[Nos5]

Found this on MMAFightLine.com:

Check out the following post made by UFC Commentator Joe Rogan at the underground forum:

I think there’s a lot of guys that have to suck too much weight to make one class, but they’re not quite large enough for the next class up. As this sport continues it’s crazy rise in popularity, I keep thinking that there’s going to come a time where we’re going to have to add some weight classes. Maybe go once ever 10 pounds, change 70 to 75, add a 65 and a 95. I think if something like that would be implemented we would get even more exciting championship bouts because we can have guys going up or down to challenge the the dominant guy in the next class.

I think there’s a lot of guys that would prefer to fight closer to their natural weight, and there are some weight class gaps that are just too big in my opinion, especially the gap between 155 to 170 and 170 and 185. That just seems to be a really huge difference to me. A perfect example of the gigantic size difference would be Diego Sanchez and Trevor Prangley. Trevor is ing HUGE. That guy is a monster, the top end of what a 185 can be, where as Diego is one of the physically smaller guys competing at 170. If you looked at those two next to each other, it seems to me that there’s room for more categories. They seem more than one weight class apart.

Now, there’s the other argument; that adding more weight classes would weaken the championship’s significance because there would be more of them, and I can see that argument too. I think boxing might have a few too many classes, but they’ve got them every few pounds. I don’t think adding 2 or 3 more weight classes would hurt.

Interesting stuff...I agree with Rogan on this one.

[bitboy]

Originally Posted by Nos5

Now, there’s the other argument; that adding more weight classes would weaken the championship’s significance because there would be more of them, and I can see that argument too.

That was my first thought. Excuse my ignorance, but isn't the majority of these "big v small" scenarios caused by monster weight cutters rather than the lack of additional weight classes? I'm sure there are cases where an extra weight class would be good, and perhaps as divisions continue to get deeper it's something to think about, but meh, that's my thoughts and I don't like change

[SuperNerd]

More weight classes could also mean, less possible fights.

Meaning something like;
Franklin fights at 190
Anderson Silva fights at 180

Now they just avoid eachother.

[Ninja-Note]

You can't just change the whole system just because some people are between weight classes, they just have to suck it up and try to become better so that they can beat the fighters at the weight class they might be to big/small for (KID Yamamoto).

[spirez]

Look at couture, always seems to be outweighed in the HW division but fairs quite well!

And fighters like florian/Pulver who pretty much walk around at 155 compared to guys who may cut 10-15lbs before the weigh-in.

[Mr Cruz]

way to make the middleweight division more shallow. rogan is on crack as usual

[Darcman]

Originally Posted by spirez

Look at couture, always seems to be outweighed in the HW division but fairs quite well!

And fighters like florian/Pulver who pretty much walk around at 155 compared to guys who may cut 10-15lbs before the weigh-in.

theres a big difference when it comes to hw pounds and lw pounds. the further down you go, where fighters are lighter, the more pounds make a difference. it doesn't effect couture as much as it would effect a pulver

[negative_creep]

I would just like to see a weigh in the day before and the day of the fight. If the fighter is over 10-12 pounds over the wieght the previos day, the fight should be off. This would keep guys closer to their natural weights.

[Joe_Armstrong]

A low number of weightclasses leads to freakshows like in Pride MW (Sakuraba)
Sherk vs GSP is a good example of the subject
Super HW is not a dynamic division and also stimulates LQ matches of Big mofo vs Big can as there are few alround MMA giants.
It does allow more guys to get experience and just take in the MMA world.
Prevent overkill & overexposure which makes less money and less exciting matches

[Gutz.]

Originally Posted by bitboy

That was my first thought. Excuse my ignorance, but isn't the majority of these "big v small" scenarios caused by monster weight cutters rather than the lack of additional weight classes? I'm sure there are cases where an extra weight class would be good, and perhaps as divisions continue to get deeper it's something to think about, but meh, that's my thoughts and I don't like change

The lower in weight a particular weightclass gets, the bigger impact difference in weight can amount. Naturally 167-170lb fighters are at a huge disadvantage at WW, becuase they are forced to fight fighters like GSP, Hughes, and Fitch that choose to cut weight, and are naturally almost 2-class sizes bigger then they are. And their only other option is to drop to well below their natural weight forcing them to become weight cutters themselves, having no other choice.

In the UFC size disparety allowed by massive weight cutting has made the ability to cut, just as important a weapon as that fighter's standup. Especially in the cage where you can throw around your weight around, along with your opponent, where size and leverage up against the cage trumps any BJJ or Muay Thai.