Is being a top UFC fighter currently more about being an expert weight cutter than actual skill?

Cejudo vs dillashaw 135lbs
Dillashaw vs holloway 145lbs
Holloway vs khab 155lbs
Khab vs woodley175lbs
Woodley vs whitaker 185lbs
Whitaker vs cormier 205 lbs
Cormier vs whoever at 225+ lbs
I dont believe that is true. If every champ moved up one weight class I dont think any of them would be outclassed except maybe for whittaker vs cormier at 205
 
I think fans should just shut the fuck up about what weight someone “should” be fighting at. If they can make weight that’s all that matters.
 
green giant said:
I don't care what anyone says extreme weight cutting is for cowards. Frankie Edgar is one of the few brave ones. He actually weighed 155 in the cage and didn't cut anything.
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Honestly just shut the fuck up. There’s few brave fighters according to sherdouchebags.

If you’re not a douche then stop playing one online.
 
jeremyemilio said:
If we're really looking for the best fighters, then we shouldn't have weight classes at all. What does weight have to do with it? Let them all fight each other and see who wins. That guy is the best fighter.

If it's the best fights you're looking for, then you still don't need weight classes. You just make match-ups that make sense. Why in hell worry that one guy weighs 168 lbs and another guy weighs 172 lbs? If those guys are a good matc-up, let's see them fight. Who cares if they're in a different weight class on fight night or any other night.

Weight classes are a joke played on the viewing public so that we believe there are numerous "World Champions" that we absolutely can't miss seeing fight. Sports have only one true "World Champion." That holds true for everything from the NFL to FIFA to the 100 Meter Sprint to Chess. Anything else is just smoke and mirrors.
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Well it’s reality for every combat sport. You don’t get to define what’s “true”. I’m not sure what you’re even suggesting should be done.
 
kflo said:
Well it’s reality for every combat sport. You don’t get to define what’s “true”. I’m not sure what you’re even suggesting should be done.
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There are plenty of combat sport tournaments where participants are grouped by size when they show up, with no random fixed weight class.

"You six guys are all around the same size, you're a group."
"You three guys are smaller than everyone else, you're a group."
"You're small enough to wrestle with the smaller group, but you're by far the most experienced guy here, so if you'd like, then it probably makes more sense for you to compete with the bigger guys."

There's no reason MMA can't follow the same principle. These guys know each other. They've seen each other fight. We don't need a scale to tell us that Khabib v Ferguson is a fight that makes sense and should be sanctioned, just like we don't need a scale to tell us that TJ v DC is a fight that doesn't make sense and should not be sanctioned.
 
I think it's 50/50 weight cutting and fighting skill.

But that's bad, because it should be 100% fighting skill. Guys like Ortega, McGregor (145), Holloway, Khabib, Kevin Lee, Tyron Woodley, Darren Till, Yoel Romero, Luke Rockhold, and DC (205) all cut way too much weight. This isn't even an exhaustive list, but it just shows you that most champions and/or top contenders are cutting far too much weight.

It's unfair that some fighters are just BAD weight cutters, so they can't really compete. Weight cutting "skill" is bullshit -- it's 100% dependent on your body, and how well your body handles losing the water weight. Weight cutting needs to be banned.
 
jeremyemilio said:
There are plenty of combat sport tournaments where participants are grouped by size when they show up, with no random fixed weight class.

"You six guys are all around the same size, you're a group."
"You three guys are smaller than everyone else, you're a group."
"You're small enough to wrestle with the smaller group, but you're by far the most experienced guy here, so if you'd like, then it probably makes more sense for you to compete with the bigger guys."

There's no reason MMA can't follow the same principle. These guys know each other. They've seen each other fight. We don't need a scale to tell us that Khabib v Ferguson is a fight that makes sense and should be sanctioned, just like we don't need a scale to tell us that TJ v DC is a fight that doesn't make sense and should not be sanctioned.
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With no championship structure you make those matchups a lot less interesting. Basically you’d kill the sport for the sake of your principle. It makes no sense.
 
It certainly helps a fucking lot. Look at Conor at 145 and Till at 170. Made them look far better than they are, by simply being the much bigger guy in almost every matchup.

When there is a big disparity in skill and talent, size means almost nothing, but when the level of ability is close, it obviously means a lot. A good big guy beats a good small guy 90% of the time. To routinely beat bigger guys you have to be exceptional, like Pacquiao and Floyd.
 
Only way to stop severe weight cutting is to have same day weigh ins
 
So in other words....would the current champs be champs in a higher division??

LHW- Yes, he already did it.
MW- No way....however, Whitaker and Gastelum are both former WWs going for the title
WW- Yes, I think Woodley can beat Tyron
LW- Yes, I think Khabib can beat Woodley
FW- Max vs Khabib? I think Max can win that fight, he's got the cardio and ground game
BW- TJ vs Max? I gotta say Max wins that
FW- Cejudo vs TJ? Good fight, still taking TJ

Overall, LHW, WW and LW I would say the guys could move up and win, FW and FW is possible but favor the other guy.

SO in the end, they are champs cause they are good, not cause of the weight
 
I Am Legion said:
Get rid of dwarf classes and add 165.
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265
220 (optional, can remove, don't lose your mind if you don't like it)
205
190
175
160
145
130

Hard weight limits (no 1lb over), with pre-weigh-ins four weeks from final weigh-ins, where you must not be more than 15lbs above your weight class (eg. must be at or below 175 four weeks out from a fight at 160).

Don't make weight? Fight is cancelled, person who makes weight gets 100% of show money.

Do it, UFC!
 
VVarhead said:
Nah.
Neil Magny was towering over Santiago, yet Santiago was able to close the distance and shut Magny down.
Frankie beat taller and much heavier fighters, Fedor beat bigger fighters, etc.
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Height=/= Size

Look at Ulka Sasaki's fight last night. Or Michel Prazeres vs Fabinski
 
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