Does the UFC owe it to mixed martial artists to help the sport evolve?
The UFC is the king of mixed martial arts. While going back and forth on a social media post with professional MMA fighter Mike Pope, he referred to them as the NFL of the sport. He is 100% correct. Despite valiant efforts by Bellator and many other organizations, most mixed martial artists strive to one day earn that contract from the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
With that being said, I feel that the UFC owes it to the sport to be the spearhead behind mixed martial arts evolving. Dana White and company could easily sit there and stay status quo, putting their noses up in the air and continue raking in millions after millions of dollars, but as most every sport has changed, they have adapted, including the premier organizations like the NFL.
It is time for the UFC to acknowledge the problems with large weight cuts, and the health risks involved for many of these world class athletes. The health and well being of the fighter should be a priority. We all know that this mega-rich corporation does not provide health care for their fighters. Protecting them should be of the utmost importance.
Despite the recent weight class additions by by the ABC to the unified rules of MMA, the UFC is under no mandatory order or sanction to change anything.
THE NEW WEIGHT CLASSES WILL BE:
165 pounds (super lightweight)
175 pounds (super welterweight)
195 pounds (super middleweight)
225 pounds (cruiserweight)
But as previously mentioned no MMA organizations are required to adopt these. It’s just something the state athletic commissions will allow should the promotions want to implement.
The UFC could use these alterations to promote their brand in numerous ways. With added weight classes the UFC could put on more super-fights, something they seem to be wanting more of anyway. Fighters could fight in more than one weight class a little easier. You could have champion vs champion doing battle. The UFC is a promotion machine. They could come out of this smelling like roses, looking out for their “employees” and setting the tempo for the regional shows from where they draw their future champions.
No, I have never competed in MMA, but that doesn’t prohibit me from loving the competition and the story of the fighter. I am a fan of the good stories with happy endings, and not the horrors of the recent turmoil and health risks that we have seen one too many times with fighters trying to make weight. Besides adding new weight classes, I would like to see the continued development of the PED testing program and a health care program for all fighters under contract. Below I have listed my ideas for some changes to the current weights for both the men and women.
All feedback, positive or negative is completely welcome!
Current weight classes in UFC: Men
Flyweight 125
Bantamweight 135
Featherweight 145
Lightweight 155
Welterweight 170
Middleweight 185
Light Heavyweight 205
Heavyweight 265 max
Meloni’s proposed new weight classes
Flyweight 125
Bantamweight 135
Featherweight 145
Lightweight 155
Super Lightweight 165
Super Welterweight 175
Middleweight 185
Super Middleweight 200
Light Heavyweight 215
Heavyweight unlimited
Current weight classes in UFC: Women
Strawweight 115
Flyweight 125 ( slowly implementing)
Bantamweight 135
Featherweight 145
Meloni’s proposed new weight classes
atomweight 105
heavyweight (replace anything higher than 135)
My scheme does not completely match with the ABC unified rules weight classes. On the men’s side, I’ve eliminated the 170 and 205 lb class and added the 165, 175, 200, and 215 . (200 and 215) are currently not recognized or sanctioned by ABC, as well as the heavyweight unlimited. I also added atomweight for women, currently Invicta FC’s lightest class at 105. I’ve also excluded the 145 lb class from the women and made it a heavyweight class after 135.
