Which is the most prestigious weight division in MMA?

[orca]

i rememberd a time that the LHW division was so stacked with talents
people just wanna watch ufc because of the 205 boys

LHW division is trash right now
when you have a 1 dimensional fighter like pereira fighting roundtree and jiri lmfao
its crazy

 

[Ube]

I guess the question is, what does prestigious mean in the this context?

to me, LW has the deepest talent pool, since more humans can easily get themselves into this weight class, and this weight class represents a sweet spot in terms of power, cardio, agility.

You can even compare it to boxing, how the middle weight division (which is basically around the weight class of MMA LWs) has many of the best boxers ever: Sugar Ray, Hearns, Hagler, Duran, Hopkins, Golovkin, Canelo, Ward,

So of course HWs are technically the most dangerous people on earth in combat sports where everything can be over in an instant.

But a LW champ is someone who essentially rose above a giant stack of fighters. That’s a big deal.

 

[Simple Southerner]

Lw easily
Lol at those that voted hw yea it's prestigious by name yet apart from 2-3 guys it sucks

 

[BJJ4Tone]

Was heavyweight (openweight) from 1993 to 2004
Royce Gracie, Shamrock, Don Frye, Mark Coleman, 2000 PRIDE Grand Prix, Fedor

Light heavyweight from 2004 to 2015
Chuck, Randy, Vitor, Tito, 2005 PRIDE "middleweight" Grand Prix, Jon Jones

Lightweight 2015 to present
Khabib, Conor, Porier, Gaethje, Tony, Charles, Islam

 

[NicholasJBasile]

Historically, I'd say it's light heavyweight -- Tito Ortiz, Chuck Liddell, Jon Jones, Rampage, Forrest Griffin, etc.

2ndly, I'd probably say 155 -- BJ Penn, Khabib, Conor, Poirier, etc.

 

[BigOlJeet]

Lol @ HW, a division where a fat slob can change the rankings with a sloppy punch, no technique, only Jon glazers voted HW until further notice.

 

[BigOlJeet]

Lol @ HW, a division where a fat slob can change the rankings with a sloppy punch, no technique, only Jon glazers voted HW until further notice.

 

[TankAbbott4Eva]

Gotta be heavyweight, baddest man on the planet.

Agreed with this

 

[Fight Professor]

155 in terms of talent without being a manlet. HW for public perception.

 

[arcadeperfect]

LHW was the most storied division in MMA. It had the most legacy and superstars. Although the answer should be HW, that weight class hasn't had that 1 dominant divisional GOAT that the other classes have had due to a variety of circumstances. Stipe's the best candidate, but as someone mentioned, he's forgotten about and not as revered as the rest. HW needs that Mike Tyson-esque destroyer to rule the division in order to give it the same respect that it has in boxing.

 

[WoozyFailGuy]

Even at it's most slop form, it will always be HW, just like in boxing, prestige-wise.

Baddest man on the planet.

 

[SuperNerd]

Good fights or bad fights, deep roster or shallow, it will always be Heavyweight.

 

[Dailo]

I believe it's the HW division, the baddest man on the planet is always a HW.

No lower weight class gets that title.

205 has always been the premier division imo

 

[Neck&Neck]

BAMF, It’s not a weight class though

 

[KingFlexino]

I miss when LHW was the prime division with the biggest names. Lidell, Tito, Rampage, Rashad, Shogun, Wanderlei, Machida, young Jon Jones... That was peak UFC imo.

Now i'd say heavyweight just because it's historically the most important division in combat sports and there's no other predominant division like LHW used to be.

 

[burningspear]

LW, average guy boiled down

 

[KingFlexino]

LHW was the most storied division in MMA. It had the most legacy and superstars. Although the answer should be HW, that weight class hasn't had that 1 dominant divisional GOAT that the other classes have had due to a variety of circumstances. Stipe's the best candidate, but as someone mentioned, he's forgotten about and not as revered as the rest. HW needs that Mike Tyson-esque destroyer to rule the division in order to give it the same respect that it has in boxing.

Yeh, I don't believe a HW has ever been the top draw in the UFC outside of Brock Lesnar who was a star before MMA.

 

[Lord Pyjamas]

I clicked wrong.
How do I change it?

 

[Mammothman]

WMMA divisions are missing mate

 

[BabyBlue_Bomber]

Women’s 115…

With women’s 125 a close second…