Why is the HW limit 265?

Straatblaffer

Brown Belt
@Brown
Joined
Apr 22, 2020
Messages
3,648
Reaction score
3,885
I always wondered. Why no super heavyweight or just an open weight class after LHW? I would love a bulky Struve, but he would not be able to compete. Is there a reason the limit is 265? I mean,where can a huge 300 pound specimen even go to if he wants to compete in mma? I dont mean I want to see Emanuel Yarboroughs btw:)
 
This guy would be in charge.
FqsEZ85.jpg
 
There's no real reason. HW should be 206+. Theres very few men who can fight above 265 and have cardio anyways but for Lesnar and Bigfoot it would have benefitted them not to cut weight.

There is a good reason, because at some point it becomes ridiculous and such a huge advantage to simply be enormous.

There's weight classes for a reason. But as weight increases obviously the magnitude of the advantage decreases, once it gets to HW we see ~230-240 lb guys beat 250-265 to 280 lb guys who cut to get there, all the time.

But also if we saw freakshow Pride shit like Fedor vs that giant Japanese dude (forget the name) it becomes way less about skill and more about size. Did you happen to seen the sumo guys just rag doll Anthony Johnson and Curtis Blaydes...I believe it was?
 
It was back in the day, when the commission banned 12-6 elbows after they saw a karate guy break 10 blocks of ice with a one of them. The next guy up was 300 lbs and demonstrated the atomic butt drop, after which the commission quickly set the 265 lb cap.
 
The Hw division is already full of diabetics

I think the 265 is fine

If people follow usada guidelines, we shouldn't have any ripped guys walking around at 290, unless they are 8 feet tall

Yeah even if I thought of anyone who's had to cut weight to make 265, the list consists of: Lesnar, Carwin, Overeem.

Maybe Struve if he cuts is the only non-steroid monster who does it. Well unfortunately if you're 7 feet tall you need to cut or be under 265 to fight, small price to pay to keep the division from being full retard.
 
There is a good reason, because at some point it becomes ridiculous and such a huge advantage to simply be enormous.

There's weight classes for a reason. But as weight increases obviously the magnitude of the advantage decreases, once it gets to HW we see ~230-240 lb guys beat 250-265 to 280 lb guys who cut to get there, all the time.

But also if we saw freakshow Pride shit like Fedor vs that giant Japanese dude (forget the name) it becomes way less about skill and more about size. Did you happen to seen the sumo guys just rag doll Anthony Johnson and Curtis Blaydes...I believe it was?

For HW it isnt needed. The ideal weight at HW tends to be in the 240 range. The cap is basically only there so roy Nelson wont show up at 300 pounds. It's nonsense and should be removed. If you want to fight at HW take on all comers. There's been a few big men in boxing but again most that are champs dont really push past that 265 limit. With grappling weight is more of an advantage but after a long fight not anymore. Anyone who is 206+ can KO anyone.
 
Yeah even if I thought of anyone who's had to cut weight to make 265, the list consists of: Lesnar, Carwin, Overeem.

Maybe Struve if he cuts is the only non-steroid monster who does it. Well unfortunately if you're 7 feet tall you need to cut or be under 265 to fight, small price to pay to keep the division from being full retard.

Like

Yeah I agree fully man

I doubt struve even really cut, or he didn't cut much

You would have fat slobs laying on their opponents weighing 330lb if there was no limit
 
Realistically it should be open weight. + 265 is super heavy weight but there's never been enough fighters to make a division.

When Cain & JDS came on the scene, they showed the 265 guys had diminishing returns being too big to hang with athletic 240 pound fighters. The smaller heavyweights wouldn't be at a significant disadvantage if competitors who cut to 265 came in at 285, 290.
 
Realistically it should be open weight. + 265 is super heavy weight but there's never been enough fighters to make a division.

When Cain & JDS came on the scene, they showed the 265 guys had diminishing returns being too big to hang with athletic 240 pound fighters. The smaller heavyweights wouldn't be at a significant disadvantage if competitors who cut to 265 came in at 285, 290.
Even if they were at a disadvantage, that's part of the game. HW is there theoretically to show who the best fighter in the world is. If you can't beat a 350 lb hulk because you're 240 lbs, then he's legit better than you.
 
Have you seen a guy over 265 in shape in the usada era? Sure some overweight guys cut, but they still make weight, no need to open that.

Boxing doesnt have a limit, the best guys are well below 265
 
For HW it isnt needed. The ideal weight at HW tends to be in the 240 range. The cap is basically only there so roy Nelson wont show up at 300 pounds. It's nonsense and should be removed. If you want to fight at HW take on all comers. There's been a few big men in boxing but again most that are champs dont really push past that 265 limit. With grappling weight is more of an advantage but after a long fight not anymore. Anyone who is 206+ can KO anyone.




It's because a novice with no combat sports background can almost paralyze a top 2-3 MMA fighter from just size. Comparing boxing to mma is completely stupid.


YjpSTd9.gif
 
Like

Yeah I agree fully man

I doubt struve even really cut, or he didn't cut much

You would have fat slobs laying on their opponents weighing 330lb if there was no limit

That's a good point. Having a 330 lb slob would be boring as hell. However, if we are trying to find out who the baddest man on the planet is, capping it 265 is a bit short sided. Maybe, a fat guy that weighs 330lbs but still has skill and technique might be the best fighter heavy weight fighter in the world. I'm not saying it would be fun to watch but this scenario could be true.
 
I thought the limit was supposed to encourage an attempt at staying in shape at hw. Personally I would like to just strict recruiting with no limit and see what kind of athletes can be brought over.
 
Back
Top