I'm starting to think they need more weight classes

This content is protected

 

What the **** is that supposed to prove? A lot of LHWs like Jones, Bader, Griffin and Tito Ortiz are as big as some HWs. How will adding weight classes change the fact that some guys have longer limbs than others? You guys think that Struve should be banned from the HW division (and, in effect, the UFC) because of his height and reach advantage over other HWs? Should Kendall Grove be forced to fight at HW because he's so much taller than most other MWs?

I still don't get the controversy here.

 

The counter arguement is though that by adding more weightclasses you actually increase the number of high level fighters. Right now there are fighters being held back by either facing opponants too large for them or by cutting excessive amounts to avoid doing so, you lower some of the gaps in weighclass and they may become more relevant.

 

Arlovski is 6'4" and fights at a lean 242, Jones looks at least as big as him. If you don't think that Jones is a gigantic lhw instead of being just "lanky", then there is something wrong with your eyes.

 

Jones looks alot like a young Overeem to me in terms of bodytype, pretty lean but not actually lanky.

 

If you decrease the gap between weight classes, you're still going to have bigger guys cutting down as low as possible. And guys are still going to end up facing bigger fighters within these new weight classes.


It's a slippery slope that leads to boxing's convoluted system.

 

I suggest that you read my post again. I think that I clearly listed him with a group of other large LHWs whom I conceded to be as big as some HWs. However, I don't know how you can deny that the guy is lanky. Look at his ****ing legs. His calves look like twigs.

 

While cutting would obviously still be present smaller gaps between the weightclasses would obviously reduce the differences in size within divisions.

I don't think its as pressing an issue as the judging and rules at the moment but long term I do think they'll need to make changes. What you really don't want to see happen is change held off and then ad hoc weightclasses appearing ala EXC's 160 division, that seems much more of a slipperly slope towards boxings endless weightclasses to me.

 

it is true that some guys are too big but in my honest opinion, the problem for franklin and bader is the insane amount of muscle they choose to carry. size wise, they are probably a weight class below but love their muscles so much that they make the weight that way. all the bigger guys were bigger physically but not as stocky as the smaller guys. i think bit by bit, mma is pulling away from the muscled juice head look alikes. might just be that wrestlers aren't as prominent as they once were as the face of the division.

i'm thinking velasquez, rua, silva and edgar are 4 out of 5 champs who are slim and win on skills and conditioning. GSP is growing because he wants to move up.

 

For every Jon Jones or Anderson Silva there's a Stefan Struve. This isn't weight classes, this is height and reach. You could make the argument Anderson has been subbed because of his height and lankiness.

The only weight class you can make a fair argument for is between Middleweight and light-heavyweight.

 

spreading out the weight classes doesn't make mediocre fighters better...you will just have spread out talent with guys holding titles that shouldn't be, fighting guys who shouldn't be fighting for titles, giving you sloppy untalented fights

 

I think for a lot of guys that's true - that was also Alves' problem for example. But but unfair to say that about Franklin...the guy had to move up to keep his career alive after being destroyed a second time by Silva.

 

Its not going to magically turn poor fighters into elite ones but I could see it helping reasonabley sucessful fighters more up a level due to being at less of a size disadvanatge. If my suggestion was followed for example and 170 was replaced with 165 and 175 I could see guys like Deigo and Paulo Thaigo having more sucess in the former not having to face opponants the size of Fitch.

Generally reducing the level of cutting might help the level of action in the sport aswell, seems to me we often see fighters exchange a size advanatge for inferior cardio and more sluggish performances. Hendo for example tends to be much more entertaining at 205 dispite the fact that he's often giving up a fair bit of size.

135
145
155
165
175
185
200
220 or 215
220+ or 215+

Thats only actually one more division than we have in the sport right now afterall since your eliminating SHW which has always grated with me anyway since its clearly inferior to the division below it.

 

yeah, i can see doing something about the LHW area...as the gaps do seem to be a problem, and you have those guys that are too big for one weight, but too small to handle the biggest guys at the next level

 

Theres another advanatge of closer weightclasses aswell, more fighters can switch divisions without gaining excessive mass or cutting too much weight. More chance of finding the level of mass/cutting that suits them best and more chance to restart there career and have fresh matches.

As I said I think the danger could be that if this doesnt happen directly from the AC's then you'll see it happen peicemeal unoffically. Look at what EXC did with Diaz for example, they laucnhed a 160 division espeically for him bringing us into the dreaded 5lb gap range.