- Joined
- Nov 2, 2017
- Messages
- 1,191
- Reaction score
- 925
I think they should increase the weight limit for the Light Heavyweight division up to 220lbs. Right now, Middleweight is capped at 185 lbs, Light Heavyweight at 205 lbs, and Heavyweight at 265 lbs. That’s just too big a gap between LHW and HW imo.
A lot of LHW fighters today are bigger guys who can still make 205 lbs, but it’s becoming a struggle for many of them. I feel like we’re in an era of bigger LHWs, and it would make perfect sense to increase the LHW limit to 220 lbs.
Take fighters like Jon Jones and Alex Pereira, for example. They’re both naturally around 230 lbs... and that’s basically the new standard for LHW now. Even Jiri Prochazka, who’s closer to a natural 205 lbs, still weighs around 220lbs when he’s in shape and nearing a fight, so he’s not much smaller either—he still cuts weight to make 205 lbs, 220 lbs being his most natural weight.
Jan Blachowicz is another example. He’s more like Jon Jones and Pereira in terms of weight, likely even more, with his optimal weight ranging somewhere around 230–238 lbs. Dominick Reyes is a bit more like Prochazka, likely 220–225 lbs naturally, so he’s also cutting weight to make 205 lbs.
Even Khalil Rountree, who’s considerably shorter than most LHWs now, still has a thick, stocky build. I’d guess his natural, most optimal weight is close to 220 lbs based on his interview, detailing how much he cuts, so for him, cutting to 205 lbs or bulking to 220 lbs (he's most likely naturally 215 lbs or so) would probably feel about the same, as an his weight during the fight night is estimated to be ~ 217lbs... Magomed Ankalaev, on the other hand, is probably 225–230 lbs, which makes him one of the bigger guys too.
The point is, most Light Heavyweights now have an optimal weight that’s around 220 lbs, with many being at or above 220 lbs naturally. So, having a 220 lbs limit for LHW would make a lot of sense.
They could also move Middleweight up a little—maybe to 200 lbs—to create more breathing room between 185 lbs and 220 lbs. I’m not as familiar with the weights of Middleweights, so I’m not sure about the specifics there. But when it comes to LHW, it really seems like 220 lbs would be the ideal limit.
Right now, the difficulty of cutting to 205 lbs is what’s pushing some fighters to move up to Heavyweight, where they can skip the weight cut stress—but then they’re fighting in a division with a 265 lbs limit.
So while guys like Ankalaev, Jan, Jiri, Hill, Pereira, and Jon Jones could fight at 220–235 lbs, they’d be at a huge disadvantage if they had to face natural Heavyweights who are 250–260 lbs or more like natural frames... Most HWs don't even cut weight because the limit is big, they weigh naturally close or just at the limit. That’s a problem, and adjusting the limits would help balance things out to make LHW feel more like a middle term between middleweight and HW imo... It seems the bridge is ok from welterweight to middleweight to LHW, but then there's a disproportionate bridge from LHW to HW...
A lot of LHW fighters today are bigger guys who can still make 205 lbs, but it’s becoming a struggle for many of them. I feel like we’re in an era of bigger LHWs, and it would make perfect sense to increase the LHW limit to 220 lbs.
Take fighters like Jon Jones and Alex Pereira, for example. They’re both naturally around 230 lbs... and that’s basically the new standard for LHW now. Even Jiri Prochazka, who’s closer to a natural 205 lbs, still weighs around 220lbs when he’s in shape and nearing a fight, so he’s not much smaller either—he still cuts weight to make 205 lbs, 220 lbs being his most natural weight.
Jan Blachowicz is another example. He’s more like Jon Jones and Pereira in terms of weight, likely even more, with his optimal weight ranging somewhere around 230–238 lbs. Dominick Reyes is a bit more like Prochazka, likely 220–225 lbs naturally, so he’s also cutting weight to make 205 lbs.
Even Khalil Rountree, who’s considerably shorter than most LHWs now, still has a thick, stocky build. I’d guess his natural, most optimal weight is close to 220 lbs based on his interview, detailing how much he cuts, so for him, cutting to 205 lbs or bulking to 220 lbs (he's most likely naturally 215 lbs or so) would probably feel about the same, as an his weight during the fight night is estimated to be ~ 217lbs... Magomed Ankalaev, on the other hand, is probably 225–230 lbs, which makes him one of the bigger guys too.
The point is, most Light Heavyweights now have an optimal weight that’s around 220 lbs, with many being at or above 220 lbs naturally. So, having a 220 lbs limit for LHW would make a lot of sense.
They could also move Middleweight up a little—maybe to 200 lbs—to create more breathing room between 185 lbs and 220 lbs. I’m not as familiar with the weights of Middleweights, so I’m not sure about the specifics there. But when it comes to LHW, it really seems like 220 lbs would be the ideal limit.
Right now, the difficulty of cutting to 205 lbs is what’s pushing some fighters to move up to Heavyweight, where they can skip the weight cut stress—but then they’re fighting in a division with a 265 lbs limit.
So while guys like Ankalaev, Jan, Jiri, Hill, Pereira, and Jon Jones could fight at 220–235 lbs, they’d be at a huge disadvantage if they had to face natural Heavyweights who are 250–260 lbs or more like natural frames... Most HWs don't even cut weight because the limit is big, they weigh naturally close or just at the limit. That’s a problem, and adjusting the limits would help balance things out to make LHW feel more like a middle term between middleweight and HW imo... It seems the bridge is ok from welterweight to middleweight to LHW, but then there's a disproportionate bridge from LHW to HW...
