Ufc weight classes in pounds

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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. UFC weight classes play a crucial role in organizing fights and maintaining a competitive balance within the sport. The 12 divisions ensure that athletes face opponents of similar weight, reducing the risk of injury and promoting fairness.

Ufc weight classes in pounds

As with any combat sport, fighters compete against each other in a specific weight class. A heavier fighter will be bigger, stronger, and chances are, have a more extended reach, so fighters cut or gain weight effectively to suit a particular division. In the UFC, there are 12 weight classes, 8 for men and 4 for women. The strawweight has a max weight of lb up to lb max to the featherweight division. To give you an idea, lb is ten stone. As the UFC is an independent promotion, they have their own weight classes. They may have the same weight names as in boxing, but the weights themselves are different. For instance, the middleweight division in the UFC is between lb to lb, and in boxing, the middleweight is between lb — lb. Also, as there are fewer weight classes in the UFC than boxing, there is a wider weight gap in each division that has an approximate 15 lb weight difference between the lightest and heaviest in the same class. Whereas in boxing, fighters will be closer together in weight. Not only that but there are more minor champions too. As the UFC is an American organisation, they use imperial measurements. In contrast, other promotions may have their weight classes in the metric system and use KG instead of lbs. Here is a strange fact for you: Did you know an American pint is less than a UK pint?

Aljamain Sterling won his bantamweight title in controversial fashion at UFC as his opponent, Petr Yan, was disqualified for throwing an illegal knee.

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.

Step into the world of mixed martial arts MMA and witness the intricate dance of power, technique, and strategy. In this captivating realm, the UFC weight classes serve as the ultimate equalizer, ensuring fair and exhilarating battles between fighters of similar size and weight. With 12 divisions, including 8 for men and 4 for women, the UFC has meticulously crafted a system that showcases the brilliance of skill and natural ability. Join us as we explore the history, purpose, and workings of these weight classes, and delve into the potential for new divisions. The UFC has eight weight classes for men, ranging from strawweight to heavyweight. These weight classes provide a structured framework for fighters to compete against opponents of similar size and weight. Each weight class has specific weight limits and regulations that fighters must adhere to. For the strawweight division, fighters must weigh no more than pounds. The flyweight division has a limit of pounds, while the bantamweight division allows fighters up to pounds. The featherweight division has a limit of pounds, while the lightweight division allows up to pounds.

Ufc weight classes in pounds

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. For instance, the Ultimate Fighting Championship introduced two weight classes at UFC 12 : heavyweight, which grouped competitors above lb 91 kg , and lightweight, which grouped competitors under lb. Weight classes 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. The California State Athletic Commission had worked extensively on regulation, but their sanctioning of MMA was not implemented due to state governmental issues surrounding the process. 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.

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For non-title bouts, heavyweight athletes can weigh in up to pounds, while title fights require athletes to weigh in at or under pounds. Once again, the Brazilian took over the weight class when making the switch and there has only been two other champions including inaugural queen Germaine de Randamie and Cris Cyborg. Pantoja successfully retained the flyweight title with a unanimous decision win over contender Brandon Royval at UFC Just look at the history of the heavyweight title — of the sixteen different champions only one man has managed to defend the belt three times consecutively. Recently, former strawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk has shifted to lb flyweight. 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. Oliveira defended his title once against Dustin Poirier but missed weight for his second title defense against Justin Gaethje, which stripped him of his title. Couture finally lost the title for the second time in a gruelling five-round encounter against Ricco Rodriguez at UFC 39 in Retrieved December 5, Water loss is a way to lose weight staying dehydrated. While KOs and TKOs do occur in flyweight fights, submissions are typically the more common way for a fight to conclude. They may have the same weight names as in boxing, but the weights themselves are different.

There are a total of 12 weight class divisions in the UFC, 8 divisions for men, and 4 divisions for women.

Ortiz was perhaps the hottest prospect in MMA at the time and had to cut weight to fight Shamrock. Retrieved December 9, Two notable exceptions from UFC are:. Meanwhile, Conor McGregor had moved up to the lightweight division after remaining undefeated in the featherweight class. Namajunas successfully defended her title in the rematch at UFC , which went the distance. For instance, the middleweight division in the UFC is between lb to lb, and in boxing, the middleweight is between lb — lb. There is no lower limit for strawweight fighters and, just like in all classes, fighters have been known to bulk up and fight at the category above. Conor McGregor dominated the flyweight class due in large part to the power of his punches, especially his left hand. The defending champion, Khabib Nurmagomedov, is a highly technical fighter, combining Soviet sambo with judo and other wrestling techniques to wear down opponents. For non-title bouts, flyweight athletes can weigh in up to pounds, while title fights require athletes to weigh in at or under pounds.