Article: The Case for Cruiserweight

[damo[23]]

Thought this was quite an interesting read, potential discussion;

http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2009/08/02/ ... serweight/

In the past I have been resistant to new weight classes. I saw no reason to split the competition in the existing weight classes. 15 pounds exist between lightweight and welterweight, and the same weight repeats between welterweight and middleweight. Between middleweight and light heavyweight only 20 lbs. exist. We don’t need to water the sport down with an abundance of weight classes.

The heavyweight division has a range of 59 pounds, which in the past has not had much of an impact. Now, with the massive Lesnar dropping bombs on the division, I think it may be time to introduce a new division.

As I say I think its a quite interesting topic. The potential need for weight balance vs the possible large dilution of an entire weight class. I think an interesting experiment would be to see cammo's top 20 split between 206-240 and 241-265, I'd like to see how that ends up.

[CPT]

I don't want to see this happen.

The HW division is boring enough as it is.

Plenty of guys at LHW cut 15, 20, 25+ pounds. I've heard talk that Forrest Griffin actually weighs like 235-240 at fight time.

That means that just about every fighter that doesn't have to cut to make 265 now could make 240 with a weight cut.

Looking at a list of the top 25 HWs, here are the guys I think couldn't make 240:
Brock Lesnar
Brett Rogers
Tim Sylvia
Antonio Silva

Oh, the excitement

All this would do is create a boring ass Super Heavyweight division just because people can't beat Brock Lesnar. Tough titty. People can beat Bob Sapp. Size means a lot, but it can be overcome. Train harder, get stronger, or be 2nd best.

[jTF2]

Definite no no from me. I'd rather the UFC gradually bring in the lower classes starting with the 145ers

[High 5]

Yeah, I don't want to see a split in the HW division. Lesnar has already lost once and his stand up leaves a lot to be desired. Mir wasn't on his feet long and he's hardly a great striker, but he rocked Lesnar a bit.

[Cammo101]

Splitting HW will not keep Lesnar from outweighing most opponents by a good margin. Most guys fighting at 225 or so can cut to 205. Couture for example.

I like it the way it is.

[Nemesis21]

I am not for this.

[damo[23]]

I think some time in the future it would be good, I am talking down the line when the HW division isn't "just 10 fighters" or whatever, but actually has some sizeable depth that could be split. (This would be if it happened as well, which is no guarantee, and we are talking a sizeable increase)

Right now it would cause to much dilution of the weight class, and HW would go from arguably the shallowest division to creating two pools of fighters so shallow that it wouldn't even make your socks soggy.

Likewise with other weight class's, I've seen rumblings for people mentioning for a 195 weight class and what not, I just think you don't want to take away from the current weight class depth until the sport is a little bigger or developed a bit more. Obviously this is all just fan conjecture.

I mean at the end of the day, when a guy like Randy Couture walks in at 220lb, there's a reason for him doing it. Obviously guys have their comfortable weight and what not, but when your facing heavier fighters, you have got to have that playing on your mind, and that's part of the division. In some ways its a nice change from the other divisions which is people cutting whatever the average is down and rehydrating up.