seem to struggle at all with the 265 guys.
2) weakest division in all of MMA, splitting it would jsut create 2 weaker classes.
quite frankly i think fewer weight classes would be better
No more weightclasses
The weightclasses are perfect as their are.
Let's not outsmart ourself and creat a milion weightclasses like boxing or 2 weightclasses like kickboxing.
/thread
Chromium -When casual fans are already struggling to accept or even remember the newer weight classes, I think it's a fabulous idea to follow boxing's path and dilute the championship belts until only truly hardcore fans can keep track of all the championships, therebye rendering most of them meaningless. Are we going to continue to have this discussion five times a week now? 8 male weight divisions and, oh, 4 to 6 female divisions is enough, seriously. Those "Super Fights" won't be so super when he have so many goddamn champions. Furthermore, as already stated, people will still continue to cut as much as they can comfortably cut. They'd actually be fighting further from their natural weight if you give them more options on where to cut down to.
Realistically there is absolutely nothing wrong with the weight classes imo except the HW cap is too low. Raise that shit (don't scrap it though, because forcing HWs to be in reasonable shape is hardly a bad thing) plz. If HW gets a large enough global population then consider inserting a Cruiserweight division at 225 right where the center of talent would be after weight cutting (you'd grab some of the largest LHWs too with this). That's easily five years out though.
Oh, and maybe add Strawweights and Atomweights as official parts of the Unified Rules, albeit only official for female fighters (male Strawweights could still be catchweight matches and male Strawweight fighters are incredibly rare in any place that the Unified Rules are binding anyway, or any place outside of Asia for that matter).
I agree completely
im 105lbs ishhh and 20yo (eating problem early on) and eventually wana fight at 115, butttt there arnt that many options. So beefing up to 125 is my only option. Unless i constantly fly to japan or brazil. So i do want atleast oneeee smaller weight class for men. Even tho i know people will hate on the weightclass mor than flyweights.