Brazilian MMA Commission proposes a change of divisions to solve weight cutting problem

Y. Romero was the last UFC athlete who failed to make weight in the middleweight category and lost the right to fight for the belt. Photo: Reproduction/Facebook UFC

After much controversy over the weight cut of Ultimate fighters, the Brazilian MMA Athletic Commission (CABMMA) appears to have found a solution. The organization believes that changing divisions will be the most realistic way to resolve the problem.

In an interview with the website “MMAjunkie”, the organization’s director of operations, Cristiano Sampaio, explained: “if we don’t address this issue in a more realistic and immediate way – and that’s what our numbers are showing us – we will have a long and difficult road ahead. ”.

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The Brazilian Athletic Commission claims that the weigh-in time will not prevent problems on the scale, but it is necessary to give fighters a broader target within the divisions.

The organization has been collecting data on fighters and weights from events they regulate, so they believe there is a need to change the accepted definition of weight classes. Rather than the weight of a division representing a limit, it should mark a starting point that cuts off at the next highest division.

Sampaio believes that allowing a greater variety of weights will encourage fighters to compete closer to their natural weight and prevent them from entering the Octagon dehydrated. “Sacrificing athletes with a weight cut – even though we are fully aware of these numbers – to maintain our interpretation of the divisions, that doesn’t make sense to us,” he said.

The new MMA divisions would look like this:

Straw weight – 115 pounds (52,1kg) to 124,9 pounds (56,6kg)

Flyweight – 125 pounds (56,7kg) to 134,9 pounds (61,1kg)

Bantamweight – 135 pounds (61,2kg) to 144,9 pounds (65,6kg)

Featherweight – 145 pounds (65,7 kg) to 154,9 pounds (70,2 kg)

Light weight – 155 pounds (70,3Kg) to 169,9 pounds (77Kg)

Welterweight – 170 pounds (77,1 kg) to 184,9 pounds (83,8 kg)

Average weight – 185 pounds (83,9Kg) to 204,9 pounds (92,9Kg)

Light heavyweight – 205 pounds (93kg) to 224,9 pounds (102kg)

Heavy weight – 225 pounds (102,1Kg) up to 265 pounds (120Kg)