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 is 185, and a Pride middleweight was 205.
Weight classes in the United States[]
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 in the United States, many state athletic commissions have assimilated these rules for mixed martial arts 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.
Weight classes under the Unified Rules[]
The Nevada State Athletic Commission has designated limits for nine different weight classes in mixed martial arts. Fighters must be weighed in lb:[3]
| Weight class name | Upper limit in lb | Equivalent in kg |
|---|---|---|
| Flyweight | 125 lb | 57 kg |
| Bantamweight | 135 lb | 61 kg |
| Featherweight | 145 lb | 66 kg |
| Lightweight | 155 lb | 70 kg |
| Welterweight | 170 lb | 77 kg |
| Middleweight | 185 lb | 84 kg |
| Light Heavyweight | 205 lb | 93 kg |
| Heavyweight | 265 lb | 120 kg |
| Super Heavyweight | No upper weight limit | |
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 coming years, but the ability of promotions to autonomously decide their own weight classes eventually disappeared after athletic commissions began supervising mixed martial arts.
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 205-265lb heavyweight class into two. The proposals were met with resistance from various quarters, including from the UFC and several state athletic commissions.[4] The proposed classes were later rejected by the ABC.[5]
Non-codified states and exceptions[]
In the following states, MMA is legal but is not regulated by a local commission: Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, South Dakota, and Wyoming.[6]
The most notable of these states is Hawaii, whose lack of codified restrictions on mixed martial arts allows promotions to set their weight limits as they see fit. Hawaii's Rumble on the Rock has a welterweight champion at the unique weight of 175 lb (79.5 kg).
Promotions that hold events on Indian reservations are under the jurisdiction of independent athletic commissions such as the Mashantucket Pequot Athletic Commission or the Grand River Athletics Commission. Many of these commissions are under the umbrella of the Native American Sports Council. These commissions are generally regarded as having less than rigorous standards.
Weight classes in 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.
| Weight class name | Upper limit in kg | Equivalent in lb |
|---|---|---|
| Featherweight | 63 kg | 139 lb |
| Lightweight | 70 kg | 155 lb |
| Welterweight | 76 kg | 168 lb |
| Middleweight | 84 kg | 185 lb |
| Light Heavyweight | 93 kg | 205 lb |
| Heavyweight | No weight limit | |
Pride Fighting Championships[]
Pride arranged one weight category for every ten kilograms, starting at 73 kg (161 lb[7]) and ending at 93 kg (205 lb).
| Weight class name | Upper limit in kg | Equivalent in lb |
|---|---|---|
| Lightweight | 73 kg | 161 lb |
| Welterweight | 83 kg | 183 lb |
| Middleweight | 93 kg | 205 lb |
| Heavyweight | No weight limit | |
Shooto[]
| Weight class name | Upper limit in kg | Equivalent in lb |
|---|---|---|
| Strawweight | 52 kg | 114 lb |
| Bantamweight | 56 kg | 123 lb |
| Featherweight | 60 kg | 132 lb |
| Lightweight | 65 kg | 143 lb |
| Welterweight | 70 kg | 154 lb |
| Middleweight | 76 kg | 167 lb |
| Light Heavyweight | 83 kg | 183 lb |
| Cruiserweight | 91 kg | 200 lb |
| Heavyweight | 100 kg | 220 lb |
| Super Heavyweight | Above 100 kg | Above 220 lb |
World Victory Road[]
As of January 31, 2008 World Victory Road's Sengoku changed their Weight Classes to the ones listed here, which are very similar to those of Dream.
| Weight class name | Upper limit in kg | Equivalent in lb |
|---|---|---|
| Bantamweight | 60 kg | 132 lb |
| Featherweight | 65 kg | 143 lb |
| Lightweight | 70 kg | 154 lb |
| Welterweight | 76 kg | 167 lb |
| Middleweight | 83 kg | 183 lb |
| Light Heavyweight | 93 kg | 205 lb |
| Heavyweight | Above 93 kg | Above 205 lb |
K-1 Hero's[]
K-1 Hero's established weight classes around the time of their first mixed martial arts tournament.[8]
| Weight class name | Upper limit in kg | Equivalent in lb |
|---|---|---|
| Middleweight | 70 kg | 154 lb |
| Light Heavyweight | 85 kg | 187 lb |
Weight classes in the United Kingdom[]
There is currently no Board of Control governing MMA in the UK and promotions can set weight classes as they see fit.
Cage Rage[]
Cage Rage weighs fighters using the metric system. Weight classes are in line with the Unified Rules of MMA.
| Weight class name | Upper limit in kg | Equivalent in lb |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | No weight limit | |
Notes and 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.
- ↑ Nevada Administrative Code: Chapter 467 – Unarmed Combat. Retrieved December 9, 2006.
- ↑ MMAJunkie.com, MMaJunkie.com
- ↑ [1]
- ↑ States for Kickboxing or MMA. IKF website. Retrieved October 24, 2006.
- ↑ Often rounded down to 160 lb in mixed martial arts media circles.
- ↑ Hero's: Newton Out, Rounds Finalized. Jordan Breen, from Sherdog.com. Retrieved December 9, 2006.