The Doggy Bag: Technical Issues

Photo by Sherdog.com

Is Brock Lesnar's size ideal
for MMA's heavyweight division?

Just a thought or two on where the heavyweight division in the UFC is headed. In my personal opinion, this division is way too broad with bigger fighters like Brock Lesnar cutting to make the 265-pound limit. I say split the division with a cut-off around 250 or 255, and then open it up at the top at around 285. At least this way, someone more comparable to the bigger fighters gets a shot, and we don't have to see a guy, in theory about 40 pounds heavier (probably realistically around 70 to 80 pounds heavier) get thrown around like a ragdoll …This reminds me of the early years before the sport had evolved, when a guy around 210 pounds, Keith Hackney, fought a behemoth of a man around 600 plus pounds, Emmanuel Yarborough. I would love to see a heavyweight division and a super-heavyweight division for competition's sake. Am I too far off base here, or what Sherdog?
-- Brandon

I have heard this argument over and over throughout the years and it just is not compelling to me. While I might be willing to add a cruiserweight division somewhere around 225 pounds should someone make me pope of MMA, I am of the opinion that the 265-pound cap be removed and expanded upwards.

The bigger guys, the ones that are cutting to make the limit right now, will lose some of the speed and agility as they add weight. There is a reason a fighter like Shane Carwin, who walks around at 290-pounds makes the cut all the way down to 255 for his fights. He feels he is much better at that weight because of the added mobility it gives him.

Size is not the ultimate decider on who wins or loses fights. It may seem that way when you have a big guy like Brock Lesnar pummeling his last few opponents into mush, but I would argue his success has more to do with his wrestling skill and the way he moves than his sheer size.

Another problem you will encounter by creating a 250-pound super heavyweight division is the lack of quality fighters who will be competing in it. You would, in effect, be cutting one of the shallower weight classes up and creating two weaker ones.

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