Is height becoming an unbeatable advantage in MMA?

[daltonames]

I dont buy Oliveira at 5’10, he looks a good bit taller than that.

I mean he's not 6ft, so I suppose he could be closer to 5'11 but that's still pretty normal for LW. he's by no means a really tall LW.

 

[HerpDerp]

I dont buy Oliveira at 5’10, he looks a good bit taller than that.

Holloway is listed at 5'11 so Oliveira's 5'10 checks out if you ask me. Just a lanky dude with physical proportions you would often see on a taller man.

 

[RicardinhoPT]

Lol do you know who Volkanovski is?

 

[NationWideNinja]

Holloway is listed at 5'11 so Oliveira's 5'10 checks out if you ask me.

Damn, he towers over these lightweights. Poirier and Gaethje must be a lot shorter than they are listed then

 

[IndyCovaHart]

Start height and reach classes amirite ts

 

[HerpDerp]

Poirier and Gaethje must be a lot shorter than they are listed then

Yeah, probably some exaggerated rounding up going on there at the very least. Poirier, for example, looks as 5'8 as they come.

 

[AtaTheCrow]

Boo hoo

Height is an advantage in all real sports, and in life.

If you can be a giant with speed and skill, you've got it made in whatever you choose to play.

I'm tired of all the manlets complaining about height being some unfair advantage. Everybody is born different. Sorry you got the short end of the stick, no pun intended.

manlet detected!

 

[eiyuu]

Only if you have skills to go with it.

Kendall Grove was one of the tallest MWs for a while at 6'6" but he never got anywhere.

 

[markys00]

Short answer. No

Tall answer. No

 

[markys00]

Boo hoo

Height is an advantage in all real sports, and in life.

If you can be a giant with speed and skill, you've got it made in whatever you choose to play.

I'm tired of all the manlets complaining about height being some unfair advantage. Everybody is born different. Sorry you got the short end of the stick, no pun intended.

Double yellows for bigotry? Makes sense, that's what racists do

 

[Karelinator]

Damn, he towers over these lightweights. Poirier and Gaethje must be a lot shorter than they are listed then

Does he really though?

I think you may be indeed deceived by proportions, stance, or whatever.

 

[Feardoesnotexistinmydojo]

From July 2018 - March 2019 every single reigning UFC champ was under 6 feet tall.

Now it seems like it is becoming the norm for champs to be well above avg in height and reach.

With the exception of Volk (who has freaky long arms), every UFC champ is above avg in height for their division. We've seen how Izzy can coast and take no damage because of his length and shorter guys have trouble grappling him too because they need to shoot from so far out

Height favours strikers, that’s why you see few short and squat boxers/kick-boxers at their weight - there are exception to the rule obvs like Mike Tyson but generally they favour the taller with the better reach

 

[NationWideNinja]

Does he really though?

I think you may be indeed deceived by proportions, stance, or whatever.

Yeah you’re right. For some reason when I imagine him versus his opponents he always seemed to tower over them.

Maybe its because he fights in an upright stance whereas fighters generally fights in a lowered stance, and so in his fights he seems much taller.

 

[ChimRichalds]

Speed is clearly an unfair advantage! 11!!1!

All these damn speed bullies out there gaming the system.

 

[DestinedAussie]

From July 2018 - March 2019 every single reigning UFC champ was under 6 feet tall.

Now it seems like it is becoming the norm for champs to be well above avg in height and reach.

With the exception of Volk (who has freaky long arms), every UFC champ is above avg in height for their division. We've seen how Izzy can coast and take no damage because of his length and shorter guys have trouble grappling him too because they need to shoot from so far out

Only too a point, none of them are tallest in their division.

 

[Dana's Moonface]

There are reasons why height and reach are mentioned in combat sports, as well as weight
They are all advantages

Now it doesn't mean shorter fighters can't overcome as numerous fighters have proven
However, if a tall guy is extremely skilled and can use his advantages? He is a very hard man to beat

Check my Av for a good example

 

[johndhi]

Every body has a style that works for it. Long guys are better with striking at distance.

 

[Ahem]

Volk really doesn't have freaky long arms at all.

He does have some wide ass shoulders for his height though, which is where his exaggerated wingspan (180cm vs 168cm height) mostly comes from.

Great point, and something I've been wondering about. Why do they measure your reach from fingertip to fingertip? They should do it from shoulder to fingertip, with your arm straight in front of you. Having a wide frame (and thus exaggerating your reach) doesn't give you an advantage in striking since the vast majority of fighters don't throw from a side stance.

EDIT: On second thought, I suppose the width of your shoulders would come into play during the follow through as you turn into the punch.

 

[Kryptt]

Making excuses up for matches going one way or the other?

There are a plethora of advantages and disadvantages across MMA. Adapt, overcome or go to BKFC....



Actually do we have a definitive list of all the "unfair" attributes in MMA?

 

[Ramon Antonio]

Fighting ability is not the reason why the military has a height limit lol, it's because they have trouble fitting in planes, cars, and uniforms

Being an agile 7 footer is a huge advantage over a guy with similar build but 6'2"

Not in a fire fight lol.