Which is the most prestigious weight division in MMA?

[Hdfi]

HW because the top HWs would beat everyone else.

 

[ejazahmednit]

The most aura and presitge is always associated with the heavyweight champion.
However, from a skill/power parity WW has always been competitive and thriving.
In the current scheme of things LW is the most contested with two dominant champions in quick succession

 

[gentel]

Imo LW followed by FW

LW is the division where Khabib beat Conor, where Islam subbed Oliveira. Both P4P kings

FW is the title owned by Aldo, Holloway, Volk, and Topuria - an absolutely elite club

 

[markantony20]

It has gone in waves imo here’s what I’ve personally noticed.

1997ish-2007 PRIDE Heavyweight and LHW had some of the best athletes in the sport but they were mostly over in Japan.

For the UFC around that time Welterweight was probably their best division with talent like Hughes, GSP, Miletich, Newton, Serra.

Then from around 2008-12 LHW was where it was at with most of the PRIDE roster coming over to fill the LHW division as well as the rising and crowning of Jones the divisional GOAT. Plus you had Hendo, Vitor, Rampage, Shogun, Wand, Machida.

Then imo Bantamweight had a brief spotlight with the rivalry between Cruz and TAM. You got guys with immense talent like Cruz, TJ, Cody, Barao, Faber, Assunção, and so on.

Then with the rise of McGregor Lightweight has taken the spotlight as the all eyes on division because despite Conor starting off in the UFC as a Featherweight his absolute zenith was becoming double champ at Lightweight. And you have guys like Dustin, Khabib, Islam, who are other big standouts in the division but in reality Lightweight was great for a long time before that with Bendo, Gilbert, Pettis, and more being beasts.

 

[Tebowned]

I became a fan during the Tito/ Chuck era so it's always gonna be 205 for me.

I prefer watching Welterweights and under though

 

[arcadeperfect]

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.

Yup, and there's multiple reasons why. It's not that there wasn't any potential, but that division seems to be cursed.

• Brock Lesnar - Was a superstar like you mentioned and could've been that guy, but with a limited skillset and illness he couldn't stick around long enough.
• Cain Velasquez - Could've been that guy, but injuries screwed him over.
• Junior Dos Santos - Had potential, but was never the same after the Cain beatings.
• Fabricio Werdum - Probably wasn't going to be a draw despite being a very good fighter, but that loss to Stipe in his first title defense took away any momentum he had.
• Stipe Miocic - No star power whatsoever even with the most title defenses.
• Daniel Cormier - Always unfairly in the shadow of Jon Jones and doesn't have that fear factor or aesthetic that a marketable HW champion needs.
• Francis Ngannou - Easily could've been the one to do the job, but dipped for boxing money.

 

[Doctor Grudge]

Yup, and there's multiple reasons why. It's not that there wasn't any potential, but that division seems to be cursed.

• Brock Lesnar - Was a superstar like you mentioned and could've been that guy, but with a limited skillset and illness he couldn't stick around long enough.
• Cain Velasquez - Could've been that guy, but injuries screwed him over.
• Junior Dos Santos - Had potential, but was never the same after the Cain beatings.
• Fabricio Werdum - Probably wasn't going to be a draw despite being a very good fighter, but that loss to Stipe in his first title defense took away any momentum he had.
• Stipe Miocic - No star power whatsoever even with the most title defenses.
• Daniel Cormier - Always unfairly in the shadow of Jon Jones and doesn't have that fear factor or aesthetic that a marketable HW champion needs.
• Francis Ngannou - Easily could've been the one to do the job, but dipped for boxing money.

I think Cain is really the only one that would have been a big time star, maybe DC if he started younger cause he has a good personality for media.

But even then, none of them would have been the "most popular" in the UFC. There were almost always people in the UFC at the same time that were more popular than them. Mainly Ronda and McGregor. I would say if Ngannou stayed he still would not be more popular than Poatan.

Despite what people say, the UFC was never great at marketing HWs. They never saw it as their most important division either.

 

[Captain Herb]

I miss the golden era of LHW. Modern testing kinda ruined that. Guys like Wand were coming in at like 203lbs in ufc, but no doubt had to cut to 205 in pride

A good LHW division is always the most entertaining but HW is always the most prestigious because they're the Apex Predators.

 

[YourBoss]

HW for sure

 

[Feaser]

It’s either heavyweight or light heavyweight. It’s not lightweight. Sorry manlets.

 

[HHJ]

 

[Xuh]

Women's strawweight

 

[icerealm]

picked LW, HW probably 2nd