Why do people ignore weight advantages at HW?

[george14]

Obviously fighting at HW means you are going into the fight knowing your opponent can have a big weight advantage. However, is that the reason people don't care? It seems that every time a smaller guy loses at a lower weight class, it means something. But at HW though, this is non-existent.

Do you personally acknowledge the weight gain, or do you fall under the "just bleed" category and ignore weight difference because it's HW?

 

[HHJ]

The differences at the lower weight classes are more apparent. At hw guys who could conceivably make lhw can still have great success at hw. Power and strength carry through.

 

[YeahNo]

I think the main resaon is that big disadvantages start to show as you get further up in weight. Stamina and speed begin to suffer when you approach 265. Also the % difference in weight is somewhat less the higher you go.

 

[Megalodon]

Because most fighters who cut to 265 aren't the athletic ones, at a certain point being that size becomes a disadvantage.

Historically the best HW's have been around 230-240.

 

[TUFNewb]

Because it is not necessarily an advantage at hw.

 

[joeyjoejoe]

It takes balls to fight at HW especially if your not a hulking 265, I got nothing but respect for those crazy 230-240 pound heavies.

 

[Carvaso]

As a general rule, the lighter heavy weights tend to have a speed, movement and endurance advantage.

There are some outliers, of course, but those attributes can often over shadow a size advantage. Especially with the big boys at heavyweight.

 

[kill_bot]

weight advantage is real

 

[ThunderStruck]

A small HW can one punch KO any other HW so being bigger isn't all that much of an advantage considering the stamina and speed decreases that comes with it.

As said by previous posters the best HWs are always around 240.

 

[HHJ]

In the early days they brought it up to fedor that he is fighting bigger guys and he said "with size also comes lack of speed and conditioning" and his disciples wrote this down and nodded to each other

 

[Hagelslag2]

People do acknowledge it though. The thing people were so impressed by with Fedor and Cormier, is that they were small in comparison to their opponents. People wouldn't stop talking about how huge Brock and Carwin were either.

 

[johncola]

It's because people pay more attention to the weight classes than the fighters' dimensions themselves, and more importantly how those dimensions play into the style/skill matchups.

 

[campbecc]

there are advantages to being a really big HW but there are also disadvantages. That's why you don't see too many huge guys doing really well. I'd like to see it without a cap like in Pride, because if you are over 265 and have to cut weight while the other guy doesn't that is an extra added disadvantage.

 

[DarkneT]

Because

They are all Fedor haters

 

[LockardTheGOAT]

Because weight difference means less the higher up in weight you go... Hence why you can enter into the Heavyweight class anywhere within a sixty pound range.

 

[Mr T_712]

I acknowledge weight advantages at HW but if you think about it there have been a lot more HW champs who didn't weigh 265 than weighed 265 so some people could not rate that advantage. Guys like Couture, Fedor, Cain, Werdum, Stipe, Dos Santos, Cro Cop, Nog etc didn't weigh 265 at the HW limit. Instead they all weigh in around 240-250 and Couture was down at like 220/225.

 

[Ares Black]

weight advantage is real

That was an age advantage more than anything else.

 

[Ghostoftheville]

weight advantage is real

40lb difference, if not more by fight time

 

[Aluminati]

Because anyone can bulk up and cut down to 265 if they want to, but doing cardio at that weight is torture.
Also, one punch can pretty much KO anyone at that weight, so having the speed advantage is a huge deal.

 

[george14]

40lb difference, if not more by fight time

Not sure the point of this post. Yes a smaller, in prime, and significantly more skilled fighter will probably beat a bigger one who is much less skilled.