Why do people act like there is a major difference between HWs and LHWs?

There are often extreme stances taken on both sides of the common HW vs LHW debate, some people say the HWs would destroy the LHWs due to size and power while others say the faster, more skilled LHWs would destroy the HWs. Both these statements are exaggerated though because of a fact that I don't understand why people ignore - LHWs are just small HWs who cut weight!

Before some smartass makes a sarcastic remark like "hurr durr, LWs are just small WWs who cut weight", the difference is that traditionally small HWs have usually been the most successful HWs, so being a small HW would not be a disadvantage in the same way being a small WW for example would. There is no significant size gap between say Cain who is 6'1 240 and guys like Rumble and Glover who are not shorter and walk around in the 235 range while carrying less fat, similarly guys like Werdum and JDS are taller but weigh around 235 for HW fights, so why would one believe there is a massive physical difference between the two groups of guys?

I'm not arguing either that the LHWs would usually beat the HWs or vice versa, but that the only real difference between a "HW" and a typical modern "LHW" is whether or not they choose to cut weight, so whether a LHW would do well at HW should be judged based on the specific fighter and not because there is some magical difference between "LHWs" and "HWs" simply because the former cut weight. Many modern LHWs are actually bigger than some historical HWs such as prime Fedor and Crocop, and striking sport HWs like Spong.

If anyone disagrees, what am I missing that physically separates big LHWs like Rumble, Glover and OSP from HWs like Cain, Fedor and CC?

 

Errr.... having big cojones to fight in HW is what physically separates them.

 

Lol try to imagine JDS vs Bader

 

TLDR

60 lbs is nothing.

 

LHWs just enjoy dehydrating the piss out of themselves. Its fun.

 

Then why don't the lightheavies stop cutting weight and just go get the heavyweight strap? There is a difference. Especially for guys that impose their size on other light heavies.

 

Size.

 

Not disagreeing with you but Stipe vs Maldonado proved to be a huge mismatch. Fabio, known for his granite chin, couldn't take an elite hws power.

 

The LHW and HW divisions should both be eliminated and combined at 225. Two shallow divisions becomes one stacked division.

History has shown, as TS points outs, that the best HWs are in the 235-240 range. They could easily cut to 225. Many LHWs walk around 225+.

Many of the bigger HWs carry a lot of fat and can cut to 225 as well (Big Country, Black Beast, Shawn Jordan, etc.). If they don't or will not, what kind of serious athletes can they be? I really dislike seeing fattie HWs with guts hanging over the belt lines.

Of course, there will be a few non-fat HWs who will not be able to make 225. That's a shame but how is that different from really big SHWs who cannot make 265?

 

Most HW's cut from above 265 lbs, while most LHW's walk around at the lower limit of HW.

 

I thought about adding something like this, a guy like Rampage who was successful due largely to being big, strong and durable for LHW would probably have more trouble compared to say Cormier who relies on godly wrestling skill.

 

I thought the same, until I saw Stípe fight Maldonádo. Rumble has fought at HW but Caín, Fédor, and Mîrko are not the same size as Overeem, Werdum, and Black Beast.

 

So anyone who's ever gotten knocked out is in the wrong weight division?

 

Actually only a few cut from above 265 and most of the best guys are around 240 or less.

 

because the LHW belt is more prestigious than the HW belt in mma

 

Nah, everyone gets finished eventually in this sport. Maldonado is known To take a lot of punishment but he couldn't take it in that fight. I attribute that to him facing a larger stronger man.

 

fedor, the best HW ever, is smaller than some LHW's

 

What about Glover? Is he a welterweight because he got knocked out in 13 seconds, despite usually being able to take a lot of punishment?

Basing your assumptions about the difference between HWs and LHWs on one fight, or even a few fights, is silly.

 

What really got me thinking is to think about how many successful striking sport HWs such as Spong, Saki, prime Hari, Wilder, Haye, Holyfield, etc (and that cute Blackzillians girl XD) are in the 220 range and are accepted as being perfectly fine HWs.

MMA is different because of grappling but even so you have guys like Fedor, CC, JDS, Werdum who are 235 and under. It makes the perceived great difference from the 235 lb guys at LHW seem like an illusion.

 

Either way, the size different is rather considerable with a few exceptions