This Is The Perfect Time For The UFC To Launch 165 & 175 Divisions

[Beastman09]

A 165lb division has my support. Make it happen Dana

 

[tenniswhiz]

No way.

Then all those divisions will have a champ, an interim champ, and guys running their mouths but never defending their belts.

 

[chinarice]

No thank you, drive thru.

 

[Scyther]

Don't think we really need some more lighter classes. But would be fine with 225.

HW and LHW are already weak and LHW (which is usually stacked) is at one of it's weakest forms in years.

 

[Sakuraba7]

Just move up everything below WW by 5 lbs.

130, 140, 150, 160, 170.

If they were going to fight at 165, they'd already be fighting at 170. Fighter would rather just cut weight to stay at 155 at that point, would make no difference.

 

[Tanaku]

Men's divisions should be

135
150
165
180
195
220
250

Derrick Lewis would have hard time getting to 250

 

[Summoning]

GSP is back for exotic fights. He never lost his 170 title and Tyron Woodley is the current 170 Kingpin. Let them meet at 175 to inaugurate a new division.

The 170 division will be considered "retired" because the GOAT of that division is starting a new legacy. It will be like other sports retiring a legend's number.

Fighters like Darren Till, Kelvin Gastelum, Johnny Hendricks and many others are better suited to fight at 175.

Guys like Kevin Lee, Donald Cerrone, Alex Oliveira and many others are better suited for 165.

It is the perfect time to pull this move smoothly.

 

[Scyther]

All your points are weak. The UFC already has 10 lb gaps from 125 to 155, so why not maintain that from 155 to 185. It is only 2 new weight classes. Also, the problem with boxing is not the weight classes, it is the fact that the sport is not centralized and everybody is his own boss, so the fights that should be made never get made.

The UFC on the other hand is MMA. For now, the best fights can still be made. However, it is getting harder and harder, and it will eventually become boxing. This can't be avoided.

There is fighting talent. If you are looking for mainstream pop-stars, maybe not, but if you are looking for talented fighters, the pool is deep.

So, you want to make a more complicated change with 150, 160 and 170. Makes no sense. 165 and 175 are much easier changes to make. Plus, you have the old versus new champion to launch the 175 division, in what is a great story line being served a silver platter.

If I am Dana White and WME, I pull the trigger now while GSP and Woodley are hot. It is such a great storyline and smooth transition. GSP and Woodley closing the chapter on 170, and starting a new undisputed 175 division. Hollywood couldn't write a better story.

The problem with boxing is the problem the UFC is creating for itself. Too many champs and divisions = the fans don't know or care about most of them. The UFC can't make Conor vs. Ferg or Holm vs. Cyborg happen, the UFC is also outright cutting good fighters or just no resigning them, they aren't concerned with having the best fighters anymore.

Anymore divisions that the UFC creates is foolishness and incredibly short-sighted. All I would suggest for the UFC is moving FLW to 130 so it's easier for fighters to make the cut. Besides that add no more divisions and if anything scrap women's 145lb division and don't start the women's FLW division.

 

[Franc Mittelo]

Yes, you did. Plus, you are not the only poster on the forum, so if you didn't read, someone else did. LOL

 

[Franc Mittelo]

The problem with boxing is the problem the UFC is creating for itself. Too many champs and divisions = the fans don't know or care about most of them. The UFC can't make Conor vs. Ferg or Holm vs. Cyborg happen, the UFC is also outright cutting good fighters or just no resigning them, they aren't concerned with having the best fighters anymore.

Anymore divisions that the UFC creates is foolishness and incredibly short-sighted. All I would suggest for the UFC is moving FLW to 130 so it's easier for fighters to make the cut. Besides that add no more divisions and if anything scrap women's 145lb division and don't start the women's FLW division.

The problem with boxing is that it is not centralized.

The UFC adding to more champs to its ranks is not going to affect the popularity of the other champs, because all the champs are centralized and under one umbrella, and anybody who follows the UFC will know them.

Do you think that the average UFC fan is too stupid to remember the names of 2 more champions? LOL

In fact, it will be only one champ to remember, the 165 champ, who will probably be a smaller 170 or bigger 155 who already has a foothold in the UFC.

125 - DJ
135 - TJ
145 - Max
155 - Tony
165 - Khabib? Alex Oliveira? Donald Cerrone? Nate Diaz? Tony Ferguson? Kevin Lee?
175 - Woodley vs GSP
185 - Robert Whitaker
205 - DC
205+ - Stipe

Took me less than 1 minute to make this list. LOL

 

[MMAart]

GSP is back for exotic fights. He never lost his 170 title and Tyron Woodley is the current 170 Kingpin. Let them meet at 175 to inaugurate a new division.

The 170 division will be considered "retired" because the GOAT of that division is starting a new legacy. It will be like other sports retiring a legend's number.

Fighters like Darren Till, Kelvin Gastelum, Johnny Hendricks and many others are better suited to fight at 175.

Guys like Kevin Lee, Donald Cerrone, Alex Oliveira and many others are better suited for 165.

It is the perfect time to pull this move smoothly.

Nice try, McNugget. Defend the belt or vacate, you chicken shit.

 

[PurpleDrank]

Makes perfect sense when you look at how many fighters are at 155 and 170. I dont see a problem. 225 and 195 is a waste becausr of the lack of talent

 

[PlatinumAmerican]

I think now is the worst time personally

 

[Legendary]

Lee hasn't missed weight yet, so he is okay at 155

Yeah cutting 20 pounds a few days before fighting is okay.

 

[Legendary]

We have needed a 160/165 forever. There are so many guys who would fit in better in between and they have enough fighters between 155 and 170 to do so

 

[spinitch]

if they add more weight classes they should do it under 155. 125, 131, 138, 146. in the future there will be many more small fighters because they cant go to other pro sports.

Agree the supply would be higher lower weights but unfortunately not the demand.

Another weight class between LW to MW seems like safest for fan interest and supply of fighters.

 

[Scyther]

The problem with boxing is that it is not centralized.

The UFC adding to more champs to its ranks is not going to affect the popularity of the other champs, because all the champs are centralized and under one umbrella, and anybody who follows the UFC will know them.

Do you think that the average UFC fan is too stupid to remember the names of 2 more champions? LOL

In fact, it will be only one champ to remember, the 165 champ, who will probably be a smaller 170 or bigger 155 who already has a foothold in the UFC.

125 - DJ
135 - TJ
145 - Max
155 - Tony
165 - Khabib? Alex Oliveira? Donald Cerrone? Nate Diaz? Tony Ferguson? Kevin Lee?
175 - Woodley vs GSP
185 - Robert Whitaker
205 - DC
205+ - Stipe

Took me less than 1 minute to make this list. LOL

The average UFC fan couldn't name half this list of fighters. The average fan is NOT as knowledgeable as you think. Heck the UFC found out that most of it's PPV buying fan base didn't even know who GSP was.

The video is time stamped.



To add to that there is also the problem of interim belts. The UFC these days seem to make them at the drop of a hat. More belts = more opportunities at interim belts as well.

Also, the more champs there are the more likely certain fighters aren't going to get any shine. Look at Stipe, the dude is the HW champ and largely goes unnoticed. MM and Joanna also aren't draws, and Joanna was able to coat tail ride Ronda and still can't draw an audience. With more champs the harder it becomes to make waves.

The average person isn't going to memorize how many times the belt changed hands in the super WW division and will think it's dumb. Your list above also leaves out the fact that the UFC has 2 women's divisions and another on the way. The UFC were too short sighted and created the WBW division for Ronda, now that she's gone no one gives a crap about the division anymore but the UFC still has to put on fights for that division.

Don't forget there's another women's division (WFW) and another on the way (WFLW). The problem becomes these mostly garbage divisions will take up space on cards because eventually the UFC will have to fill out the WFW division and add depth to it, the same goes for the WFLW division, this means more cards and a product that's more difficult for the average fan to follow.

It sounds like you're a hardcore fan and I think sometimes we forget what it's like for the true casual fans who watch the events. One thing I will say is that FLW is too much of a cut a move upward to 130 would create depth and when the UFC did a TUF show for BW some of those fighters could eventually drop down to 130.

 

[ccc_halliway]

Don't think we really need some more lighter classes. But would be fine with 225.

Not enough talent to fill the division though. 205's shallow enough as it is

 

[Toco]

agree, 165 175 would be great. it's time

 

[Franc Mittelo]

The average UFC fan couldn't name half this list of fighters. The average fan is NOT as knowledgeable as you think. Heck the UFC found out that most of it's PPV buying fan base didn't even know who GSP was.

The video is time stamped.



To add to that there is also the problem of interim belts. The UFC these days seem to make them at the drop of a hat. More belts = more opportunities at interim belts as well.

Also, the more champs there are the more likely certain fighters aren't going to get any shine. Look at Stipe, the dude is the HW champ and largely goes unnoticed. MM and Joanna also aren't draws, and Joanna was able to coat tail ride Ronda and still can't draw an audience. With more champs the harder it becomes to make waves.

The average person isn't going to memorize how many times the belt changed hands in the super WW division and will think it's dumb. Your list above also leaves out the fact that the UFC has 2 women's divisions and another on the way. The UFC were too short sighted and created the WBW division for Ronda, now that she's gone no one gives a crap about the division anymore but the UFC still has to put on fights for that division.

Don't forget there's another women's division (WFW) and another on the way (WFLW). The problem becomes these mostly garbage divisions will take up space on cards because eventually the UFC will have to fill out the WFW division and add depth to it, the same goes for the WFLW division, this means more cards and a product that's more difficult for the average fan to follow.

It sounds like you're a hardcore fan and I think sometimes we forget what it's like for the true casual fans who watch the events. One thing I will say is that FLW is too much of a cut a move upward to 130 would create depth and when the UFC did a TUF show for BW some of those fighters could eventually drop down to 130.

GSP hadn't fought for 4 years, and he left at a critical time in the UFC, when the promotion was transitioning into a new generation of fighters. The PPV still did pretty well.

You have already said that most UFC fans are not that knowledgeable, if that is true, how does an interim belt further confuse them? All they know is there will be a fight. if they like the fighter, they will watch, if they don't, they won't. So, the projected negative impact of adding the 165 and 175 divisions is not based on anything real.

The more belts there are the more chances for certain fighters to get a shine.

I will stop there, because it is obvious that you have a personal negative attitude towards two more divisions, and so you are looking at it from a doomsday perspective. However, for every negative thing you say, there is an equally positive side.

It all depends on personal outlook. The sport is based on celebrity. Naturally, the fans will remember celebrity champions whether there is 1000 divisions or 1. Those fighters who can fight and promote will be at the forefront, those who can't, will be ignored. This phenomenon is not "how many divisions there are" dependent.