UFC, WEC Merge… Needed?

Why would it be 220, 15 pounds more than LHW? That doesn't make sense considering the gap between MW and LHW is 20 pounds. The gap should be 25 pounds. 230 CW.

chorky777 wrote:

freakzilla316ftw wrote:

chorky777 wrote:

We'd be looking at Cain as the Cruiserweight champ as well as the Heavyweight champ.

Cain weighs 244. The Cruiserweight limit would be 220. He won't make it.

That's not even ten percent of his body weight. He'd absolutely make it. Remember, the bigger you get, the easier it is to cut more weight.

This is very true. If Forrest can make the cut from 240lbs to 205, You would think Cain could make the cut to 220lbs.

Of course he could make it but he's not going to keep cutting and going back up the whole time just to fight in both divisions. He wouldn't be allowed to anyway. The HW title is the most prestigious and Dana would make sure he stayed at heavy.

Dana will also make sure no cruiserweight division ever exists so its irrelevant

bobbitt15 wrote:

Dana will also make sure no cruiserweight division ever exists so its irrelevant

true that

freakzilla316ftw wrote:

Of course he could make it but he's not going to keep cutting and going back up the whole time just to fight in both divisions. He wouldn't be allowed to anyway. The HW title is the most prestigious and Dana would make sure he stayed at heavy.

It's not cutting and going back up. It's not like putting on bulk and then losing it. You just lose your water weight. Day of the fight he would weigh almost exactly the same no matter if the fight was at CW or HW.

So you're saying he would hold 2 titles and just defend each once a year? Also he's so good now because he doesn't have to worry about cutting weight and just trains to improve his skills. If he started cutting weight he would be drained and that would cut into his training.

He wouldn't have to cut very much weight at all though.

freakzilla316ftw wrote:

So you're saying he would hold 2 titles and just defend each once a year? Also he's so good now because he doesn't have to worry about cutting weight and just trains to improve his skills. If he started cutting weight he would be drained and that would cut into his training.

No I wasn't saying that. I just skipped that part. But Dana never objected to others who said they wanted to go after 2 belts.
What I'm saying is it wouldn't be that hard of a cut. He would still weigh in the 240lb rang come fight night anyways. In all likelyhood it would be easy for him to make.

MMA CW would be at the very least 225. 230 would make more sense given the weight progression in MMA among the divisions. That is close to where Cain fought his first UFC fights at. The politics in creating such a division though and amount of fighters to fill it is another question all together.

Why would Cain want to fight in 2 divisions even if he could? The heavyweight division is harder and he would need to focus on that or he would lose his title.

GDPofDRC wrote:

MMA CW would be at the very least 225. 230 would make more sense given the weight progression in MMA among the divisions. That is close to where Cain fought his first UFC fights at. The politics in creating such a division though and amount of fighters to fill it is another question all together.

Side question. What would you prefer out of these 2 divisions. CW or Super HW?

freakzilla316ftw wrote:

Why would Cain want to fight in 2 divisions even if he could? The heavyweight division is harder and he would need to focus on that or he would lose his title.

A CW division would be his more natural weight to compete at. If there was a CW division when he started training MMA that is where he would have fought at. Why not fight at your optimum weight if possible?

freakzilla316ftw wrote:

Why would Cain want to fight in 2 divisions even if he could? The heavyweight division is harder and he would need to focus on that or he would lose his title.

You don't think he'd want to be the first fighter to hold two belts at the same time?

OU wrote:

GDPofDRC wrote:

MMA CW would be at the very least 225. 230 would make more sense given the weight progression in MMA among the divisions. That is close to where Cain fought his first UFC fights at. The politics in creating such a division though and amount of fighters to fill it is another question all together.

Side question. What would you prefer out of these 2 divisions. CW or Super HW?

I would look at the pattern of the existing structure and go from there:

BW 135
+10
FW 145
+10
LW 155
+15
WW 170
+20
LHW
+25
CW 230
+35
HW 265

End it at that. I don't think there are enough skilled MMA fighters above that line who could fill a respectable division.

Adding cruiser would leave the talent pools at HW, cruiser and LHW pretty thin. Dana would be forced to go out and swallow his pride dragging in a bunch of fighters he never thought he'd have to chase. Won't happen for some time, IMO.

125 has a ton of talented exciting fighters out there in KOTC, Pancrase, Shooto, etc. Sure it's Japanese heavy, but there's a fair mix and the fighters are as exciting as it gets. And, I think the addition of that class to the UFC would entice some bantams to make the drop.

LTFG wrote:

Adding cruiser would leave the talent pools at HW, cruiser and LHW pretty thin. Dana would be forced to go out and swallow his pride dragging in a bunch of fighters he never thought he'd have to chase. Won't happen for some time, IMO.

125 has a ton of talented exciting fighters out there in KOTC, Pancrase, Shooto, etc. Sure it's Japanese heavy, but there's a fair mix and the fighters are as exciting as it gets. And, I think the addition of that class to the UFC would entice some bantams to make the drop.

All correct.

The whole notion of people saying "i dont want to watch those tiny guys" blah blah blah is hilarious to me. Its based on some subconscious or conscious belief that they could beat those guys lol. Regardless, it also shows a lack of understanding of weight cutting and an obvious turn to mma from either pro wrestling or some other non combat sport fandom. Most mma fans who came to the sport from being boxing fans know and respect the lighter fighters for what they can do. If people dont want to watch those guys, thats them. But some of the greatest boxing matches in recent time were contested at those light weights (ie. Morales vs. Barrera at 122lbs, Pacqiuao vs. Morales at 126 lbs, Pacquiao vs. Marquez I and II at 126 lbs, Corrales vs. Castillo at 135 lbs, etc.) Who wants to watch that midget Pacquiao right lol? He is too tiny!!! lol riiiiighttt..... Once fans like that get more exposure to the sport, they will start liking the smaller fighters.

without reading the posts.

I'd say it was not "needed" by the UFC, but "needed" by the WEC. they were just not growing, were comprised of a relatively few divisions, and had a division that was looked at as a little sister division

I think it's a boon for the fans, and something that should have been done long ago.

captain organic wrote:

without reading the posts.

I'd say it was not "needed" by the UFC, but "needed" by the WEC. they were just not growing, were comprised of a relatively few divisions, and had a division that was looked at as a little sister division

I think it's a boon for the fans, and something that should have been done long ago.

haha never heard the phrase "boon" used before. Just saw you use it 3 times today. I get what it means though obviously in context.

wrote:

http://www.mmareligion.com/site2/?p=1065

By Jason Kelly

Did the UFC need to merge with WEC?

I think one thing it is gonna do is change the landscape of the lighter divisions. This was needed to bring the talent and entertaining fights that sub 155 divisions have been displaying for a while to a larger public eye. People are going to see what they have been missing. There are gonna be new worthy and recognizable names in the sport that the previous exclusion had been preventing. this is one of the most positive moves fo MMA Zuffa has been involved with.

Ya I agree it's a complete myth people wouldn't want to watch smaller guys compete. Boxing has disproved that entirely.