How Weight Classes Should be Structured

[DeathStroke]

I meant that if you are say fighting at middleweight (170.1 to 183.6) and you weigh in at 181 the day before at weigh ins, then you are allowed to be up to 186 on the next day when you step on the scale before getting into the cage. And because your hydration was tested the first time, you aren't going to be getting more that 1 or 2 pounds at most in either direction within a ~24 hour period anyway.

The point overall is to get fighters to maintain a weight that is towards the center of the weight class they fight at. So if you want to make a career at middleweight, you're going to maintain a weight around ~177 pounds, and NOT try to be as close to the upper bound of weight, as you will miss weight and lose a big part of your purse.

Then everyone will fight people within 4 pounds or so of each other so weight advantages go away (no one who naturally has an easier time cutting more weight than others even get the opportunity to use this ability), and no one has to go through the stupid, health damaging process of weight cutting.

Weight fluctuates a lot more than 1-2 pounds a day. Especially for big boys. I lose anywhere from 1-3 pounds in my sleep every night. I can drop 2 by taking a big dump. I can gain 2-3 by eating a big meal with lots of fluids.

It makes by far the most sense to make fighters weigh in once, and let them do whatever they want afterwords.

 

[Regal Boy]

Weight fluctuates a lot more than 1-2 pounds a day. Especially for big boys. I lose anywhere from 1-3 pounds in my sleep every night. I can drop 2 by taking a big dump. I can gain 2-3 by eating a big meal with lots of fluids.

It makes by far the most sense to make fighters weigh in once, and let them do whatever they want afterwords.

That's why the weight classes increase by a ratio as opposed to arbitrary fixed amounts. We can increase the allotted change as the weight classes increase, I didn't think about that, you're right.

Cutting weight is a stupid fucking culture that doesn't do anything but put everyone's health at risk, damage their internal organs, and give a handful of people an unfair advantage in weight that they shouldn't be allowed in a sport with weight classes. It needs to be erased, and there are ways of doing it, it's just about implementing them.

 

[DeathStroke]

That's why the weight classes increase by a ratio as opposed to arbitrary fixed amounts. We can increase the allotted change as the weight classes increase, I didn't think about that, you're right.

Cutting weight is a stupid fucking culture that doesn't do anything but put everyone's health at risk, damage their internal organs, and give a handful of people an unfair advantage in weight that they shouldn't be allowed in a sport with weight classes. It needs to be erased, and there are ways of doing it, it's just about implementing them.

If it was that simple, any one of the many MMA organizations would have successfully implemented weight cutting measures.

 

[Protagoras]

I actually agree that 186+ would work, but I imagine it'd be hard getting that past an atheltic commission. It's just too much of a hassle to do now.

But considering guys who would be modern MWs like 213lbs Prime Cro Cop and 5'8 Randleman wrecked shop at HW, I see no reason why guys like Israel, Romero and Costa should be protected against Stipe, Ngannou and DC.

This is one of my main points with this weight system.

We have always these incredibly talented guys smashed in together down between 135 and 170, but 185 and above it just gets thinner and thinner.

As I said, there is real diminishing on the returns as you get up to 250+ area, and we have seen a lot of guys who were successful that are much lighter.

From everything we’ve seen in MMA, the 215 - 240lb range is the best weight range for athletic HW fighters with decent cardio.

 

[Protagoras]

Go away.

 

[FIGHTING TALK]

Fixed for you..

125 Flyweight
135 Bantamweight
145 Featherweight
155 Lightweight
165 Super Lightweight
175 Welterweight
185 Middleweight
220 Heavyweight
220-265 Super heavyweight

 

[vladimirvlad]

I agree with RegalBoy, an 8% increase sounds fairer, 10 pounds is too little for greater weight divisions.