How and why did FWs get so big?

[Area809]

At one time Sean Sherk was considered to be a gargantuan 155 because he walked around as high as 180. But I think 145 may take the cake indeed.

I think I thought Sherk won this fight at the time. Didn’t he supposedly go running in the streets of Vegas barefoot out of frustration after? Or maybe I just made that up.

 

[BerrySmartGuy2]

These guys are bigger then before....

 

[carrythezero]

JESUS. MAX HOLLOWAY STANDING NEXT TO DANIEL CORMIER REALLY SHOWS YOU THEY WEREN'T KIDDING WHEN THEY SAID HE WALKS AROUND CLOSE TO 190 POUNDS. WOWZERS!

Max doesn’t walk around 190. My brother is 1-1.5 inches taller, has bigger legs and a similar frame and is 168.

 

[Devil Hand]

Renato looked like Cub's big brother teaching him a lesson:

i remember when ppl were hyping do ho choi he went to war against cub but moicano does it with a jab damn

 

[det_regnar_på_vår_kärlek]

i remember when ppl were hyping do ho choi he went to war against cub but moicano does it with a jab damn

I'm hoping he'll be next in line to fight Holloway. I think he'll be able to make it a competitive fight.

 

[dildos]

Max doesn’t walk around 190. My brother is 1-1.5 inches taller, has bigger legs and a similar frame and is 168.

Your brother clearly doesn’t have the coconut sized balls max does.

 

[green giant]

Because short fighters (like faber) used to bulk up and fight at 145.

No reason why a FW can’t cut 20 pounds and walk around 165-170. A 5’9-5’11 guy can still carry some decent muscle at that size in lean condition.

5’10, 72 inch reach, 165 pounds lean is gonna be better sized than 5’6, 67 inch reach at 160.

Well the better individual is who figures out how to fight with what they have. Has nothing to do with stats, its all about the person.

 

[Kabzie]

Cowardice.

 

[green giant]

It tends to happen in every division over time, LHW for example shifted from guys like Shogun, Rashad and Machida to guys like Gus, Jones and Davis.

I agree even though Shogun and other smaller LHW's are still in that div. In all weight classes there are shorter and taller fighters. It all depends on how they figure out how to work with what their strengths are.

 

[amok attitude]

Just a digression: I couldn't help wondering why the photo of Holloway with Cormier is of markedly lower quality than the others you posted, some of which are notably clear and distinct.

You clearly need to look into it.

 

[Damon3388]

Says height doesn't equal size yet uses height as an argument for claiming that FWs are bigger

The way u can tell if they are bigger is by looking at their natural weight or the weight they rehydrate to come fight day. You didn't even say that. They probs weight around the same anyway, as u can see those shorter fighters like Mendes are more bulkier

It's an arbitrary measure that I've made up, but a way you can get a better picture of someone's "true" size frame-wise by combining their height (in inches) and reach/arm span, then dividing by two.

Eg. 5'10" height (70 inches) + 74-inch reach = 144 inches combined = 72 inches (6'0") "true size".

If the answer to the equation above is anything above 69 inches, they really shouldn't be fighting at 145 IMO.

 

[moreorless87]

I agree even though Shogun and other smaller LHW's are still in that div. In all weight classes there are shorter and taller fighters. It all depends on how they figure out how to work with what their strengths are.

Theres shorter/taller and then theres bigger/smaller, guys like Shogun and Aldo are clearly smaller than the likes of Jones/Holloway.

 

[TjDillashawCombo]

They have ectomorph body type, they're tall but skinny

 

[fortheo]

I don't think any other weightclass has experienced such a pronounced increase in size when comparing the old and new guards. When Cub fought Renato Moicano they seemed two classes apart. Not long ago, your average FW was between 5'6'' - 5'8'' and now there are several who are 5'11'' or taller. Zabit is 6'1''. Kinda unbelieveable really.
Obviously height =/= size, but the size difference between old and new FWs is remarkable. It's a whole new landscape in this weightclass.

Old guard:

New guard:

Shane burgos on the left is 5'11 and jacked. I don't understand how these guys make 145lbs.

 

[fortheo]

Old vs. new

old vs. new

 

[boss429]

I don't think any other weightclass has experienced such a pronounced increase in size when comparing the old and new guards. When Cub fought Renato Moicano they seemed two classes apart. Not long ago, your average FW was between 5'6'' - 5'8'' and now there are several who are 5'11'' or taller. Zabit is 6'1''. Kinda unbelieveable really.
Obviously height =/= size, but the size difference between old and new FWs is remarkable. It's a whole new landscape in this weightclass.

Old guard:

New guard:

It's more common now but we still had the Roops and Garza's back in the day.

When people talk about how much MMA has "evolved" in the last 10 years this is what I think of. The only real evolution I see is the average size in each weightclass being about 10 to 15 pounds heavier than it was then.

Weight cutting skills have definitely evolved a lot in that time, it's super impressive how much bigger so called "145" or whatever pound fighters are now a days.

 

[RONALD REAPER]

Max doesn’t walk around 190. My brother is 1-1.5 inches taller, has bigger legs and a similar frame and is 168.

 

[Dave Poodle]

Weight cutting has become more extreme across the board. The bigger guys in each division are bigger than the guys that were there when I started watching. There are guys who used to look normal for their divisions who now look on the smaller side or are moving down.
I really hope more commissions start releasing fight night weights.

 

[An Uncertain Choice]

USA! DA

 

[Oachkazl]

Just do 3 or 4 weigh-ins in fight week, problem solved. Less weight cut, less organ damage, less cancellations because of missed weight.