- Mixed martial arts weight classes
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Mixed martial arts weight classes are weight classes that pertain to the sport of mixed martial arts.
Organizations will often adopt their own rules for weight limits, causing ambiguity in the sport regarding how a weight class should be defined. For a variety of reasons (largely historical), weight classes of the same name can be of vastly different weights. For example, a boxing Middleweight weighs up to 160 pounds, a UFC Middleweight upper limit is 185 lb, and a Pride Middleweight upper limit was 93 kg (205 lb).
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United States
Prior to state sanctioning, weight classes were not mandatory since the competitions were held without the approval of the athletic commissions. For instance, the Ultimate Fighting Championship introduced two weight classes at UFC 12: heavyweight, which grouped competitors above 200 lb (91 kg), and lightweight, which grouped competitors under 200 lb.
Weight divisions underwent many changes in the ensuing years, but the ability of promotions to autonomously decide their own weight classes eventually disappeared after athletic commissions began supervising mixed martial arts.
In 2000, the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts were codified by the New Jersey State Athletic Commission – working with the California State Athletic Commission, who had worked extensively on regulation, but its sanctioning of MMA was not implemented due to state governmental issues surrounding the budgeting process.[1] California officially sanctioned MMA on December 28, 2005, using the ruleset it helped devise five years previously.[2]
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. For a promotion to hold mixed martial arts events in a state-sanctioned venue, the promotion must abide by the state athletic commission's body of rules for weight limits.
In July 2008, a change to the existing classes was proposed to the Association of Boxing Commissions to expand the weight classes to 14, with most classes 10 pounds apart and a division of the current 205–265 lb heavyweight class into two. The proposals were met with resistance from various quarters, including from the UFC and several state athletic commissions.[3] The proposed classes were later rejected by the ABC.[4]
Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts
The Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts designate limits for nine different weight classes in mixed martial arts. Fighters must be weighed in pounds (lb):[5]
Weight class name Upper limit in pounds (lb) in kilograms (kg) Flyweight 125 56.7 Bantamweight 135 61.2 Featherweight 145 65.8 Lightweight 155 70.3 Welterweight 170 77.1 Middleweight 185 83.9 Light Heavyweight 205 93.0 Heavyweight 265 120.2 Super Heavyweight No weight limit Non-codified states and exceptions
In the following states, professional MMA is legal but is not regulated by a local commission: Alaska and Wyoming.[6]
Promotions that hold events on Indian reservations are under the jurisdiction of independent athletic commissions. Many of these commissions are under the umbrella of the Native American Sports Council.
King of the Cage
Weight class name Upper limit in pounds (lb) in kilograms (kg) Junior Flyweight 125 56.7 Flyweight 135 61.2 Bantamweight 145 65.8 Lightweight 155 70.3 Junior Welterweight 160 72.5 Welterweight 170 77.1 Middleweight 185 83.9 Light Heavyweight 205 93.0 Cruiserweight 230 104.3 Heavyweight 265 120.2 Super Heavyweight No weight limit IFC
Weight class name Upper limit in pounds (lb) in kilograms (kg) Bantamweight 135 61.2 Featherweight 145 65.8 Lightweight 155 70.3 Welterweight 170 77.1 Middleweight 185 83.9 Light Heavyweight 205 93.0 Cruiserweight 230 104.3 Heavyweight 265 120.2 Super Heavyweight No weight limit Russia
M-1 Global
Weight class name Upper limit in kilograms (kg) in pounds (lb) Lightweight 70 155 Welterweight 77 170 Middleweight 84 185 Light Heavyweight 93 205 Heavyweight No weight limit Canada
MFC
Weight class name Upper limit in pounds (lb) in kilograms (kg) Lightweight 155 70 Welterweight 170 77 Middleweight 185 84 Light Heavyweight 205 93 Heavyweight 225 102 Super Heavyweight No weight limit Japan
With no state or government laws regarding weight class restrictions, Japanese organizations are free to schedule bouts with little regard for weight differential. However, due to the increasingly competitive nature of the sport, weight is often seen as an unfair advantage over a smaller competitor; therefore, weight limits have been set by the promotions themselves. These limits differ from organization to organization. Japan uses the metric system.
Dream
Dream's weight categories go by similar guidelines as the Unified Rules, differing only by a few pounds. It was announced that in 2011 Dream will create a new Bantamweight class at 61 kg, and the Featherweight class will be raised to 65 kg (instead of 63 kg).[10]
Weight class name Upper limit in kilograms (kg) in pounds (lb) Bantamweight 61 134 Featherweight 65 143 Lightweight 70 154 Welterweight 76 168 Middleweight 84 185 Light Heavyweight 93 205 Heavyweight No weight limit There is also a possibility that Dream will create Cruiserweight division with upper weight limit at 104 kg.
Shooto
Weight class name Upper limit in kilograms (kg) in pounds (lb) Flyweight 52 115 Bantamweight 56 123 Featherweight 60 132 Lightweight 65 143 Welterweight 70 154 Middleweight 76 168 Light Heavyweight 83 183 Cruiserweight 91 201 Heavyweight 100 220 Super Heavyweight No weight limit United Kingdom
With no state or government laws regarding weight class restrictions, British organizations are free to schedule bouts with little regard for weight differential. However, due to the increasingly competitive nature of the sport, weight is often seen as an unfair advantage over a smaller competitor; therefore, weight limits have been set by the promotions themselves. These limits differ from organization to organization.
BAMMA
Weight class name Upper limit in kilograms in pounds Featherweight 66 kg 145 lb Lightweight 70 kg 155 lb Welterweight 77 kg 170 lb Middleweight 84 kg 185 lb Light Heavyweight 93 kg 205 lb Heavyweight 120 kg 265 lb Germany
With no state or government laws regarding weight class restrictions, German organizations are free to schedule bouts with little regard for weight differential. However, due to the increasingly competitive nature of the sport, weight is often seen as an unfair advantage over a smaller competitor; therefore, weight limits have been set by the promotions themselves. These limits differ from organization to organization. Germany uses the metric system.
RESPECT.FC
Weight class name Upper limit in kilograms in pounds Flyweight 57 kg 125 lb Bantamweight 61 kg 135 lb Featherweight 66 kg 145 lb Lightweight 70 kg 155 lb Light Welterweight 73 kg 160 lb Welterweight 77 kg 170 lb Light Middleweight 80 kg 175 lb Middleweight 84 kg 185 lb Light Heavyweight 93 kg 205 lb Heavyweight 120 kg 265 lb Super Heavyweight No weight limit Women
The unified weight division system for women has not been designated yet, so the organizations adopts their own rules for weight limits.
Strikeforce
Weight class name Upper limit in pounds (lb) in kilograms (kg) Welterweight 135 61.2 Middleweight 145 65.8 Valkyrie
Valkyrie sanctions champions for only women, and it sets 5 weight divisions.
Weight class name Upper limit in kilograms in pounds Flyweight 45.4 kg 100 lb Bantamweight 48.5 kg 107 lb Featherweight 52.2 kg 115 lb Lightweight 56.7 kg 125 lb Welterweight 61.2 kg 135 lb Deep
Deep sanctions champions for both of men and women, and Deep currently sanctions at 2 weight divisions.
Weight class name Upper limit in kilograms in pounds Flyweight 45 kg 100 lb Lightweight 48 kg 105 lb References
- ^ New Jersey Commission Corrects Mainstream UFC Stories. Ivan's Blog, formerly posted on MMAWeekly.com. Retrieved December 5, 2006.
- ^ California Legalizes MMA Events. martialarts.about.com. Retrieved December 5, 2006.
- ^ MMAJunkie.com, MMaJunkie.com
- ^ [1]
- ^ Nevada Administrative Code: Chapter 467 – Unarmed Combat. Retrieved December 9, 2006.
- ^ "In What USA States Are Kickboxing and or MMA Legal?". International Fight Sports. http://www.ifightsports.com/USAStates.htm. Retrieved 2011-07-06.
- ^ [2]
- ^ [3]
- ^ [4]
- ^ Loiseleur, Tony (2011-04-20). "‘Dream: Fight For Japan’ Bantamweight Tournament Bracket Set". Sherdog.com. http://www.sherdog.com/news/news/Dream-Fight-For-Japan-Bantamweight-Tournament-Bracket-Set-31784. Retrieved 2011-04-20.
- ^ BAMMA official website
- ^ RESPECT.FC Weightclasses RESPECT.FC website. Retrieved December 5, 2006.
See also
Official Strawweight · Flyweight · Bantamweight · Featherweight · Lightweight · Welterweight · Middleweight · Light heavyweight · Heavyweight · Super heavyweightOther Catch weight · OpenweightCategories:
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