The bantamweight division in mixed martial arts can refer to a number of different weight classes:
- The King of the Cage bantamweight class, which limits competitors to 145 lb (66 kg)
- The World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) bantamweight division of 126–135 lb (57–61 kg)
- The Shooto bantamweight division, which suits competitors below 123 lb (56 kg)
The bantamweight division sits between the lighter flyweight division and the heavier featherweight and/or lightweight divisions. Due to the weight class' relative sparsity, few organizations maintain a bantamweight division.
Ambiguity and clarification[]
For the sake of uniformity, many American mixed martial arts websites refer to competitors between 126 and 135 lb (57 and 61 kg) as Bantamweights, This encompasses both the Shooto Featherweight division (132 lb / 60 kg) and the King of the Cage Flyweight division (135 lb / 61 kg). WEC uses the Nevada definition of "bantamweight".
Prior to UFC 31, 150-pound (68 kg) fighters were known as Bantamweights in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. After which, the weight limit was raised to 155 lb (70 kg), and the division became reinstated as the lightweight class.
The bantamweight limit, as defined by the Nevada State Athletic Commission, is 135 lb (61 kg).
Notable bantamweights in MMA[]
Dominick Cruz, WEC bantamweight champion
Masakatsu Ueda, Shooto featherweight champion (132 lb)- Abel Cullum, King of the Cage flyweight champion (135 lb)
Brian Bowles, former WEC bantamweight champion- Miguel Torres, former WEC bantamweight champion
- Scott Jorgensen WEC bantamweight contender
- Manny Tapia, former King of the Cage flyweight champion (135 lb), WEC bantamweight contender
- Chase Beebe, former WEC bantamweight champion
- Wilson Reis, only/final EliteXC 140 lb champion
- Mike Easton UWC bantamweight champion
- Akitoshi Hozazono, former Shooto featherweight champion (132 lb)
- Takeya Mizugaki, 2005 Shooto 132 lb rookie champion, WEC bantamweight contender
- Yoshiro Maeda, former Pancrase featherweight champion, former WEC bantamweight contender
- Jeff Curran, former WEC featherweight contender, WEC bantamweight contender, UFC/PRIDE veteran
- Akitoshi Tamura, former Shooto lightweight champion (143 lb), WEC bantamweight
- Joseph Benavidez, WEC contender
- Rani Yahya, Former WEC title challenger, WEC bantamweight contender
- Antonio Banuelos, WEC contender
- Kenji Osawa WEC bantamweight contender
- Atsushi Yamamoto bantamweight contender
- Charlie Valencia,WEC contender
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