Holly Holm's thoughts on FW division, Kayla Harrison.

[Dude Incredible]

(I'm kinda addicted to polls, so I'm creating threads, lol!)
Holly Holm casts doubt on viability of featherweight division long term, comments on Kayla Harrison possibly joining UFC (msn.com)

1.) She prefers to fight at 135 but people keep turning down fights there. Say that's the reason for most of her 145 fights.
2.) Very skeptical of division viability with Nunes likely going for a rematch at 135, not a clear path to the belt at 145.
3.) Unsure how much Kayla really wants to come over and fight at 145 and who would end up fighting her, even with 135ers going up. (I assume she means consistently as Kayla has fought at 145 in Invicta)

1.) “When I fought at featherweight, that’s usually been the case,” Holm explained when speaking to MMA Fighting. “I’m always open to any fight and that’s why I took it, but if there’s another opportunity that makes more sense, that’s what I’m going to take.

2.) “If [Nunes is] going to fight right away, is she going to go back for the rematch? That’s going to be at 135 [pounds] anyway,” Holm said. “What is the angle at 145? What would I really be going for?"
“That’s why I want to focus on 135 — which, 135 is where I like to be anyway. That’s my weight class. Yes, I’ve fought at 145 because I’m open to both because I want to fight. But it makes more sense to me to fight at 135.”

3.) “Doesn’t Kayla fight at 155? She’d have to even get down to 145,” Holm said. “You’ve got a big ‘45er [in Harrison] and ‘35ers that might want to come up maybe. There’s always that. I don’t know what they’re planning on doing with her coming over, if she’s coming over.'
“I just feel like we’ll have to see how that plays out. If she really wants to come over and fight at ‘45, if that’s something she thinks she can do or not, I’m not sure.”

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[JustBleed69]

End that dumpster fire of a division .

Or change it to women's heavyweight and make the limit 200 lbs

 

[WHITEBELT JESUS]

End the division if you can even call it that. There’s not money being paid out to lure top woman athletes from legitimate sports/promotions that could fight at 145.

It’s all about money, nothing more. GDR knows what I mean.

 

[Paolo Delutis]

They should develop it...

I mean it cant really be that hard can it? ...

DWCS a few 145er woman...run a TUF season just the FW women... And a mens ..coed that shit..

There has to be some bigger woman out there willing to strap up some MMA gloves they just need an avenue to come over... Theres some strong judo players near that weight in the Olympics..i think they got a 145 pound boxing too in the Olympics...

Theres got to be someone ... somewhere

 

[campbecc]

I voted end it immediately and I'm not a WMMA hater, but the division has no fighters. I say end it and make 105 instead.

 

[Dude Incredible]

I voted end it immediately and I'm not a WMMA hater, but the division has no fighters. I say end it and make 105 instead.

That's my personal take as well.

 

[campbecc]

That's my personal take as well.

There are way more good female fighters at 105, 145 was only made for Cyborg.

 

[WHITEBELT JESUS]

End that dumpster fire of a division .

Or change it to women's heavyweight and make the limit 200 lbs

 

[Dude Incredible]

 

[Tapatio]

Develop it. I like my 145 pound Amazon women!!

 

[jeff7b9]

W145 has been horrendously managed by the UFC.

They clearly created the division for Cyborg, but why they have never even attempted to build it into an actual division is mind boggling. I get that the talent there is thin but they could have TRIED, maybe do a Tuf season or two or snatch up chicks from smaller orgs.

Instead they just had 135ers fighting at 45. Aside from Megan Anderson I think every single "featherweight" they had has competed below 145. (Except maybe Felicia?)

End that dumpster fire of a division .

Or change it to women's heavyweight and make the limit 200 lbs

End the division if you can even call it that. There’s not money being paid out to lure top woman athletes from legitimate sports/promotions that could fight at 145.

It’s all about money, nothing more. GDR knows what I mean.

I voted end it immediately and I'm not a WMMA hater, but the division has no fighters. I say end it and make 105 instead.

 

[MeatWagon06]

5) Other…

 

[MeatWagon06]

Wood!!!!

 

[Dude Incredible]

5) Other…

Added

 

[campbecc]

W145 has been horrendously managed by the UFC.

They clearly created the division for Cyborg, but why they have never even attempted to build it into an actual division is mind boggling. I get that the talent there is thin but they could have TRIED, maybe do a Tuf season or two or snatch up chicks from smaller orgs.

Instead they just had 135ers fighting at 45. Aside from Megan Anderson I think every single "featherweight" they had has competed below 145. (Except maybe Felicia?)

who do you think they should have recruited? I'll admit I'm not as versed in WMMA as I am on the men's side but aside from Cyborg and Kayla the women who can't make 145 seem terrible in my admittedly limited experience.

 

[Mmmmmmma1234]

They should develop it...

I mean it cant really be that hard can it? ...

DWCS a few 145er woman...run a TUF season just the FW women... And a mens ..coed that shit..

There has to be some bigger woman out there willing to strap up some MMA gloves they just need an avenue to come over... Theres some strong judo players near that weight in the Olympics..i think they got a 145 pound boxing too in the Olympics...

Theres got to be someone ... somewhere

Well women's boxing is a horrible base as Clarissa has shown us. And ammy women's boxing is the lowest talent pool.
But yeah if the ufc or someone was actively recruiting bigger Olympic athletes it be easy and stacked with Judo, wrestling, rugby, tkd, and karate could yeld a good crop of them all have 67kg and/or bigger classes.
the lack of development income and fear getting punched in the face are big deterrents.

 

[Ace70 V2]

They need to end it so all the ladies that are true 145ers can get together in one promotion and give it depth. As it is, the few that do fight in the weight class are spread too thin across all of these promotions to make anything competitive.

 

[MikeyB]

who do you think they should have recruited? I'll admit I'm not as versed in WMMA as I am on the men's side but aside from Cyborg and Kayla the women who can't make 145 seem terrible in my admittedly limited experience.

Women's Judo, women's boxing, women's BJJ.

I don't know who won the judo medals or the womens ibjj mundials last year, but someone did.

Women's mma is still young.

 

[campbecc]

Women's Judo, women's boxing, women's BJJ.

I don't know who won the judo medals or the womens ibjj mundials last year, but someone did.

Women's mma is still young.

that's a nonanswer, who from those disciplines are in MMA.

I didn't say decrease the number of WMMA divisions I said get rid of 145 because they are almost all 135 fighters and instead add 105 because the talent is way better.

Edit: My point is the women's 105 division is way deeper and more deserving of a spot in the UFC than 145 where almost all the fighters are 135ers who just don't cut weight.

 

[jeff7b9]

who do you think they should have recruited? I'll admit I'm not as versed in WMMA as I am on the men's side but aside from Cyborg and Kayla the women who can't make 145 seem terrible in my admittedly limited experience.

I don't know and I am not by any means trying to claim there is a lot of talent, but there are other orgs with 145 and even 155 women's divisions.

Rizin, Invicta, Bellator & PFL all have women's 145.

If they recruited 2 girls from each they could have at least had a top ten ranking list and treated it like an actual division.

Having rankings or a tournament would have spiced things up and made it a little interesting.