Mixed martial arts weight classes

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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.

Contents

[edit] 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.

[edit] 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 lbs:[3]

Weight class name Upper limit in lbs 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 would undergo many changes in the coming years, but the ability of promotions to autonomously decide their own weight classes would eventually disappear after athletic commissions began supervising mixed martial arts.

[edit] 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.[4]

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 exempt from any restrictions, as they are outside the jurisdiction of state commissions.

[edit] 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.

[edit] PRIDE Fighting Championships

PRIDE arranges one weight category for every ten kilograms, starting at 73 kg (161 lb[5]) and ending at 93 kg (205 lb).

Weight class name Upper limit in kg Equivalent in lbs
Lightweight 73 kg 161 lb
Welterweight 83 kg 183 lb
Middleweight 93 kg 205 lb
Heavyweight No weight limit

[edit] SHOOTO

SHOOTO Japan has fixed weight divisions for lighter competitors.

Weight class name Upper limit in kg Equivalent in lbs
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 85 kg 187 lb

[edit] K-1 HERO'S

K-1 HERO'S established weight classes around the time of their first mixed martial arts tournament.[6]

Weight class name Upper limit in kg Equivalent in lbs
Middleweight 70 kg 154 lb
Light Heavyweight 85 kg 187 lb

[edit] 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.

[edit] 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 lbs
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

[edit] References

  1. ^ New Jersey Commission Corrects Mainstream UFC Stories. Ivan's Blog, formerly posted on MMAWeekly.com. Retrieved December 5, 2006.
  2. ^ California Legalizes MMA Events. martialarts.about.com. Retrieved December 5, 2006.
  3. ^ Nevada Administrative Code: Chapter 467 – Unarmed Combat. Retrieved December 9, 2006.
  4. ^ States for Kickboxing or MMA. IKF website. Retrieved October 24, 2006.
  5. ^ Often rounded down to 160 lb in mixed martial arts media circles.
  6. ^ HERO's: Newton Out, Rounds Finalized. Jordan Breen, from Sherdog.com. Retrieved December 9, 2006.

[edit] See also

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