Not Only Should the UFC Get Rid of 125 Lbs, but They Should Also Merge BW and FW Into 140 Lbs

[AronaBeatsJones]

REMOVE THE FLYWEIGHT DIVISION​

The flyweight division has 28 fighters. This is even less than the newly-introduced women's strawweight division (31 fighters). Moreover, a single fighter (who failed to win the bantamweight title when he was fighting at 135 lbs) has cleaned out the division.

Now, if Johnson moves up again (which makes the most amount of sense since there are no challengers left at flyweight), whoever wins the flyweight title in his stead (likely Benavidez or Cejudo) will not be a credible champion, since they lost convincingly to Mighty Mouse (ala Cormier now).

Moreover, when Johnson inevitably loses to Cruz again, it'll make the entire flyweight division look like jabronis.

---

MERGE THE BANTAMWEIGHT AND FEATHERWEIGHT DIVISIONS​

Speaking of undeveloped weight divisions, it also makes sense to merge the 135-pound and 145-pound divisions into a single 140-pound division.

Both divisions are led by only four top fighters (135: Cruz, Dillashaw, Faber, Barao; 145: McGregor, Aldo, Edgar, Mendes), and McGregor/Aldo/Barao either are or could easily be fighting at lightweight or higher, while the other top fighters would be better served at 140 lbs. Faber already bounces back and forth, Barao just moved up, and Edgar could fight at a lower weight also.

Instead of a dozen meaningless divisions, let's start filtering this down and make weight classes mean something again. Imagine a single division with the likes of Cruz, Mighty Mouse, Edgar, Faber, Barao, Dillashaw, Cejudo, Benavidez, and Mendes. This fusion of three of the least popular weight divisions would re-ignite interest for fighters under lightweight.

 

[TCE]

Did you not see the Horiguchi/Seery fight a minute ago?

 

[Hans Gercmiov]

Hell no @ 140 division.

 

[GoldenAzazel]

Did you not see the Horiguchi/Seery fight a minute ago?

Just what I came here to say!

 

[Evangelion]

Yea combine 2 of the best divisions while HW and lhw are filled with cans

 

[Ez Eric]

Horrible idea

Why would the UFC do that? Rival promotions like Bellator would have more weight classes than the UFC and would be able to lay claim to the best fighters in the world for a certain division. This might also mean certain UFC fighters would jump ship to fit in better with a certain division. All this would lead to losing viewers to rival programming. That is why the UFC doesn't want to do that.

People complained about the UFC not having all the divisions years ago and now that they do people like you are complaining.

 

[johncola]

135 is good

 

[AronaBeatsJones]

Horrible idea

Why would the UFC do that? Rival promotions like Bellator would have more weight classes than the UFC and would be able to lay claim to the best fighters in the world for a certain division. This might also mean certain UFC fighters would jump ship to fit in better with a certain division. All this would lead to losing viewers to rival programming. That is why the UFC doesn't want to do that.

People complained about the UFC not having all the divisions years ago and now that they do people like you are complaining.

Bellator's bantamweight division is deader than a door nail. There isn't a single under-LW star on the worldwide MMA scene. McGregor and Faber are really the only two, and possibly Penn, but we'll have to see if he has any of his earlier drawing ability now that he's not even a main carder.

The whole purpose for introducing the lighter weight classes (especially flyweight) was so that the UFC could find its Chinese superstar, and make a huge expansion in China, which is a high-growth business center. Now that that experiment has failed, and the guy that ended up dominating the division is setting records for the lowest amount of PPV buys, there's really no reason to keep the FLW division.

Also, like I said, you merge 135 and 145, and you still have a total of EIGHT top fighters (which includes McGregor, who it seems more-and-more is unlikely to ever fight at 145 lbs again, as well as Aldo, who could also be going up to lightweight if he loses to Edgar).

 

[bdthrill]

I actually like the idea of getting rid of flyweights. 125 is too small. 135 is plenty low

 

[Tormund]

Honestly I'd rather see HW get cut if we HAVE to cut a division, full of sloppy fighters with most of them being over the age of 35.

 

[yookfarb]

reignite what interest under LW? It's the LW division that's struggling to get anyone to give a damn. Ever since Frankie and BJ up and left, the LW championship belt has only headlined two PPVs and they both involved Showtime. Both only did around 300k buys.

RDA is on fight pass while the featherweight champion's non title fight headlined UFC 200(an opponent RDA butchered) with the #1 contender(interim belt) as co main.

 

[Joker Jiujitsu]

I don't think they can change the divisions that easily at this point. Isn't some of it regulated by commissions?

I could be wrong on that, though. If it isn't, and we're doing a total restructure to get rid of a division:

130 lbs (Bantamweight)
142 lbs (Featherweight)
156 lbs (Lightweight)
174 lbs (Welterweight)
195 lbs (Middleweight)
220 lbs (Cruiserweight)
220+ lbs (Heavyweight)

But that'll never happen and I'm not sure it would work out. That's just how seven divisions would look starting at 130 with them spread out more proportionately.

This would suck for guys like Cruz, though he could choose which championship to go after.

 

[Fullmount Triangle]

... no

 

[Mochan]

Get rid of 125. Merge it with 135.

I dunno if we need to merge 145 with 135 just yet, 135 is not very interesting but it will be fine with 125 folded in.

 

[SuperNerd]

Bellator's bantamweight division is deader than a door nail. There isn't a single under-LW star on the worldwide MMA scene.

And there never will be. I'm just glad you guys are aware of your motivations. Star power.

Fart noise.

 

[Danespina]

The two flyweight fights today were great.

 

[Mochan]

:

130 lbs (Bantamweight)
142 lbs (Featherweight)
156 lbs (Lightweight)
174 lbs (Welterweight)
195 lbs (Middleweight)
220 lbs (Cruiserweight)
220+ lbs (Heavyweight)

But that'll never happen and I'm not sure it would work out. That's just how seven divisions would look starting at 130 with them spread out more proportionately.

What is up with that gigantic range for welterweight?! 18 lbs? Too big a jump. Then 21 lbs to middleweight?

 

[tdluxon]

REMOVE THE FLYWEIGHT DIVISION​

The flyweight division has 28 fighters. This is even less than the newly-introduced women's strawweight division (31 fighters). Moreover, a single fighter (who failed to win the bantamweight title when he was fighting at 135 lbs) has cleaned out the division.

Now, if Johnson moves up again (which makes the most amount of sense since there are no challengers left at flyweight), whoever wins the flyweight title in his stead (likely Benavidez or Cejudo) will not be a credible champion, since they lost convincingly to Mighty Mouse (ala Cormier now).

Moreover, when Johnson inevitably loses to Cruz again, it'll make the entire flyweight division look like jabronis.

---

MERGE THE BANTAMWEIGHT AND FEATHERWEIGHT DIVISIONS​

Speaking of undeveloped weight divisions, it also makes sense to merge the 135-pound and 145-pound divisions into a single 140-pound division.

Both divisions are led by only four top fighters (135: Cruz, Dillashaw, Faber, Barao; 145: McGregor, Aldo, Edgar, Mendes), and McGregor/Aldo/Barao either are or could easily be fighting at lightweight or higher, while the other top fighters would be better served at 140 lbs. Faber already bounces back and forth, Barao just moved up, and Edgar could fight at a lower weight also.

Instead of a dozen meaningless divisions, let's start filtering this down and make weight classes mean something again. Imagine a single division with the likes of Cruz, Mighty Mouse, Edgar, Faber, Barao, Dillashaw, Cejudo, Benavidez, and Mendes. This fusion of three of the least popular weight divisions would re-ignite interest for fighters under lightweight.

I'm definitely on board with getting rid of the 125 division but I'd keep the other 2 separate

 

[BobsyaUncle]

Nah the current set-up is better than your idea.

 

[DatSamboKid]

#flyweightfightersmatter