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I think I remember threads from long ago talking about whether average joes could take on flyweights with a little training, but I want to discuss size mainly and effective size, if that makes sense (lots of Westerners are overweight or straight up obese).
I want to share my observations about how big and strong fighters below lightweight, fighters often called manlets, really are relative to the general public, see if you guys agree.
Flyweight
Posters on Sherdog, who of all people should know better, keep bringing up DJ or Lineker as "tiny 125 lb men", and their potential opponent as "what if he's 200 lbs and 6'2" " and all that.
Let's put aside the training for a sec.
I want to share my observations about how big and strong fighters below lightweight, fighters often called manlets, really are relative to the general public, see if you guys agree.
Flyweight
- Height-wise they are usually well below average
- Many flyweights walk around at 145-150 lbs, sometimes a little more...they are surprisingly lean at this weight too.
- The average height of bantamweights seem to have increased over the decades with better weight cutting techniques and a wider pool of fighters. They average below average still, but they won't stick out in a crowd as badly as Demetrius Johnson or Henry Cejudo.
- I'm a little less sure about bantamweights' walking weights. TJ Dillashaw bragged that he walks at a little more than 150 lbs.
- I think we can all agree that featherweights are a little below average in height. People like to exaggerate and call Conor a manlet killer for example, but they seem to range from 5'6" to 5'11" nowadays, approaching average, on average.
- Weightwise, I think we start to approach average muscle and bone mass for normal men. People even around 5'10" or 6 feet tall in real life, guys who aren't manlets, they are often surprisingly light when lean. I used to work a very physical job with guys bigger than me, they are often like 160 lbs and nearly 6 feet but of course strong enough to carry shit around.
Posters on Sherdog, who of all people should know better, keep bringing up DJ or Lineker as "tiny 125 lb men", and their potential opponent as "what if he's 200 lbs and 6'2" " and all that.
Let's put aside the training for a sec.
- First off there's the gross dismissal of their true size as 125 lbs. We know that this is false. Why do fight "fans" keep pushing this narrative? Does it just feel good?
- I think we should also ask ourselves how much of that big opponent's weight is fat and how much of the leftover muscle is actually useful for fighting.
- And I think people exaggerate how much they can push around a strong, lean 150 lb guy, let alone a bantamweight who can reach 160 or more (Barao, Garbrandt), or featherweight who can exceed 170 lbs. There could be a big gap in mobility and muscle quality.
- And what about the reflex difference and psychological ability to take shots? Most guys no matter the size will at least flinch from a couple well-placed shot to the face. This makes them vulnerable to takedowns and submissions, or, especially in the case of featherweights, further strikes and ground n pound.
