The UFC is currently going through a ‘unique’ period. New owners WME-IMG are now well into their first year of business after purchasing the UFC for a record setting $4.2 billion last year and the world’s largest mixed martial arts promotion has experienced a somewhat slow and lackluster start to 2017. Not only have there
The UFC is currently going through a ‘unique’ period.
New owners WME-IMG are now well into their first year of business after purchasing the UFC for a record setting $4.2 billion last year and the world’s largest mixed martial arts promotion has experienced a somewhat slow and lackluster start to 2017.
Not only have there been a lack of big fights, but some weight classes have also been going through a period of turmoil whether that be due to a lack of contenders or deserving contenders being passed up to book ‘money fights’. Some divisions, on the other hand, are alive and well and experiencing a period of excitement.
With that being said, let’s break down the state of each UFC division:
Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports
Women’s Strawweight
Joanna Jedrzejczyk has established herself as a legitimate champion at 115-pounds, defending her title four consecutive times. She will look to make the fifth defense of her title in the co-main event of UFC 211 on May 13, 2017 when she takes on Jessica Andrade.
“Joanna Champion” has indeed brought excitement to the division, but a 115-pound title fight likely won’t headline a pay-per-view event anytime soon and that is also due in part to the lack of depth in the fledgling division. Jedrzejczyk has already beaten No. 1-ranked Claudia Gadelha twice as well as No. 2-ranked Karolina Kowalkiewicz.
If she gets by the No. 3-ranked Andrade next month, No. 4-ranked Rose Namajunas will likely serve as the next title challenge, but outside of “Thug” Rose, the division is lacking legitimate contenders.
(Referee Yves Lavigne scrambles to clean up the pool of Vaseline he dumped on the canvas to turn Sonnen’s perfectly-timed spinning backfist into a subject of parody at UFC 148. Photo via Getty.)
We are shocked, Potato Nation. SHOCKED WE TELLS YOU.
For reasons that are not yet understandable despite being clearly explained to us, P4P G.O.A.T., multi-division UFC champion, possessor of the arms and the charms, the hefty lefty, the flyin hawaiian, the Juggernaut, bitch, Chael Phinneus Sonnen Esq., recently announced that he will be returning to the middleweight division after he defeats Mauricio “Shogun” Rua at Fight Night: Sonnen vs. Shogun on August 17th.
It’s a goddamn travesty is what it is. As we all know, Sonnen was last “defeated” by light heavyweight “champion” Jon Jones via technical knock out (emphasis on “technical”) at UFC 159 in a fight that he would have undoubtedly won had referee Keith Peterson not been in Jones’ pocket and prematurely stopped the fight. So discouraged by the evident corruption at 205, Sonnen broke the news of his middleweight return on UFC Tonight yesterday:
I’ve moved to Southern California and am training at Reign with Mark Munoz. My new contract, which is a five-fight deal, was finalized today.
I’ll return to middleweight after beating Shogun. There are two guys I want to get matched up with: Vitor Belfort, because he’s awesome and he’s on an incredible roll. And Wanderlei Silva, who I’ve heard is going back to middleweight. The landscape has completely changed. I’ve got a new contract and I’m returning to the weight class.
(Referee Yves Lavigne scrambles to clean up the pool of Vaseline he dumped on the canvas to turn Sonnen’s perfectly-timed spinning backfist into a subject of parody at UFC 148. Photo via Getty.)
We are shocked, Potato Nation. SHOCKED WE TELLS YOU.
For reasons that are not yet understandable despite being clearly explained to us, P4P G.O.A.T., multi-division UFC champion, possessor of the arms and the charms, the hefty lefty, the flyin hawaiian, the Juggernaut, bitch, Chael Phinneus Sonnen Esq., recently announced that he will be returning to the middleweight division after he defeats Mauricio “Shogun” Rua at Fight Night: Sonnen vs. Shogun on August 17th.
It’s a goddamn travesty is what it is. As we all know, Sonnen was last “defeated” by light heavyweight “champion” Jon Jones via technical knock out (emphasis on “technical”) at UFC 159 in a fight that he would have undoubtedly won had referee Keith Peterson not been in Jones’ pocket and prematurely stopped the fight. So discouraged by the evident corruption at 205, Sonnen broke the news of his middleweight return on UFC Tonight yesterday:
I’ve moved to Southern California and am training at Reign with Mark Munoz. My new contract, which is a five-fight deal, was finalized today.
I’ll return to middleweight after beating Shogun. There are two guys I want to get matched up with: Vitor Belfort, because he’s awesome and he’s on an incredible roll. And Wanderlei Silva, who I’ve heard is going back to middleweight. The landscape has completely changed. I’ve got a new contract and I’m returning to the weight class.
“To those of you who think I am only doing this because Anderson Silva has finally been dethroned,” Sonnen continued whilst one-arming a 90 pound dumbbell and smoking a corncob pipe, “I will remind you that I am still up 5 rounds to 2 on that chickenshit.”
In even more shocking news, Chael Sonnen apparently respects (most) Brazilians now *vomits*. First he declared that “Rua seems like a really great guy” and now he’s calling Vitor Belfort “awesome.” Marriage has truly revealed some cracks in his grizzly exterior, but REGARDLESS, who would you prefer to see “The American Gangster” take on after he finishes putting a spanking on Rua?
(“That guy on the right? Yeah, let’s go with him.” Photo via Getty Images.)
Although Hector Lombard‘s UFC career hasn’t exactly gotten off to the start he probably hoped it would, it appears that the former Bellator middleweight kingpin will join the likes of Brian Stann and Tim Boetsch (to name a couple) when he attempts to drop a weight class to save his career. Lombard informed Ariel Helwani on yesterday’s edition of UFC Tonight that, after enlisting the help of Mike Dolce to make a test cut to 170 lbs, he is now ready to make a full commitment to welterweight and already has an opponent in mind: former Strikeforce one-time welterweight champion Nate Marquardt.
Although Lombard was being rumored to coach opposite Patrick Cote on the next international season of The Ultimate Fighter, it appears that he will need a little more time to make a safe cut. As much as we’d like take a shot at Lombard for calling out a guy on the heels of a first round KO loss, this fight honestly makes a good deal of sense considering where both men currently stand. Marquardt has dropped his past two contests to Jake Ellenberger and Tarec Saffiedine, while Lombard has dropped two of his past three as well (to Boetsch and Yushin Okami). It’s crazy to think that a little over a year ago, we would have assumed this fight was for some kind of title or #1 contender bout at the minimum, not the right to stay employed. Yet here we are.
Speaking of two fighters in need of a win…
(“That guy on the right? Yeah, let’s go with him.” Photo via Getty Images.)
Although Hector Lombard‘s UFC career hasn’t exactly gotten off to the start he probably hoped it would, it appears that the former Bellator middleweight kingpin will join the likes of Brian Stann and Tim Boetsch (to name a couple) when he attempts to drop a weight class to save his career. Lombard informed Ariel Helwani on yesterday’s edition of UFC Tonight that, after enlisting the help of Mike Dolce to make a test cut to 170 lbs, he is now ready to make a full commitment to welterweight and already has an opponent in mind: former Strikeforce one-time welterweight champion Nate Marquardt.
Although Lombard was being rumored to coach opposite Patrick Cote on the next international season of The Ultimate Fighter, it appears that he will need a little more time to make a safe cut. As much as we’d like take a shot at Lombard for calling out a guy on the heels of a first round KO loss, this fight honestly makes a good deal of sense considering where both men currently stand in their respective weight classes. Marquardt has dropped his past two contests to Jake Ellenberger and Tarec Saffiedine, while Lombard has dropped two of his past three as well (to Boetsch and Yushin Okami). It’s crazy to think that a little over a year ago, we would have assumed this fight was for some kind of title or #1 contender bout at the minimum, not the right to stay employed. Yet here we are.
Speaking of two fighters in need of a win…
Stefan Struve, who never met a TKO he couldn’t appreciate, was recently called out by none other than Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, also during yesterday’s UFC Tonight. Following a second round submission via armbar loss (my reaction to this news can be seen here) to fellow TUF Brazil 2 coach Fabricio Werdum at UFC on FUEL 10 earlier in the month, Big Nog was forced to once again go under the knife to repair his damaged arm. According to the longtime legend, the surgery was a big success and he expects to be back in action in December, preferably against the lanky Dutchman. Struve, who also required corrective surgery following his third round jaw-shattering KO loss to Mark Hunt at UFC on FUEL 8, has been requesting a fight with Nog for some time now, so we should assume that this one’s all but a done deal.
At this point, there’s simply no convincing “Minotauro” that he needs to even consider the big “R” word, so instead, let’s just fantasize about what weapon or power up bonus we’d prefer to see Nogueira enter the octagon with in his next fight to even the odds. An evil chainsaw hand? Turbo boosters? A rocket launcher? The freakin’ BLUE SHELL?
Wondering if you’re “big” or just “average?” Just how big is average for a UFC fighter? Well that depends on the weight class obviously. Here’s the current UFC roster of fighters put into divisions with average (mean) height and reach (mean averages based on UFC Roster as of June, 2013). Next time someone says a fighter is “big for their weight class,” check the facts first.
The range of UFC divisions spans 140 pounds, which on average translates into about one foot of additional height and reach from the Flyweights to the Heavyweights. It’s important to note there is plenty of variability that occurs with in each weight class. Bodies are tall and lean or sometimes short and stocky. And the larger the division is, the wider the range of maximums and minimums. Just think of heavyweights Stefan Struve and Pat Barry facing off with over a one foot height differential in the same weight class.
(Click on the chart for the full size version. For previous Databombs, click here.)
Wondering if you’re “big” or just “average?” Just how big is average for a UFC fighter? Well that depends on the weight class obviously. Here’s the current UFC roster of fighters put into divisions with average (mean) height and reach (mean averages based on UFC Roster as of June, 2013). Next time someone says a fighter is “big for their weight class,” check the facts first.
The range of UFC divisions spans 140 pounds, which on average translates into about one foot of additional height and reach from the Flyweights to the Heavyweights. It’s important to note there is plenty of variability that occurs with in each weight class. Bodies are tall and lean or sometimes short and stocky. And the larger the division is, the wider the range of maximums and minimums. Just think of heavyweights Stefan Struve and Pat Barry facing off with over a one foot height differential in the same weight class.
It’s also interesting that the average size of each weight class has been increasing in recent years. If we were to go back to 2005 or so, what we would see is the average height and reach being lower in all divisions. This is due to the highly competitive evolution of modern MMA which has driven fighters to pack more athleticism into a leaner body. The result is numerous fighters dropping weight classes to remain optimally competitive, and finding ways to optimize their bodies for fighting.
And look at the new women’s division. At Bantamweight there’s a discernible difference in size between male and female fighters weighing in at the same weight limit. The men’s division has been around a lot longer and has greater competition from a large pool of contenders, who are experienced pros at cutting weight. And despite their larger frames, they manage to pack more muscle and size onto the scale on weigh-in day. Competition always pushes the limits of human anthropometrics.
So how do you measure up? Are you a lightweight that eats like a middleweight? Or are you a welterweight in the frame of a bantamweight?
(“…and I’m just saying, in this new 163-pound division, maybe motherf*ckers shouldn’t be allowed to kick you in your damn neck so much.” / Photo via Esther Lin @ MMAFighting)
Even before he lost his second consecutive lightweight fight to Josh Thomson at UFC on FOX 7, Nate Diaz was eyeing a return to welterweight — a division he’d already bounced out of in 2011, following back-to-back losses to Dong Hyun Kim and Rory MacDonald. So what’s a guy supposed to do if he’s not powerful enough to deal with the beasts at 170, and cutting to 155 is no longer worth the misery? Call it sour grapes if you will, but Nate floated the following suggestion on twitter yesterday:
@ufc more weight classes ASAP?? 163,178,193 More super fights more champion vs champion, closer to weight better fights more potential …
Obviously, that 163-pound division would be tailor-made for the younger Diaz brother, so it makes sense that he’d support it. But self-interest aside, there’s some logic to the idea. While UFC president Dana White has been looking to smaller and smaller fighters as the future of the promotion — 115-pound dudes? seriously? — the UFC already has a deep roster of talented, popular contenders who have suffered from being “in between” weight classes, either ruining their bodies through massive weight cuts to stay competitive, or giving up tremendous size disadvantages to compete at a more “natural” division.
(“…and I’m just saying, in this new 163-pound division, maybe motherf*ckers shouldn’t be allowed to kick you in your damn neck so much.” / Photo via Esther Lin @ MMAFighting)
Even before he lost his second consecutive lightweight fight to Josh Thomson at UFC on FOX 7, Nate Diaz was eyeing a return to welterweight — a division he’d already bounced out of in 2011, following back-to-back losses to Dong Hyun Kim and Rory MacDonald. So what’s a guy supposed to do if he’s not powerful enough to deal with the beasts at 170, and cutting to 155 is no longer worth the misery? Call it sour grapes if you will, but Nate floated the following suggestion on twitter yesterday:
@ufc more weight classes ASAP?? 163,178,193 More super fights more champion vs champion, closer to weight better fights more potential …
Obviously, that 163-pound division would be tailor-made for the younger Diaz brother, so it makes sense that he’d support it. But self-interest aside, there’s some logic to the idea. While UFC president Dana White has been looking to smaller and smaller fighters as the future of the promotion — 115-pound dudes? seriously? — the UFC already has a deep roster of talented, popular contenders who have suffered from being “in between” weight classes, either ruining their bodies through massive weight cuts to stay competitive, or giving up tremendous size disadvantages to compete at a more “natural” division.
The UFC turns 20 years old this year, and despite all the evolution that the sport has seen along the way, we’re still at the point where there are 15- and 20-pound gaps between the lightweight and light-heavyweight classes. There’s something primitive about that, and Diaz’s tweet highlights it. Instead of creating more divisions that are ten pounds lower than the last one, intermediate weight-classes might be the best next step as the sport progresses. It would create more champions — always a good thing in terms of promotional value — and many of those champions would already be established stars with some name recognition.
Maybe Lyoto Machida is a future champ at 193? Maybe Hector Lombard could make something of himself at 178? And maybe Nate Diaz could make a run at the 163-pound title? Isn’t that a better idea than letting good fighters fade into irrelevance, and trying to sell your audience on brand-new strawweight talent that they never asked for?
