Weight classes in MMA

  First off, I'm a little new to the forum, but I figured I'd give this topic a shot. If it's been posted already, someone can redirect me to it as I wasn't able to find it. Anyway



 We're all familiar with most orginizations weight classes. For the most part, they're quite fair, but a lot of people tend to raise eyebrows once they see the weight range of the heavyweight division (206-265 for the most part). It used to be a simple formula for being a heavyweight champion: be somewhere over 6 foot and weigh around 240 so you're not too heavy (think early Arlovski, Mir, Couture, etc.). However, with the emergence of "super athletes" who are CUTTING down to make 265, is it time to maybe add a weight class from 206-235 to give some of the lighter heavyweights another division? Enough rambling from me...I'm just curious to see what others think.








Yeah, alot of people think the same thing but then how many quality people would be left at the 235-265 weight class. Basically everyone except Brock would be left

  Yeah, that's my main concern with it. I guess I'm kinda looking very far into the future or something. It seems like recently, with the emergence of Carwin and Duffee (I know it can be argued they're unproven, but still, they're freaks), that they're only going to get bigger and stronger. But yes, you're right...if it were to be that way now, there'd be Brock/Carwin...maybe Duffee and that'd be about it...maybe Lashley one day?

 

A 205-225 weight class would be Awesome. BTW, who is left in the Heavy Weight division now? It's still just Brock, so that doesn't change much. If there is a 205-225 weight class or not, it's still all about Brock in his weight category
.

Cruiser weight division. And yeah it's been discussed.

Personally I think LHW should = under 200, then Cruiser = 200 - 229, HW = 230 - 265, SHW = above 265.

But I do concede that there are not enough good fighters in that 230-265 range and almost no SHWs at all to fill out those divisions. Well not in the UFC anyway, if they were more committed to international talent you could stack those divisions. IMO.

Once more NFL washouts gravitate to MMA then it might be a viable option. But I agree that it's not terribly fair to have a guy who weighs 230 without ever cutting weight face a guy who's 280+ by fight time. Randy vs Brock was laughable just to look at the two of them. IMO.

Fedor would do just fine against Brock. Some might even say he would win.

If you think Brock is dominant now, create another division between 205 and 265.

Judo goes 90kg, 100kg, +100kg iirc.

MuchRespec' - Cruiser weight division. And yeah it's been discussed.



Personally I think LHW should = under 200, then Cruiser = 200 - 229, HW = 230 - 265, SHW = above 265.



But I do concede that there are not enough good fighters in that 230-265 range and almost no SHWs at all to fill out those divisions. Well not in the UFC anyway, if they were more committed to international talent you could stack those divisions. IMO.



Once more NFL washouts gravitate to MMA then it might be a viable option. But I agree that it's not terribly fair to have a guy who weighs 230 without ever cutting weight face a guy who's 280+ by fight time. Randy vs Brock was laughable just to look at the two of them. IMO.


 This is exactly what I believe is going to happen. These "professional" wrestlers who are simply massive (steroids I know) are going to gravitate toward MMA to prove they can really fight. The same goes for the NFL washouts mentioned. Besides that, everyone loves to watch the big guys fight even though they may not be as skilled, just ask Miguel Torres. jaseprobst made a good point about Brock possibly coming down and dominating both weight classes, but I simply do not see him cutting 50-60 pounds to fight in both divisions, which makes it a perfect home for some of the lighter guys.





  As of right now though, everyone could agree that splitting the heavyweights up would be a bad idea...but at the rate the UFC is monopolizing the MMA world, maybe it's just a matter of time.

Posted many times before. And yes 235ish would be a good cuttoff.

the HW division isn't big enough in any organization to split the division in two.

There will be more weight classes in the future.

MuchRespec' - Cruiser weight division. And yeah it's been discussed.

Personally I think LHW should = under 200, then Cruiser = 200 - 229, HW = 230 - 265, SHW = above 265.

But I do concede that there are not enough good fighters in that 230-265 range and almost no SHWs at all to fill out those divisions. Well not in the UFC anyway, if they were more committed to international talent you could stack those divisions. IMO.

Once more NFL washouts gravitate to MMA then it might be a viable option. But I agree that it's not terribly fair to have a guy who weighs 230 without ever cutting weight face a guy who's 280+ by fight time. Randy vs Brock was laughable just to look at the two of them. IMO.


Yeah, it was unfair. But dont tell me that you didnt want to see that fight. And with a 200-229 weight class you would have never seen any of the Lesnar vs. Mir fights because Mir could make the 229 weight. And with the 229 weight class you would never see a Lesnar vs. Nogueira, CroCop, Dos Santos, Gonzaga, Hardonk, Congo, Velasquez, ect..... Not to mention if Fedor ever came to the UFC he could duck Lesnar by dropping down, which he probably would.