Why do UFC and MMA fighters not fight against larger opponents anymore?

[Robbocop]

Royce Gracie, the original UFC champion (Champion of UFC 1, 2, 4), fought and defeated much larger opponents than himself. Similarly, Fedor, Igor Vovchanchyn, Melvin Manhoef, Sakuraba, Minowaman, fought opponents much larger than themselves. It is quite interesting to see if skill can beat size, or to see 'David vs Goliath" type match-ups.

However, in the modern MMA era, everybody is cutting weight so that they can fight smaller opponents.

Why don't we get to see fighters challenging themselves against larger opponents anymore in the UFC or modern MMA?

 

[Jasper_RB81]

Why don't they fight Lions and Dinosaurs... I think it's because of those damn weight class requirements.

 

[tomjones]

Cause size matters.

 

[5crew]

The last time in modern MMA era that a fighter fought someone three time his size, he gained a
wrestling pedigree. It's not easy unlocking new skills.

 

[Kryptt]

 

[UWPguy]

Is this a legitimate question?

In earlier days of MMA there were not many well rounded guys and those that were, or had top level skills in one of the disciplines, could defeat larger and less skilled opponents.

Within the last 15 years, almost everyone in the UFC is at least semi-competent in all aspects of MMA so smaller, well-rounded guys no longer have a major advantage over bigger less skilled guys.

Also, the Japanese liked their freak show fights since Pride was at least partially pro wrestling.

And before anyone calls me out on it, yes I realize that James Toney and CM Punk fought in the UFC in the last 15 years but those were both gimmicks.

 

[EndlessCritic]

 

[Robbocop]

Is this a legitimate question?

In earlier days of MMA there were not many well rounded guys and those that were, or had top level skills in one of the disciplines, could defeat larger and less skilled opponents.

Within the last 15 years, almost everyone in the UFC is at least semi-competent in all aspects of MMA so smaller, well-rounded guys no longer have a major advantage over bigger less skilled guys.

Also, the Japanese liked their freak show fights since Pride was at least partially pro wrestling.

And before anyone calls me out on it, yes I realize that James Toney and CM Punk fought in the UFC in the last 15 years but those were both gimmicks.

You don't think in the modern era there are guys who could beat much larger opponents? I reckon they are still out there, you just gotta conceive, believe, achieve...

 

[Gamer2k4]

Because the skill level is a whole lot higher now, so you can't get away with it anymore. You might as well ask, "Why don't some receivers also play defensive line to challenge themselves?" Which of course would be a ridiculous question.

 

[haj02]

Strange idea that people don't fight larger opponents when every champ wants to go up a weight class and fight for the title there as soon as they win a belt these days. Yes the days of freak show weight differences are gone as this is no longer a freak show and a semi legitimate sport.

 

[Gamer2k4]

You don't think in the modern era there are guys who could beat much larger opponents? I reckon they are still out there, you just gotta conceive, believe, achieve...

Much larger? No. The sort of fighters who see success fighting at heavier weights, like Pereira or Grasso, do so because they've made a conscious decision to reduce their weight cuts and focus on the heavier division completely. The sort of fighters who go up in weight "just to challenge themselves," like Volkanovski, Holloway, or Adesanya, only prove why weight classes exist in the first place.

 

[Lawrence]

Royce Gracie, the original UFC champion (Champion of UFC 1, 2, 4), fought and defeated much larger opponents than himself. Similarly, Fedor, Igor Vovchanchyn, Melvin Manhoef, Sakuraba, Minowaman, fought opponents much larger than themselves. It is quite interesting to see if skill can beat size, or to see 'David vs Goliath" type match-ups.

However, in the modern MMA era, everybody is cutting weight so that they can fight smaller opponents.

Why don't we get to see fighters challenging themselves against larger opponents anymore in the UFC or modern MMA?

Cejudo challenged himself and moved up to get a belt

Cormier challenged himself and moved up to get a belt

Jones challenged himself and moved up to get a belt.

Cerrone and RDA moved up and challenged themselves and made good runs.

Max moved up and challenged himself against Dustin and gave us a good scrap.

Israel move up and challenged himself and risked his first professional loss.

Wiedman and Rockhold challenged themselves and move up only to get smashed.

Hendo Finished Fedor

These are just a few examples

 

[UWPguy]

You don't think in the modern era there are guys who could beat much larger opponents? I reckon they are still out there, you just gotta conceive, believe, achieve...

Sure, DJ would beat essentially any NFL player in a fight but he probably can't beat any middleweight on the UFC roster since those guys are bigger and train to fight.

 

[orca]

because fighters today are more skilled than fighters before

 

[witt1021]

open weight classes are for organizations that do not have to adhere to an athelitic commissions guidelines. weight classes are defined in all atheltic commissions guidelines. if you want your sport to be legit you have to adhere to the rules. catch weight exist as well. they are put in place due to weight cutting concerns and issues of fighters not making weight and events being canceled last minute. you can only be so much weight apart for the catchweight to happen. if you cant make that weight then no athletic commission will sanction your fights. if its not sanctioned you cant legally gamble on it. there are many rules that all states atheletic commissions all follow and weight classes is one of them

 

[Robbocop]

The reality is that little guys would still have a chance to beat bigger opponents, like how Minowaman won the Superhulk tournament. Surely there is more glory in beating a significantly larger fighter than yourself, than beating a fighter who is equal or smaller to yourself in size.

 

[KOPPE]

 

[Mohawk Banditó]

This makes so little sense. In order for a smaller guy to fight a larger opponent, you realize the flip side of that is: Larger guys were fighting smaller opponents.

So when you THEN say that people are cutting weight to fight smaller opponents, that would imply that the small opponent IS fighting larger guys, like you apparently want.

The truth is, fighters around the same weight both cut to fight each other at a lower weight. What you're trying to complain about are weight classes in general and made such a nonsense way to word that, which was immediately defeated by people pointing out the fighters who DO challenge upwards

 

[BJJ4Tone]

Royce Gracie, the original UFC champion (Champion of UFC 1, 2, 4), fought and defeated much larger opponents than himself. Similarly, Fedor, Igor Vovchanchyn, Melvin Manhoef, Sakuraba, Minowaman, fought opponents much larger than themselves. It is quite interesting to see if skill can beat size, or to see 'David vs Goliath" type match-ups.

However, in the modern MMA era, everybody is cutting weight so that they can fight smaller opponents.

Why don't we get to see fighters challenging themselves against larger opponents anymore in the UFC or modern MMA?

Frankie Edgar and Gunnar Nelson keep it pretty real.

 

[j18lee]

As many people have mentioned, a good number of fighters move up to challenge guys in the higher weight class. But additionally, some fighters have larger frames at a weight class AND cut an insane amount of weight, compared to someone who is average or smallish frame and don't cut as much weight.

While you don't get the 60 pound weight differences, we still occasionally get 20 pound differences and maybe 4 inches in height difference. So yeah, fighters still fight larger opponents sometimes. Also, last min replacement fights tend to have a larger size differences too.