Other fighters that have moved up in weight to fight bigger opponents.

[Jujitsumo]

A lot has been said about how brave Conor is for moving up 2 weight classes and fighting an opponent much bigger than he is. Although I respect what he did and the risk he took, it is nothing new in MMA.

Many forums and media have been acting like he is the first guy to do this (apart from the odd mention of BJ Penn)

There has been no mention of Anthony Rumble Johnson, who fought 5 years as a WW then moved up to LHW to challenge for the title after proving himself. And he still retained his KO power against much bigger guys (unlike conor). He even beat Arlovski in a HW bout in WSOF!

Or Dan Hendo moving up to fight Fedor! Again retaining his KO power being the first to KO Fedor.

Randy Couture fought guys much larger than him.

Nick Diaz vs Silva is also a notable one, but Nick didn't do too bad in that fight although he lost by decision.

Cain vs Brock.

Not to mention all the UFC fights before weight classes were introduced! Royce Gracie.

Can anybody think of anymore?

 

[ortizgnp]

A lot has been said about how brave Conor is for moving up 2 weight classes and fighting an opponent much bigger than he is

lol

 

[chitoortiz]

 

[GregorMcConor]

BJ Penn comes to mind ofc, but there are also guys like Machida who probably would have been a 185er if not for his Black House boy Anderson reigning at the time. Even so, Machida won a title at LHW when he could have been a MW all along.

Another one is Sean Sherk who got destroyed by GSP. If we are gonna go on the size/weight factor. Conor doesn't even compare to the ballz Sherk had for doing that (being tiny even at LW).

 

[JDawg9]

Anthony Johnson should've moved up a long time before he did and the proof was in him failing miserably to make mw when he jumped up to that weight class.

 

[Jarnee]

Not UFC but Melvin Manhoef

 

[SpaceCommissar]

Anthony Johnson was always a Rumble Weight fighter, nothing else.

 

[mjfan23]

no mention of Saku, minowa man?

Wand vs hunt was epic too! The moment hunt landed one and wand flew across the cage he realized what he got into!

Open weight GP in pride anyone?

 

[CostumedExtrmst]

Threads like this rarely get the posts they deserve, because most people don't want to admit their flat out hypocrisy, or ignorance. Not only have other fighters stepped up to fight in heavier weight classes, they also WON. Conor a'int a fucking pioneer here AT ALL!

 

[VAfan]

it took about four days for this fight to even be mentioned after saturday night - i kept expecting it to come up sooner.

and you have to keep mentioning BJ against hughes too - he's the only one of the three who went up against the champ when he moved up (and a seriously dominant champ at that).

dude fought machida at LHW - it's going to be awfully hard to top that.

 

[eiyuu]

Vitor Belfort took fights like Heath Herring and Gilbert Yvel in PRIDE when he was down to MW/LHW