Dominant champs switching classes

[Dman4Life8017]

I'm tired of this call for dominant champions to switch weight classes. Be it GSP, Jon Jones, or Anderson Silva when he was champion. To me, it makes no sense. I think too many people call for it, are stuck in that boxing mentality where going up or down a weight class is a normal thing, and you face a lot of like opponents so there really isn't that much of a difference, let alone that much of a weight jump/drop from one class to the next until you go from light heavyweight to cruiserweight which is 25lbs.

To me, it just makes no sense, because in MMA, the jump from one weight class to the next, is 10 - 20lbs, and in the case of heavyweight 60lbs[going by the upper limits of the class]. And you're not facing like opponents when you go up. The vast majority of the time in MMA, the weight class above you is filled with fighters that are far bigger in size, and stronger than you are. And to begin to compete with that, you'd have to drastically alter your fighting style, and your physiology to even have a chance, so why do that?

I understand when a fighter moves down in weight class, because it usually signals that they aren't able to compete at the weight class they are currently in. Perfectly acceptable. But to move up because you're dominant? That's just stupid. That would be the equivalent of LeBron James playing center in the NBA because he's too dominant at Small Forward. Or Peyton Manning deciding to play Running back in the NFL because he's too good at Quarterback. Or perhaps Albert Pujols deciding to pitch in the American League because he's just too good of a hitter. Or even Sidney Crosby deciding to become a goalie because he's just too great at being a center/front line player in the NHL. None of those things make any sense in other sports, so why should it make any sense in MMA?

 

[Ferlyn]

Dominant champs make too much money to vacate their belt, i don't see it ever happening.

 

[Orni]

TS i don't think it's the same thing as the things you compared it with at all. I think it's about challenge, if people perceive a champion is so great the he might be able to go up a weightclass and beat guys bigger than him on skill alone, and maybe hold 2 belts at the same time, that would be an incredible achievement and one for the MMA history books. And it would prove that that fighter would be the P4P best fighter in the world, whatever weight that holds, it is still a pretty cool title.

 

[Mistabutts]

TS i don't think it's the same thing as the things you compared it with at all. I think it's about challenge, if people perceive a champion is so great the he might be able to go up a weightclass and beat guys bigger than him on skill alone, and maybe hold 2 belts at the same time, that would be an incredible achievement and one for the MMA history books. And it would prove that that fighter would be the P4P best fighter in the world, whatever weight that holds, it is still a pretty cool title.

Agreed. Plus fans love to see their fantasies lived out. A sort of hunger for the very best to be crowned. It's why UFC1 ever even happened!

 

[Jarnee]

I'm tired of this call for dominant champions to switch weight classes. Be it GSP, Jon Jones, or Anderson Silva when he was champion. To me, it makes no sense. I think too many people call for it, are stuck in that boxing mentality where going up or down a weight class is a normal thing, and you face a lot of like opponents so there really isn't that much of a difference, let alone that much of a weight jump/drop from one class to the next until you go from light heavyweight to cruiserweight which is 25lbs.

To me, it just makes no sense, because in MMA, the jump from one weight class to the next, is 10 - 20lbs, and in the case of heavyweight 60lbs[going by the upper limits of the class]. And you're not facing like opponents when you go up. The vast majority of the time in MMA, the weight class above you is filled with fighters that are far bigger in size, and stronger than you are. And to begin to compete with that, you'd have to drastically alter your fighting style, and your physiology to even have a chance, so why do that?

I understand when a fighter moves down in weight class, because it usually signals that they aren't able to compete at the weight class they are currently in. Perfectly acceptable. But to move up because you're dominant? That's just stupid. That would be the equivalent of LeBron James playing center in the NBA because he's too dominant at Small Forward. Or Peyton Manning deciding to play Running back in the NFL because he's too good at Quarterback. Or perhaps Albert Pujols deciding to pitch in the American League because he's just too good of a hitter. Or even Sidney Crosby deciding to become a goalie because he's just too great at being a center/front line player in the NHL. None of those things make any sense in other sports, so why should it make any sense in MMA?

Floyd mayweather

 

[JD Harmeyer]

comparing boxers weight classes and MMA weight classes is stupid.
The lighter weight classes in boxing are only a few pounds apart (4 pounds if my memory serves me right). While even at the lower weight classes in MMA they're 10 pounds apart. It's a lot easier for a boxer to change weight classes than it is for an MMA because of this. It's not an exact science.

 

[WinterSoldier]

It just doesn't make good sense to jump weight classes when you are the best in yours and make good money.

 

[Dman4Life8017]

Floyd mayweather

As I stated in my post, which you probably didn't read beyond the first sentence, I addressed the difference between switching classes in Boxing and in MMA. When you jump weight classes in boxing, the move up in the lighter weight classes is roughly 3-7lbs per division. It's not as if Floyd went from Super Featherweight(130lbs) to fighting at Light Middleweight(154lbs) overnight. He fought in ALL the weight classes between those two. So he wasn't fighting guys who were much bigger than he is, and he was fighting guys who fought in the weight class below and above him in many cases, so he fought a lot of "like" opponents.

 

[JD Harmeyer]

As I stated in my post, which you probably didn't read beyond the first sentence, I addressed the difference between switching classes in Boxing and in MMA. When you jump weight classes in boxing, the move up in the lighter weight classes is roughly 3-7lbs per division. It's not as if Floyd went from Super Featherweight(130lbs) to fighting at Light Middleweight(154lbs) overnight. He fought in ALL the weight classes between those two. So he wasn't fighting guys who were much bigger than he is, and he was fighting guys who fought in the weight class below and above him in many cases, so he fought a lot of "like" opponents.

This. I also agree changing classes in MMA isn't a good thing for the top of the top. Fighters should stick to their weight classes despite how dominant they are. Only time I'm for changing of a class is when I guy can no longer make weight (Jones in the Future/Rumble Johnson ect)

 

[BuffaloEmperor]

I'm tired of this call for dominant champions to switch weight classes. Be it GSP, Jon Jones, or Anderson Silva when he was champion. To me, it makes no sense. I think too many people call for it, are stuck in that boxing mentality where going up or down a weight class is a normal thing, and you face a lot of like opponents so there really isn't that much of a difference, let alone that much of a weight jump/drop from one class to the next until you go from light heavyweight to cruiserweight which is 25lbs.

To me, it just makes no sense, because in MMA, the jump from one weight class to the next, is 10 - 20lbs, and in the case of heavyweight 60lbs[going by the upper limits of the class]. And you're not facing like opponents when you go up. The vast majority of the time in MMA, the weight class above you is filled with fighters that are far bigger in size, and stronger than you are. And to begin to compete with that, you'd have to drastically alter your fighting style, and your physiology to even have a chance, so why do that?

I understand when a fighter moves down in weight class, because it usually signals that they aren't able to compete at the weight class they are currently in. Perfectly acceptable. But to move up because you're dominant? That's just stupid. That would be the equivalent of LeBron James playing center in the NBA because he's too dominant at Small Forward. Or Peyton Manning deciding to play Running back in the NFL because he's too good at Quarterback. Or perhaps Albert Pujols deciding to pitch in the American League because he's just too good of a hitter. Or even Sidney Crosby deciding to become a goalie because he's just too great at being a center/front line player in the NHL. None of those things make any sense in other sports, so why should it make any sense in MMA?

i agree. i think its the fans thought that see the p4p ranking and think that fighters close in weight class towards the top of the ranking should fight to see whos the true #1.

 

[georgejjr]

I'm tired of this call for dominant champions to switch weight classes. Be it GSP, Jon Jones, or Anderson Silva when he was champion. To me, it makes no sense. I think too many people call for it, are stuck in that boxing mentality where going up or down a weight class is a normal thing, and you face a lot of like opponents so there really isn't that much of a difference, let alone that much of a weight jump/drop from one class to the next until you go from light heavyweight to cruiserweight which is 25lbs.

To me, it just makes no sense, because in MMA, the jump from one weight class to the next, is 10 - 20lbs, and in the case of heavyweight 60lbs[going by the upper limits of the class]. And you're not facing like opponents when you go up. The vast majority of the time in MMA, the weight class above you is filled with fighters that are far bigger in size, and stronger than you are. And to begin to compete with that, you'd have to drastically alter your fighting style, and your physiology to even have a chance, so why do that?

I understand when a fighter moves down in weight class, because it usually signals that they aren't able to compete at the weight class they are currently in. Perfectly acceptable. But to move up because you're dominant? That's just stupid. That would be the equivalent of LeBron James playing center in the NBA because he's too dominant at Small Forward. Or Peyton Manning deciding to play Running back in the NFL because he's too good at Quarterback. Or perhaps Albert Pujols deciding to pitch in the American League because he's just too good of a hitter. Or even Sidney Crosby deciding to become a goalie because he's just too great at being a center/front line player in the NHL. None of those things make any sense in other sports, so why should it make any sense in MMA?

I agree. Either weight divisions make sense, or they should be abolished. Calling for fighters to leave their weight divisions is trying to have it both ways - if you're asking for that, then just call to get rid of weight divisions altogether.

 

[Oy]

On the other hand I think it's a good idea for dominant champions to switch weight classes.

 

[BrainLeakage]

There are so many belts in boxing and the difference in weight between weightclasses are much smaller.

On top of that, I don't think the UFC is interested in having one guy hold two belts at once, that's two times less title defenses, two times less $$$.