Weight classes of the ufc

Mixed martial arts weight classes are weight classes that pertain to the sport of mixed martial arts. Prior to state sanctioning, weight classes were not mandatory since the competitions were held without the approval of the athletic commissions.

Since then, the promotion has made waves and effectively taken over MMA , breeding some of the UFC's biggest stars with the weight system combined with rankings allowing for the best fights to be made. There are strict regulations in place to ensure that fighters are able to get to their optimum weight safely, and the implementation of weight classes in the UFC attempts to ensure that everyone competes on an even playing field. And here is everything you need to know about the weight classes and what their limits are in both pounds and kilograms. The category was introduced by the UFC and has been a thriving category with fighters able to compete between lb and the upper limit of lb. It is a division which has seen brilliant fights since it's inaugural title bout in , with Carla Esparza becoming the first champion of the division by beating Rose Namajaunas that year. It is a title that has changed hands with regularity but is now currently held by Chinese champion Zhang Weili who defeated Esparza before making a successful first defence of her title against Amanda Lemos in The newest weight division in the UFC was announced in , with the women's flyweight class ranked with an upper limit of lb in parallel with the existing flyweights.

Weight classes of the ufc

In mixed martial arts, athletes compete in weight classes where they must weigh in at or around a specific weight the day before their fight at the UFC official weigh-ins. The UFC currently has 12 weight classes, all that require fighters to weigh in under a desired limit. Generally, fighters try to weigh in at the exact limit so they can lose the least amount of weight during the weight cutting process while still meeting the required number on the scale. Failure to reach the required weight results in either the athlete forfeiting a percentage of their fight purse to their opponent, an agreement between the two athletes to compete at a non-weight class specific weight catchweight or having the fight cancelled altogether. UFC official weigh-ins are held the day before fight night and require athletes to weigh-in between 9am and 11am local time. Sound confusing? So here is everything you need to know to understand UFC weight classes:. In , former strawweight champion Carla Esparza defeated Rose Namajunas to become the inaugural champion. For non-title bouts, strawweight athletes have a one-pound leeway on the scale, meaning they can weigh up to pounds. For title bouts, athletes must weigh in at or under pounds. Pantoja successfully retained the flyweight title with a unanimous decision win over contender Brandon Royval at UFC For non-title bouts, flyweight athletes can weigh in up to pounds, while title fights require athletes to weigh in at or under pounds. In , former division champion Deiveson Figueiredo was scheduled to fight in a flyweight championship bout against Joseph Benavidez. However, Figueiredo weighed in at

Download as PDF Printable version. Order UFC O'Malley vs Vera 2 Despite a larger jump in weight between divisions, for non-title bouts, welterweight athletes can still only weigh in up to pounds, while title fights require athletes to weigh in at or under pounds.

When you sign-up through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Discover the best sites for betting on UFC matches:. Just like boxing , UFC is divided into different weight classes. Understanding these weight classes and which fighters compete in them is essential before you begin to bet on UFC. Fighting within a weight class means that a fair fight in physical terms at least is guaranteed, and the winner will be determined by the skill of the fighter as opposed any significant physical size advantage.

Like all martial arts and combat sports, the UFC has several weight categories called divisions. In mixed martial arts, a weight class is a competition division that matches fighters against each other at their size. As we know, the primary purpose of weight categories is to equalize the battlefield and enable relatively similar opponents to face each other without anyone having a clear-cut advantage over the other. In this article, I will present to you the UFC weight divisions, as well as all the champions for each of them. There are not many — 8 for men and 4 for women — but that does not make it less attractive.

Weight classes of the ufc

While there are potentially several more weight classes UFC could use from the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts , these are the nine only that they stick with. Weight classes are needed to ensure a fair competition between two fighters. Though there can be a secret tenth weight class, known as Catchweight — so keep reading to learn more about it. In terms of viewership, research suggests that pay-per-view buyers are most interested in watching Heavyweight fights. This most likely is a remnant from Boxing fans who are used to paying the biggest bucks to get access to the biggest fights. And sometimes that means literally! Women are physically different than men as they are smaller in size, frame, and weight. Potentially, an Atomweight or other similar weight class could be added in the future. But there needs to be enough fighters and enough demand to support it. There are a total of fourteen weight classes possible in mixed martial arts that other promotions can use.

Convert 18 cm into inches

How do UFC fighters cut weight? Since then, to create uniformity, all state commissions in the United States that regulate mixed martial arts have assimilated these rules into their existing unarmed combat competition rules and statutes. The two were set to have their trilogy bout in the main event of UFC this June but Pena was forced to pull out of the fight after suffering from broken ribs. Silva never truly recovered, and after testing positive for illegal substances he would go on to only ever officially win one more UFC fight Weidman meanwhile successfully defended his belt again, against late replacement Lyoto Machida at UFC and Vitor Belfort at UFC Couture finally lost the title for the second time in a gruelling five-round encounter against Ricco Rodriguez at UFC 39 in It has since gone on from strength to strength and produced some heritage fighters including the likes of Dominick Cruz, TJ Dillashaw, Aljamain Sterling and Henry Cejudo. Just like boxing , UFC is divided into different weight classes. Johnson is a highly technically skilled fighter, and the majority of his wins came from submission, or unanimous decision if the fight went the distance. Among other things, these seriously heavy athletes are less durable than the wiry lower-weight athletes over time, which is partly why we have seen the heavyweight title change hands so many times. Matheus Nicolau. Ricky Simon. View all our Sweepstakes in one place! McGregor's record-breaking KO of the Brazilian came in this division, which has seen some electrifying speed and agility in the cage but is currently being dominated by well-rounded New Zealander Volkanovski. Tabatha Ricci.

The Ultimate Fighting Championship UFC has established itself as the premier organization in the world of mixed martial arts, attracting top athletes from across the globe. One key aspect of the sport that ensures fair competition and levels the playing field for all fighters is the implementation of weight classes. In this comprehensive guide, we will delve into the world of UFC weight classes, exploring their significance, history, and current divisions.

The welterweight division offers a wide diversity of fighting styles so there are lots of interesting matchups to bet on. For non-title bouts, strawweight athletes have a one-pound leeway on the scale, meaning they can weigh up to pounds. A tournament aimed to crown a new lightweight champion, but the results were inconclusive. The belt is currently vacant after Nunes held it from onwards and claimed it back after briefly losing it, in a rematch with Julianna Pena. Despite a larger jump in weight between divisions, for non-title bouts, welterweight athletes can still only weigh in up to pounds, while title fights require athletes to weigh in at or under pounds. Finally, he returned again to face Cormier in a grudge match for the title in at UFC In what was an extremely impressive display, Adesanya knocked Pereira out cold in the second round - reclaiming his middleweight title in the process. If a fighter moves up to an unfamiliar class to fight his next opponent, you should be aware of it. Fighters moving up to middleweight are likely to try to win via submission or wrestling, as they may not have the power to knock out the naturally heavier man. Here are the main things to know about the heavyweight class: The minimum weight is lb The maximum weight is lb The current champion is Jon Jones History of the UFC Heavyweight Class Mark Coleman was the first holder of the UFC heavyweight title in , before it changed hands twice in the same year, first to Maurice Smith and then Randy Couture. Despite winning the fight, Figueiredo did not become champion since he missed weight, and instead was given a rematch five months later. Updated February 21, Cormier submitted Johnson in the third round to become the new light heavyweight champion — the first new champion in four years.