Joe Rogan: The UFC Needs More Weight Classes; Do You Agree?

[HeexX]

Would be awesome as a way of eliminating weight cutting (day off weigh in etc). Lots of more superfights as well.

 

[basherofbrains]

I would rather they restructured the weight classes to consolidate the talent in what are now thinner divisions.
Merge LHW and HW into a single division capped around 215. Most of the good HWs come in around 240... they can lose a little and cut a little to make that.
Raise MW a little to allow the smaller LHWs to go down.
I'm tempted to merge Fly and Bantam at 130 and bring Feather down to 140, but I worry about putting even more people into LW.
LW and WW are the deepest divisions and, if anything, I'd like to have them lose a few people to FW and MW respectively.

So, without much thought, I'd prefer something like this:
HW - 215
MW - 190
WW - 170
LW - 155
FW - 140
BW - 130

130
140
150
160
170
180
190
205
225 or 235
285 or unlimited

 

[Frank23]

So would you support a weight class system like this if it resulted in less weight cutting?

I would like to see more weight classes. However, I don't have a problem with weight cutting.

 

[Hard Charger]

In Joe Rogan's recent podcast with Jeff Novitzky, they discussed the effect that IV bans are going to have on weight cutting, and Rogan suggested that the UFC needs MORE weight classes.

However, he also stated that the UFC disagrees, that they don't want to water down weight divisions ala boxing, and less weight classes result in more stacked divisions (which does make sense).

Nonetheless, Rogan brought up the big 20 lb gap between middleweight (185 lbs) and light heavyweight (205 lbs): a fighter who should fight around 195 lbs, they have no choice but to make an unfair compromise to cut all that weight to make 185, and then have to rehydrate via drinking (which causes cramps), or come in undersized at 205.

Rogan also brought up the gap between light heavyweight (205) and heavyweight (265), suggesting that something should be in the middle for smaller heavyweights.

So would you support a weight class system like this if it resulted in less weight cutting?

265 Heavyweight
225 Cruiserweight
205 Light Heavyweight
195 Super Middleweight
185 Middleweight
175 Super Welterweight
165 Welterweight
155 Lightweight
145 Featherweight
135 Bantamweight
125 Flyweight

Where's the last thread on this topic, I can prove Rogan reads Sherdog

 

[BBMN]

In a perfect world they would have enough talent to have the LHW division be 200, then add a Cruiser division at 215, and have the HW limit upped to 275.

I've always hated the 20lb jump from MW to LHW.

 

[Blackjack]

I like the addition of the cruiser weight, but if they did that i'd want them to get rid of the 265 limit. 225 could encompass anybody up to 250, and if you're naturally over 250 then you should be able to fight any sized guy.

I agree with that. AS bigger money attracts bigger athletes, the weight limit of 265 is too limiting. There should be a 300 pound limit for heavyweight, maybe 315. Many NFL players fall into this category. Olympic Super heavyweight weight lifters compete in a 231 pound and up weight class with no upper weight limit and it has worked for at least 50 years! Once you're at least 230 pounds, you should be able to fight anyone. Fedor proved that. No 300 or 400 pound man ever beat him When he finally lost it as to Werdum and later lost to a smaller fighter in Hollywood Henderson!

But there's nothing wrong with the 20 pounds between 185, 205, and 225. Little guys get a ten pound weight disparity in their divisions. percentage wise, a 10 pound weight disparity between say, 195 and 205 would be ridiculous. If you're 195, lose a few pounds and then cut weight or, add muscle and strength so you can compete at 205. Otherwise the next thing wil be a new weight dvision every 7 pounds! The more championships there are, the less each one means! It's a matter of supply and demand. More supply causes lower demand.

However I woud like to see less of the under 155 pound divisions. I have no interest in watching two 125 or 135 pound guys fight. It's not aesthetically pleasing. It's like watching two flies buzz around each other. I won't buy the September 5th PPV. I don't watch fights to see a "mouse" fight, "mighty" or not.

 

[freakroor]

235 makes more sense than 225. but i dont like weightclasses. they should have >170 and <170, that's about it IMO

 

[RoscoeRufus]

talent pool doesn't seem to be deep enough, and that Reebok deal won't help in luring fighters away from other orgs.

best case scenario, it causes a bunch of moves in the current roster and results in some nice matchups that weren't as easy to make before.

 

[BroITrainUFC]

Hell no. I would be interested in open weight fights though.

 

[IDGETKTFO]

I voted no. What are your thoughts?

I didn't vote because the poll was too vague. Yes or no is BS. I say yes to a weight between 205 and 265 but no to any other weight below 205.

 

[mst-dot]

just do it in kg's

60
70
80
90
100
101+

thats like 22 pouns between each weight.
fighters will adust

 

[Emang8]

It sure as hell does not need any more lighter weight classes but I would like to see the gap between light heavyweight and heavyweight lessened by introducing a new weightclass (maybe 230) and have a heavier weight class than heavyweight.

 

[Korbis]

Guys cut to LHW to not fight at HW and that trend continues down. Fix the gap between HW and LHW and you will fix a few things. A lot of fighters would perform better if they weren't knocking on death's door the day before fight night.

 

[greenseeker]

130
140
150
160
170
180
190
205
225 or 235
285 or unlimited

150/160/170 might work well. Those big LWs and smaller WWs would have a third option and it might thin out those overgrown divisions a bit.

But 225/285... There are only 34 fighters over 205 as it is, and most of them aren't very good. You want to split them into two weightclasses? I'd rather combine them with the LHWs at a weight in the middle and eliminate the few already-irrelevant fighters who can't drop some weight.

 

[Kinniku]

If they are going to add a cruiserweight they need to get rid of the HW 265 limit.

 

[Quinton Overeem]

Yes, for something between 205 and 265.

 

[120wrestling]

what they should do is instead of having guys weigh exactly in that weight class, they should allow for a whatever you weigh in between that weight class. E.x. if you weight 155 to 169 youre a lightweight. Boom

 

[M3t4tr0n]

If they do add a 195 lb division it must be called Franklinweight!

Franklinweight would be the shit. They can have a year long tournament and the fighter at the end has to fight Franklin for the belt.

 

[LEXTHEANARKIST]

Theres still a 40 lb difference between cruiser and hw.
When will it end?? Until there are weight classes every 5 pounds?

There should be a revamping but thats too many weight classes imo.

 

[ShackleMeNot]

This makes a lot of sense, and it would make every weight division separated by 10lbs up to 185, which will help with 175lb bohemoths cutting down to 155lbs by giving them a 165lbs division, meanwhile bigger welterweights like Hendricks, Lawler, and MacDonald have less weight to cut to make 175lbs.

you basically read my mind. I just feel like LW is way too deep so making a slight adjustment in between there and WW could open up a lot of doors for some fighters and level the playing field a little. Aside from that, no other additions really make any sense. It would be pointless to add a cruiserweight division since 205 is fairly thin, and HW is about as shallow as a puddle in my driveway.