Heavyweight is a joke

[Captain Herb]

Its a freakshow division, what do you want. From some fatties to midgets like Barnett

HW is the defacto unlimited division. This is what MMA is if you don't have weight classes. Almost no one below LHW would be in any way competitive and they're the ones who would be doing local freakshow fights, like midget football or whatever. "Look at these TINY dudes fighting lol."

 

[WhiteMousse]

Still one of the greatest novels ever. It just doesn't get old

 

[Oscar Madison]

HW fighters need to survive against the HW Brawler threat.

It's a fight -- not a gymnast or dance competition where points are all you've got for technique and creativity.

 

[Bearknuckle]

I'm not defending anyone but I am pointing out the obvious... as a heavyweight, you can rely on raw power, if you have it, and skills become less important. However, this doesn't mean that a skilled Heavyweight doesn't exist or won't dominate an unskilled heavyweight. jon jones isn't a heavy handed HW, nor are a lot of LHW's or MW's, even though they are heavyweights who cut a tremendous amount of weight to fight in lower classes so that is why they are sharper with their skills because they have to overcompensate for what they lack in power. Not sure what you don't understand about this concept.

Of course because at heavyweight, they are the biggest guys so power matters. But at the top tier, theres no excuse for going in there so 1 dimensional over and over, its lack of professionalism tbh.

 

[El Fernas]

He walked around at 245lbs before he "bulked up" for HW. There are numerous articles and interviews in which he admits his weight. Weighing 220 on fight night makes you a heavyweight.

Being 206lbs makes you a Heavyweight, some MW's go over that on fight night...220lbs is on the lower end of what LHW's usually fight at.

 

[Ghostoftheville]

how are derrick and tai so high ranked they have no wrestling whatsoever all they do is throw and hope and when a good guy comes along they both get finished in 1 minute worst division

How is Pereira the champ? He has no ground game whatsoever all he does is throw and hope, and when a good guy comes along he'll both get finished with in 1 minute.

I could do that about each division really

 

[NationWideNinja]

Idk about you guys but HW gets me hyped these days. We have:

Ngannou (probably)
Gane
Blaydes
Pavlovich
Tai
Aspinall
Lewis
Romanov
Volkov
Almeida

And maybe we’ll get a couple of fights out of Stipe and Jones as well.

 

[Bearknuckle]

"He is not skilled"?

"Hope he connects"?

He's been in the top 5 for a decade now, just for hoping he connects with a punch?

Lewis has speed, great reflexes, good fight IQ. He can get up from any position on the ground he's put in straight away. He's a serious HW.

You don't sit in the top of the division for ten years if you aren't skilled at anything.

He didnt sit on top. He hung around the top because the HWs are pretty bad as far as skills. Lewis has natural talent and power. But like tai, he goes in there to swing, never adding wrestling, submissions, kicks or anything else, just swinging. Its somewhat worked out for him because of his natural ability, but look at what tai did to him, and tai is as bad, they swing waiting for the big one to connect, thats straight up 1 dimensional. Thats why Gane schooled tai. Whats sad was tai almost landed that 1 punch, which wouldve made people think he was so good, but the reality is that gane schooled him rather easily.

And the whole relying on power at HW is a thing because they lack technique. Every HW can hit hard if they swing wild bombs, its just physics. But technique will almost always trump power because generally all heavyweights have power.

 

[Bearknuckle]

How is Pereira the champ? He has no ground game whatsoever all he does is throw and hope, and when a good guy comes along he'll both get finished with in 1 minute.

I could do that about each division really

Alex is an exception because of how he was able to fight izzy who is a striker so fast. You cant admit that guys like tai, lewis are unskilled brawlers? Hell even they admit that lol.

 

[tomjones]

how are derrick and tai so high ranked they have no wrestling whatsoever all they do is throw and hope and when a good guy comes along they both get finished in 1 minute worst division

What's even more shocking is that Ngannou lost to Derrick Lewis and yet he wants to box professionally.

 

[TCE]

He didnt sit on top. He hung around the top because the HWs are pretty bad as far as skills. Lewis has natural talent and power. But like tai, he goes in there to swing, never adding wrestling, submissions, kicks or anything else, just swinging. Its somewhat worked out for him because of his natural ability, but look at what tai did to him, and tai is as bad, they swing waiting for the big one to connect, thats straight up 1 dimensional. Thats why Gane schooled tai. Whats sad was tai almost landed that 1 punch, which wouldve made people think he was so good, but the reality is that gane schooled him rather easily.

And the whole relying on power at HW is a thing because they lack technique. Every HW can hit hard if they swing wild bombs, its just physics. But technique will almost always trump power because generally all heavyweights have power.

Lewis can do more than punch buddy. Also his defensive wrestling is top notch. His timing is great as well. Timing that uppercut as Blaydes shot in was amazing.

 

[moreorless87]

I think Lewis has decent anti grappling but really how has he faced in terms of really dangerous grapplers? its easier to "just stand up" if your opponent can't punish it.

 

[Hellowhosthat]

I think Lewis has decent anti grappling but really how has he faced in terms of really dangerous grapplers? its easier to "just stand up" if your opponent can't punish it.

He survived Oleinik tbf.

 

[brakkkop]

we were spoiled with pride hw. ufc hw were always 2nd tier.

 

[joeson]

Jon competed in College at 197 pounds.

He's never had a bit of trouble making weight

Then why is he gaining all that extra weight to move up to HW? He’s 220-230 in the cage. He’s already a heavyweight. Why would he need all that extra weight to fight at HW? He should be able to walk straight in and take the title.

Why don’t all the LHWs move up, crush all these unskilled fatties and get the bag? They all really like dieting and cutting weight? Liver damage is their jam?

 

[ServantofGOD]

how are derrick and tai so high ranked they have no wrestling whatsoever all they do is throw and hope and when a good guy comes along they both get finished in 1 minute worst division

Lewis can wrestle and has avoided being submitted by BJJ black belts. I swear you guys who hate have no analysis of fighting. Tai has not yet needed to grapple really at all but Lewis is famous for his ability to "Just stand up"

 

[ServantofGOD]

Lewis and Tuivasa are top 5 today but woudlnt be top 5 in 2011 and wouldn't be top 5 in 2005.

Nuff said. Decline in talent confirmed.

2005 they would be. 2011 they would not be

2005 sucked you just have rose colored glasses on. HW had even smaller less athletic less powerful punchers and less evolved versions of fighters who later improved their game more like Kharitonov, Werdum, Barnett and Cro Cop who got better as the years progressed than in 2005. And with that said do not even make me laugh at how most of that division was 220lbs to 230lbs.... and how 1 dimesional the Aronas, Colemans and Randlemans were let alone Hunt!!

 

[ServantofGOD]

Then why is he gaining all that extra weight to move up to HW? He’s 220-230 in the cage. He’s already a heavyweight. Why would he need all that extra weight to fight at HW? He should be able to walk straight in and take the title.

Why don’t all the LHWs move up, crush all these unskilled fatties and get the bag? They all really like dieting and cutting weight? Liver damage is their jam?

220 to 230 is a LHW size. And Jones most of his career weighed 218lbs to 222lbs on fight night. Out of camp he weighed 230lbs. His fighting weigh was 220lbs.

Real HWs in 2011 and now are generally noeth of 245lbs while fighting. And while off camp may be 10lbs to 15lbs fatter. Sometimes even 20lbs

 

[BangBang]

Hit me!
Somebody call an ambulance

 

[MartinGibson86]

Then why is he gaining all that extra weight to move up to HW? He’s 220-230 in the cage. He’s already a heavyweight. Why would he need all that extra weight to fight at HW? He should be able to walk straight in and take the title.

Why don’t all the LHWs move up, crush all these unskilled fatties and get the bag? They all really like dieting and cutting weight? Liver damage is their jam?

???



Jon isnt a natural HE