Are Weight classes a Bad Design? Does Size Really Matter?

For those who train Jui Jitsu, rarely does size help. I've seen 5 foot nothings routinely tap larger, and equally skilled blackbelts

For striking, range matters somewhat but so does footwork. Sure I guy can punch stronger, but more often than not, they can't keep up the pace


I'm not saying throw might mouse in there with Cain, but I really think GSP could hang with some 205ers. I think Cruz can compete with some welterweights.

Instead of more weight classes, I think there probably should only be 3.
205+
170+
135+

 

Girth is the most important, length not so much

 

I've been training in BJJ for well over a decade and to say that size does not matter is an absolute myth. Yes, BJJ was originally created to help the smaller/weaker guy overcome larger opponents, but with the total evolution of grappling, size/strength are definite advantages now a days especially in no gi

 

Size does matter, no matter what your girlfriend says.

 

ok...guessing this is a troll account but i'll bite.

actually...no, i wont.

 

Yeah GSP could certainly hang with some 205ers, but he's the exception more than the rule.

Size doesn't matter as much as many people think, you're right. Fewer weight classes might serve to improve the sport overall, idk. I wouldn't be against it, I guess.

But yeah, size does matter to some extent. The weight classes are fine as they are. With the exception of that bullshit 265 limit, that kneads to go.

 

HAHAH no he wouldn't even fight a 185er. At 205 he would get killed.

 

Do you even watch MMA? In a world where anthony johnson makes 170 numerous times before going to heavyweight and beating Arlovski.... where machida and penn, a natural 180 pounder and a natural 150 pounder fight at light heavyweight... where GSP beat at least a half dozen former middleweights and light heavyweights, some of which were former champions at those weights... you think that Georges motherfucking St. Pierre would be beaten by the average 205 pounder?

 

They are not equally skilled if you routinely tap them.

 

This isn't about finding out who the baddest man on the planet is. It's about healthy competition. Take somebody like RDA. He isn't going to compete with the HWs. So we know he isn't going to beat Cain or Werdum to be called baddest man on the planet. So if you want to still see him fight, you need to put him in a situation where he can compete with others and have some level of parity. When you get enough guys who are good fighters, but struggle with the size of their opponents, it's time for a new weight class. There is nothing wrong with the way the current weight classes are set up, at least in my opinion. If they want, fighters can jump to different weight classes or compete at catchweight.

 

1) no way Rumble makes 170 now.
2) both Lyoto (225lbs) and BJ (191lbs) were chubby in that fight...neither should have been that heavy. also, it was at HW, i believe.
3) Joe Riggs was 300lbs and is now fighting at LW.

as for GSP at 205? i think he could beat guys like Kyle Kingsbury.

would you say that Stephen Bonnar was an average LHW? you think GSP could have handled the huge size difference in that matchup?

 

You are absolutely correct.

It is baffling to me that so many Sherdoggers think if someone moves up in ONE weight class, they will get killed, and if they move down in ONE weight class, they are going to dominate that division.

It's crazy because of all these examples of top skilled guys moving up winning. There are SO many examples and they keep coming! I mean, Cormier is yet another example. Dude is a short LHW and he was destroying top 10-15 heavyweights!

 

Not true. me and a guy at my gym are dead even and I kick his ass every time. And it's not even close.

 

Anybody who thinks that size doesn't matter has never seriously trained. A bigger fighter draining themselves to cut weight and then losing at that lower weight class does not at all mean that that fighter would lose the same match at a higher weight. It's 2015, you guys should know this by now.

 

I'm sitting hear trying two figure out how you managed too type "kneads"

 

More mass = more knockout. There's a reason the girls never get them and heavies always do. I'd like to see open weight (even gender for the novelty) tournaments a few times a year, but neither the UFC or their fighters will ever go back to the side-show days.

 

He wouldn't get killed...he beat a 205'er in his last fight.

 

Condit was 205?

 

*a wild manlet appears

 

I agree with you as far as size not really matter to some degree. One of the strengths a 170 pounder has is speed. So, would we want to see a 205 GSP? or a 170 Gsp against a LHW for example? I rather see GSP in his peak performance at 170. This way that good old question, does size matter would play out? ...

I noticed in Vitor Belfort career how slow he got by being at 205 and the extra weight from roids. Look at vitor in vale tudo when he was young? ....hand speed was at its peak. Now, he is so past his prime if you compare. Vitor should of stayed his lightest...I advocate that for all fighters. I think they fight their best at their lightest...not their heaviest or roided out muscles. I just see a huge difference in the road they take for size.