Inside the first ten seconds, a fired-up Aldo threw a left hook that failed to connect, and instead stepped right into McGregors counterpunch, and crumpled to the canvas. A fight for the vacant title between Glover Teixeira and Jamahal Hill was set for UFC 283. Its less easy to predict the manner of victory. That was the start of the longest reign of a champion in UFC history. The two will take on each other this July at UFC 290. However, Tates time at the top was equally short, when she was defeated by Amanda Nunes at UFC 200. Fighters moving up to middleweight are likely to try to win via submission or wrestling, as they may not have the power to knock out the naturally heavier man. Advertising disclosure: WSN contains links to online retailers on its website. The main point of it would be to increase interest in the Flyweights. However, Jones reign as the top light heavyweight fighter was marred by controversy outside of the octagon. Weidman meanwhile successfully defended his belt again, against late replacement Lyoto Machidaat UFC 175 and Vitor Belfort at UFC 187. Dont let the name fool you lightweights are powerful fighters. While bad for competitiveness, there are still prop bets available to make money from dominant athletes. For more information, please see our UFC Rankings Men and Womens Pound-for-Pound, Nevada Administrative Code: Chapter 467 Unarmed Combat, Encyclopaedia Britannica entry about mixed martial arts. Silva was given the chance to immediately regain his title at UFC 168. Despite defeating Gaethje by submission at UFC 274, the division was once again left without a champion. Namajunas successfully defended her title in the rematch at UFC 223, which went the distance. Conor McGregor had been steadily making a name for himself as one of the hardest punchers in the game. He later successfully defended it once before losing to Cody Garbrandt after more injury issues. Strawweight is one of the younger divisions in UFC, so there is still a lot of fluctuation in terms of both fighters and statistics. Fighters with diverse abilities can be extremely successful for example, Ronda Rousey was equally effective with heavy punches as she was with her trademark armbar. Dillashaws next challenger was a familiar face in the bantamweight division. In the fights he has subsequently lost, against Diaz at 170lb and Khabib at 155lb he has arguably been able to land the same punches a couple of times they just dont do quite the same damage they did in the featherweight division. In fact, in a first-round match at UFC 1 Art Jimmerson took to the ring against Royce Gracie with one boxing gloveon. After defeating Robert Whittaker for the undisputed middleweight title, Israel Adesanya has gone on to defend his belt five times (and challenged for the light heavyweight title during this time but lost). We support responsible gambling. Arguably the biggest fight in UFC history at that point was over in a mere 13 seconds. Finally, he returned again to face Cormier in a grudge match for the title in 2017 at UFC 214. In 2014, after controversially being awarded a victory against Johnny Hendricks in his last title defense, St-Pierre decided to step away from UFC, vacating his welterweight title. Keep reading for in-depth info on every UFC weight class from heaviest to lightest. When the UFC merged with World Extreme Cagefighting, Dominick Cruzfaced Scott Jorgensonfor the newly created bantamweight title. Jones has devastating power but is also an extremely awkward fighter and capable of winning fights both via submission and points. This set her up for another chance at gold and at UFC 281 she submitted champion Carla Esparza in the second round to reclaim her position at the top of the position. With mere seconds left in the round, McGregor connected with a jab combination, and continued to connect with Mendes on the ground, causing the referee to stop the match. It was Usmans first loss in the UFC. Each of his title defences resulted in decisive wins, earning Penn a reputation as one of the most respected fighters in UFC. He soon lost the title in controversial circumstances, when the challenger Matt Hughespower slammed Newton while being choked, which lead to both men being KOd simultaneously. In the final against John Dodson, Johnson survived a couple of scares before winning via a unanimous decision. This page has EVERYTHING you need to know about weight classes in UFC, and why they matter for betting. Another lesson that we can learn from the history of the featherweight division is the importance of recognizing when a fighter has passed their peak, or age is catching up with them. As new middleweight champion, Franklin successfully defended his belt two times, while also competing alongside Matt Hughes as a coach on UFCs reality show The Ultimate Fighter. Nevertheless, the fights between the two were by no means walk-overs, as Cormier found ways to affect Jones, even if he could not emerge victorious. Tanner defended his title against Rich Franklin in the same year. It is expected that Edwards will next defend his title against former two-time title challenger Colby Covington with top contender Belal Muhammad waiting in the wings. What would probably happen is huge men would be brought into UFC with little or no actual martial arts ability. As McGregors interests turned outside of UFC, inactivity led to his lightweight title being stripped in 2018 without him ever defending it. During his six-year reign, only two of Demetrious Johnsons fights ended via TKO, and every one of them was at least 2 minutes long. * The womens UFC division is split into only 4 classes: strawweight, flyweight, bantamweight, and featherweight. Lightweight is also the first UFC class without female competitors. After losing and regaining the title from Arlovski, it was announced that Sylvia would defend his belt against Couture who was returning from retirement in a bid to regain the title for the third time. The body shapes of lightweight fighters allow for this range of fighting options, with power and technique roughly of equal importance. Penn began a two-year reign as champion, successfully defending his belt three times and even taking a shot at the welterweight title in between. Aljamain Sterling won his bantamweight title in controversial fashion at UFC 259 as his opponent, Petr Yan, was disqualified for throwing an illegal knee. The media members were asked to vote for who they feel are the top fighters in the UFC by weight-class and pound-for-pound. Hughes began a long career as welterweight champion, dominating the division and successfully defending his belt five times. 117656-1, However, Esparzas reign was short-lived. In an epic encounter, Penn looked to have an early advantage only for injuries to take their toll by the third round. of Spreading a thin field across two many weight classes would harm the integrity of the contest resulting in many mismatches and uncompetitive fights. Avoid betting on blockbuster early finishes and instead focus on how each fighters wrestling skills match up. and our The win for Edwards avenged his 2015 unanimous decision loss to Usman. All our emails include an Today, MMA is one of the fastest-growing sports in the world. Meanwhile, Conor McGregor had moved up to the lightweight division after remaining undefeated in the featherweight class. Nevertheless, the seven years he remained champion cemented St-Pierres legacy as one of the greatest fighters in the history of the sport. That just isnt the case in the highest and lowest-weight divisions. Cormier successfully defended his belt twice, first against Alexander Gustafsson and then in a rematch against Johnson. But on November 12, 2022, at UFC 281, his old foe from the kickboxing world, Alex Pereira, challenged Adesanya for his 185-pound strap. As we start to move to heavier categories, the style of fighting shifts slightly from being predominantly wrestling based to being more mixed. Over the next 6 years, Johnson successfully defended his title 11 more times against the greatest fighters in the division, including Olympic Gold Medalist Henry Cejudo and a re-match with Dodson. Early stoppages are common and fights which do last a long time tend to see fighters gas out quickly as the fight goes deeper. Next up is Bantamweight, home of one of the current undisputed stars of UFC in Amanda Nunes, as well as a Hall of Famer in Ronda Rousey. There was a lot of value to find for anyone betting against the public on that occasion. Shamrock was champion from 1997-2000 and was considered one of the first MMA fighters to excel in a wide variety of styles. Velasquez produced a ferocious display of striking, leading to a first round TKO and a new heavyweight champion. The controversy didnt end in the ring either, as de Randamie refused to defend her featherweight title against the challenger Cris Cyborg from Brazil, preferring to return to the bantamweight division. Weight classes exist to level the playing field between fighters, and for the fighters safety. A re-match was quickly arranged, and Couture retained his title via doctor stoppage in the third round. Another good lesson we can see from the history of the lightweight division is to pay close attention to athletes moving weight categories. As a talented boxer, Jimmerson thought it would be an advantage to have one hand gloved up. Anyone who looked beyond the headline of ten consecutive title defenses may well have predicted the outcome. Unlike the brawl-heavy first fight between the two, St-Pierre was able to control a more technical encounter. Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) under affiliate vendor ID The first lightweight champion was Jen Pulver, winning the inaugural title against the Caol Unofrom Japan in 2001. In his eleventh title defense, Silva faced Chris Weidman as a big favorite. Injury troubles plagued dos Anjos, and he eventually lost his belt to Eddie Alvarez. Unfortunately, Oliveira was submitted in the second round and Makhachev became the new lightweight king. In contrast to her recent title defenses, Rousey couldnt seem to overwhelm Holm as she had previous opponents. Esparza faced Rose Namajunas in the final. For 5 years, Jose Aldo completely dominated the division, defending his belt seven times and remaining undefeated in UFC and WEC. And yes - she still remains the champion. Just look at the history of the heavyweight title of the sixteen different champions only one man has managed to defend the belt three times consecutively. The UFC added the weight class in season 20 of The Ultimate Fighter and signed Esparza along with 10 other fighters to compete in a tournament to determine the strawweight champion. At 43 Randy Couture became the oldest UFC champion in history. Ngannou defended his title just once - against Ciryl Gane - before being stripped of his title and parting ways with the UFC in early 2023. Between 2016 and 2018, Miocic set the record for the most consecutive title defences in the heavyweight division with three, beating both Dos Santos and heavily favoured Francis Ngannou along the way. A unanimous judges decision saw her retain the title before she took over a year off due to a recurring spinal injury. Middleweight fights see the balance tip more towards boxing and striking, and slightly away from wrestling. Silvas complacency led to a couple of close calls as his reign wore on. One step up from strawweight, the athletes in this class are still chiefly defined by their speed, agility, and technicality but with a little more power thrown in. Garbrandt was unable to hold the title for too long after he was knocked out by Dillashaw at UFC 217. In an epic fight, Ortiz had the power advantage but struggled to deal with Shamrocks agility and range of kicks, eventually succumbing via TKO late in the fourth round. The early days of the division were all about Rowdy Ronda Rousey, one of the most dominant athletes and biggest stars of the UFC. As the second round wore on, however, Mendes was visibly breathing a lot more heavily. Weili next fought in a fight of the year rematch against former champion Joanna Jdrzejczyk at UFC 275 where Weili knocked her opponent out in the second round with a spectacular, highlight-reel spinning back first. This was a record for consecutive defenses at the time. Despite losing his debut fight in 2007, Lesnar won his next match and earned a shot at the heavyweight title. However, when we analyze the most dominant athlete in the history of the class, Jon Jones, it is clear that a varied skill set is still necessary to thrive in the division. He studied print and broadcast journalism at Humber College and has been a lifelong fan of the sport of hockey and the NHL. The inaugural womens flyweight title fight was contested between Germaine de Randamie andHolly Holm in 2017 at UFC 208. Cruz emerged victorious via a unanimous decision and successfully defended his title the following year against Urijah Faber. Couture briefly lost his title in controversial circumstances to Vitor Belfort, after the Brazilians glove caused a cut to open in Coutures eye. She has been replaced by top contender Irene Aldana and the event date remains the same. Lightweight fighters are still light enough to display genuine speed but have enough power and weight to throw devastating blows. He ultimately won the fight via TKO. The second heaviest weight class in UFC, light heavyweight fighters often move up and down from the heavyweight class to compete in both. Leaving aside all traces of showboating and complacency, Silva still had trouble with Weidmans wrestling skills. In the case of Nurmagomedov, who is unbeaten in the UFC, the longer his fights go on the more likely he is to emerge victorious, due to his awkward and technically superior wrestling. These trends should be a consideration when betting on strawweight fights. In total, Weidman successfully defended the title three times in almost three years, as injuries hampered both he and the main contenders. When people click on our He successfully defended his belt twice in the coming year, as well as losing a fight to Josh Barnett only for the result to be overturned due to the challengers steroid use. Cyborg defended her title twice in the following year, first defeating Holly Holm by unanimous decision and then knocking out Yana Kunitskaya. He held the title for three years and defended it four times before eventually being submitted by the Caribbean Carlos Newton. Dillashaw instead successfully defended his belt against Joe Soto. He successfully defended his title four times, the final time in a match against Tito Ortiz. In response to opponents highly defensive strategies against him, Silva would take to lowering his hands, dancing and taunting them. The two were set to have their trilogy bout in the main event of UFC 289 this June but Pena was forced to pull out of the fight after suffering from broken ribs. She has yet to defend her title but it is highly expected that a rematch against Shevchenko will take place later this year. In the second round, Anderson looked to connect with a low kick, which had been an effective weapon throughout both fights. Cookie Notice Velasquez was a dominant force in the division for the next five years, defending the belt three times in total as well as losing it to Junior Dos Santos in 2011 before reclaiming it. sportsbooks. On the other side, if he were to lose a match it would likely be due to taking an early punch by a hard hitter, rather than being out-wrestled. He has yet to defend his title but it is highly expected that Jiri Prochazka will once again be ready to fight soon and will be given an immediate chance to reclaim the belt he never lost. In doing so, Grasso became the first Mexican-born womens UFC champion. Teixeira and Hill fought to a five-round decision, with Hill taking a unanimous win on all three judges scorecards. When the middleweight division pairs two fighters who rely on striking as their main method of attack, you can anticipate a fight to end early. It is likely that Sterling will defend his title next against Sean OMalley. His next opponent has yet to be determined. I think the main problem is they are the lowest division. While KOs and TKOs do occur in flyweight fights, submissions are typically the more common way for a fight to conclude. receive our occasional offers and news, you may opt-out at any time. Two notable exceptions from UFC are: One is practical although UFC is growing, it still has a comparatively small field of athletes. Heavyweight fighters are the biggest and strongest in the UFC. For Men Strawweight, the 100 most-recently updated member lists will be included. In total Silva successfully defended his belt ten times between 2006 and 2013, leading many to consider him the greatest fighter the UFC has ever seen. The womens flyweight division is a recent addition to UFC, with the inaugural title match taking place in December 2017. Lesnars third title defence was against Mexican-American Cain Velasquez at UFC 121 in 2010. Shamrock won the inaugural title in just 16 seconds, forcing Kevin Jackson to submit via armbar. Ever since the undefeated champion Khabib Nurmagomedov retired on top and vacated the lightweight title in 2020, the division has been rather in flux. Speed and agility are still very important, but with slightly higher weight more powerful styles can be effective too. Jedrzejczyk enjoyed a long spell as strawweight champion, successfully defending her title five times between 2015 and 2017. In the early days of UFC, before it became a more reputable sporting institution, weight classes were yet to be introduced and rules in general were at a minimum. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Despite his at times unorthodox striking, Jones is also an extremely competent wrestler and a versatile fighter. He finally lost his title to Quinton Jackson in 2007, who held onto the title for one year. Silvas greatest weapon was his striking, leading many to theorize that he could be beaten if a technically proficient opponent got him on the ground. Since the size and body shape allows for so many different styles, it is important to consider how each fighters strengths and weaknesses match up, perhaps more than in any other division. Archived post. Rodriguez defeated Josh Emmett at UFC 284 - the same card that Volkanovski was defeated by lightweight champion Islam Makhachev. Despite an incredibly impressive performance and one of the biggest upsets in UFC history, Holm was unable to defend her title, losing to Miesha Tate in her next fight. Dominick Cruz had finally overcome his series of injuries to make his return, four years after his last title fight. As Silvas dominance grew, he became more expressive and demonstrative during fights. This left the middleweight title vacant for a couple of years before wrestling specialist Evan Tanner won the vacant title at UFC 51 in 2005. Click here for our in-depth strategy guide for how to bet on the UFC. But, in what was a very close fight, Makhachev managed to retain his crown. Although McGregors power and kicks to the body caused Mendes to tire rapidly, the Californian native still got the better of the first round, managing to take McGregor to the mat effectively. Safety is another concern. In the mens event, the history of the flyweight division begins and ends with one name Demetrious Johnson. Couture had previously defeated Liddell via submission in a fight for an interim title in 2002, but in the rematch in 2005 Liddells striking power proved too much for Couture. The two had an immediate rematch in 2022 in which Nunes reclaimed her throne as the UFC womens bantamweight champion. Finding enough skilled fighters over, for example, 260lb to make a competitive field is tricky. The two were set to rematch in late 2022 but a significant shoulder injury forced Prochazka to vacate his title and take time off to heal. Access to fantasy sports with one account. Personally I could make that weight easily- although I have no delusions of being a pro UFC fighter, but there are plenty of men around that could- probably mostly of Hispanic and Asian decent to be fair, but nevertheless. Of his 13 victorious title fights, 6 were judges decisions, 4 were KO/TKOs and 3 were submissions. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. His third title defense was scheduled for UFC 64, in 2006, against the Brazilian challenger Anderson Silva. Johnson, a wrestling and take-down specialist, saw each of his fights go the distance. St-Pierres dominance was based largely on his submission moves and speed, but many fighters in welterweight rely on sheer punching power to secure their wins. Early in her career, she favored using an armbar to force opponents to submit, a habit she carried into her first two title defenses. The Brazilian Bustamante successfully defended his title against Matt Lindland, before leaving the UFC in 2002 to sign for a competitor. Penn earned an immediate re-match, which he also lost. Discover the best sites for betting on UFC matches, here. Here are the main things to know about lightweights: Unlike many weight classes, the lightweight division has not really been dominated by any one fighter for an extended period of time. In total, St-Pierre defended his title nine consecutive times, eight of which came from judges decisions after technically getting the better of his opponents. Rousey set about consolidating her dominance with a series of breathtaking title defenses. 115 pounds? Enter former light heavyweight champion, Jon Jones. Here are the main things to know about the featherweight class: Although the most recognizable name to emerge from the featherweight division is undoubtedly Conor McGregor, the division was in fact dominated for years by one of his opponents and one of the best pound-for-pound fighters ever to fight in UFC. Recently, former strawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk has shifted to 125lb flyweight. He earned a second-round TKO over T.J. Dillashaw and most recently earned a split-decision win over Henry Cejudo, who had made his return to action after three years of retirement. History of the UFC Heavyweight Class. Winning the womens bantamweight title in 2016 from Miesha Tate, Amanda Nunes defended the belt five times before losing it to Julianna Pena in 2021. However, in the seven fights since his first-round KO against McGregor, Aldo has lost four times. Hughes gained control of the fight, raining down punches while trapping Penn underneath his body. He became the first fighter discovered in the Contender Series to win a UFC title. Meanwhile, Jones returned from suspension and defeated Ovince Saint Preux in 2016 for an interim title, before receiving a second suspension for doping violations. Rodriguez in turn lost the title in his first defence, to Tim Sylvia, who began a rivalry with Andrei Arlovski form Belarus at the top of the heavyweight division, with neither man able to hold onto the title for more than a couple of fights. It is the lightest weight class in the UFC. Would probably also be the least popular weight class in mma considering how casuals treat flyweights. Here are the main things to know about it: The middleweight title had a somewhat stilted beginning due to a high turnover of middleweight fighters in the UFC. 89744, The first title was won by Dave Menne in 2001, but he lost the title almost immediately to Murilo Bustamante. The maximum weight for strawweight fighters is 115lb (52.2kg). The power of the fighters tends to make for some particularly brutal fights, with early stoppages always a distinct possibility. The featherweight division has seen some of the most iconic moments in the history of the sport. When a heavyweight fighter does get injured, it can be harder for them to regain peak fitness compared with the more resilient and wiry lighter athletes. Despite making it to the final bell this time, Usman was once again upset by Edwards, losing a majority decision to the Englishman. Sherk, who had been due to fight BJ Penn next, had his title stripped and Penn instead fought Joe Stevenson at UFC 80 for the title. Ortiz successfully defended his title five times in those three years, including against Franks brother Ken Shamrock. Betting on early stoppages and KO/TKOs in the UFCs heavyweight division is often an effective strategy. The welterweight division offers a wide diversity of fighting styles so there are lots of interesting matchups to bet on. Couture won by TKO in the third round to begin his second spell as heavyweight champion. It took Silva just under three minutes in the first round to lock Franklins head in a clinch and connect with some knee shots, breaking Franklins nose as he fell to the canvas and causing the referee to stop the fight. Jones performances in this division, in contrast to the heavyweight class, show that true dominance is possible when a truly exceptional fighter has the better of the field. In mixed martial arts, athletes compete in weight classes where they must weigh in at or around a specific weight the day before their fight at the UFC official weigh-ins. Later she began to utilize her sheer striking power more, relying on an early blitz to overwhelm her opponent. Of his 6 UFC wins at that point, only one had gone the distance. Although the UFC womens featherweight division is bare-bones, Nunes has managed to defend the belt twice. Jose Aldo from Brazil became the inaugural UFC featherweight champion after the company merged with World Extreme Cagefighting in 2010. Understanding these weight classes and which fighters compete in them is essential before you begin to bet on UFC. UFC has come a long way from its early chaotic and unpredictable days. For example, many sportsbooks will allow you to bet on the number of successful titles defenses over time or how a specific fight will be decided. Its been a popular division in the UFC because its been home to one of the longest title-defense streaks in the leagues history. Woodley began a three-year reign as champion, defending his belt four times. While Conor McGregor seemed invincible in the featherweight division, he definitely struggled when moving up to lightweight and beyond. The lack of huge power and focus on wrestling and technical skills means that fights often go the distance, and early KOs are not so common. Again, watch out for fighters who have moved up or down in weight divisions. However, Jones againfailed a doping test, testing positive for an anabolic steroid, and once again his title was stripped. Indeed, her last three successful title defenses were ended at 0:16, 0:14, and 0:34 respectively. UFC has received criticism in the past for heavier fighters making drastic weight cuts to fight in lower classes, endangering the naturally lighter fighters. That changed when the champion in 2011, Mauricio Ruatook on Jon Jonesfor the title at UFC 128. 21+ | T&Cs, time limits & exclusions apply. She lost her title a mere three months later to Joanna Jedrzejczyk, a Muay Thai kickboxing specialist from Poland. Since winning the UFC mens featherweight title from Max Holloway in 2019, Alexander Volkanovski has been unstoppable in the division. After successfully defending his title in a rematch, and an unsuccessful shot at the flyweight title against Henry Cejudo, Dillashaw was banned in 2019 for failing a drug test, leaving the bantamweight title open. Couture defended his belt twice more before fighting Brock Lesnar at UFC 91. Here are the main things to know about the light heavyweight UFC division: The light heavyweight class had some great champions in the early years of the UFC, with Frank Shamrock the first man to hold the belt. After four (yes - back-to-back-to-back-to-back) fights in a row against Deiveson Figueiredo, and trading the mens flyweight title back and forth in the process, Brandon Moreno finally put an end to the rivalry with his TKO win at UFC 283. Despite his considerable size advantage, Tulis lack of technical or self defense skills saw him knocked out by a kick to the head within the first 30 seconds. The same is true of women, with Amanda Nunes winning her recent title through sheer punching power. number 94414163), granted a vendor registration number VR007603-20-001 by the Michigan Gaming Control Board, UFC weight classes have a lot of crossover with classes in both boxing and other MMA companies. In contrast to a mens weight class which has been marred by injuries and failed drug tests, the womens bantamweight division has been home to some of the most exciting and iconic champions in UFC history. Crazy scenes like this were common in the early days. Couture would go on to have a storied career in the heavyweight and light heavyweight divisions, becoming one of only six men to hold titles in two separate classes. Penn was at times a controversial competitor, cultivating a persona as a dangerous and bloodthirsty fighter. However, Pulver soon left the UFC, abandoning his lightweight title. With a hastily re-shuffled schedule, McGregor instead fought Chad Mendes for the interim featherweight title. The two rematched at UFC 273, where Sterling retained his title with a split-decision win over Yan. When Holm connected with a kick to Rouseys head a minute into the second round, the fight was stopped and Holm was the new bantamweight champion. Featherweight has been a popular category in the UFC. He was given a shot at dos Anjos lightweight title at UFC 196, but dos Anjos had to withdraw after breaking his foot. Rankings were generated by a voting panel made up of media members. Lesnar was already a star in WWE wrestling, and his move to the UFC generated a lot of hype. In retrospect, many have blamed the loss on St-Pierres personal struggles, including the death of family members, change of management, and motivation issues. On March 4, 2023, at UFC 285, Jon Jones made good on those words and defeated Ciryl Gane in the first round to become the new heavyweight champion. This made her eventual loss of the bantamweight title all the more dramatic. His eighth title defense was scheduled to be against Conor McGregor at UFC 189, in one of the most highly anticipated matches in UFC history. Bisping successfully defended his title once before being scheduled to fight the returning welterweight superstar Georges St-Pierre. Lesnar beat Couture via TKO in the second round and just like that, Couture had lost the belt for the third and final time. Weidman eventually lost his title in an epic fight against Luke Rockhold, who in turn immediately lost to Michael Bisping in a big upset. possesses a Vendor Minor sports betting license from the Colorado Limited Gaming Control Commission (account The womens event has also historically been dominated by one fighter first Rousey and now Nunes. Upon regaining the welterweight title, Georges St-Pierre began one of the longest champion streaks in UFC history, defeating a host of skilled challengers between 2008-2014. Mendess wrestling style was seen as something of an unknown quantity for McGregors boxing skills. Dillashaw was a big underdog going into the fight, and it remains one of the great upsets in UFC history. Aldos Muay Thai striking along with his wrestling skills saw him successfully defend his featherweight title seven times between 2010 and 2015, a record for the featherweight division. Wrestling is still important, however, and many fighters have found success in the division by focusing on technical ground skills. The history of the weight class, notable fighters from the past and present, and the current champion. Fighters in the UFCs heavyweight division are the biggest and strongest in the sport. One clean connection from McGregors devastating left hand was generally enough to KO his opponent. Meanwhile, Cormier was declared the light heavyweight champion, but opted not to defend his belt and instead moved back to the heavyweight division. By subscribing, you are agreeing to In contrast, some of the other top contenders in the division, like McGregor and Poirier, prefer to focus on landing heavy shots and scoring victories via KO/TKO. At UFC 217 at Madison Square Garden, Jedrzejczyk faced a title defense against Rose Namajunas. After one title defense, Sherk tested positive for anabolic steroid use. Unable to get Holm to the floor, Rousey was visibly struggling to deal with her opponents powerful striking. Event. Jones was faced with yet another suspension. The flyweight title was created in 2012, with the winner of a four-man tournament at UFC 152 in Toronto to be crowned the inaugural champion. Check out UFC Rankings Men and Womens Pound-for-Pound. Ortiz was given another shot at the title, pitted against Wanderlei Silva for the vacant belt. The inaugural strawweight champion was Carla Esparza when she won the first-ever title in 2013. an When you sign-up through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. The fighters sheer weight combined with the power theyre throwing around means injuries are common. Fighting within a weight class means that a fair fight (in physical terms at least) is guaranteed, and the winner will be determined by the skill of the fighter as opposed any significant physical size advantage. Eventually, he was forced to vacate the bantamweight title in 2014, and Renan Barao was promoted from interim to undisputed champion. The fight was only Rouseys second ever to go past the first round. However, heavy strikers like Anderson Silva tend to dominate the division. Hendricks defeated Robbie Lawler for the vacant title, before losing the rematch and relinquishing the belt via split decision. However, due to Usmans dominance over the division for years, it came as no surprise when it was announced that the two would rematch in the main event of UFC 286. The end of Anderson Silvas reign shows that we should be aware of warning signs of a fighter becoming complacent through repeated victories. In her first shot at the tile, since she was beaten by Esparza in the inaugural championship bout, Namajunas was considered a pretty big underdog against the undefeated champion. In the case of cruiserweight (a class traditionally between light heavyweight and heavyweight) there simply has historically not been enough fighters around that weight to justify the class in UFC. As the new flyweight champion, Johnson began the longest dominant reign in UFC history. Bet Lesnars reign as heavyweight champion was badly dogged by illness and injury, leading to him defending his belt just twice between 2008 and 2010. The defending champion, Khabib Nurmagomedov, is a highly technical fighter, combining Soviet sambo with judo and other wrestling techniques to wear down opponents. Vendor In fact, UFC 1 in 1993 contained only two rules no biting or eye-gouging (no fun!). An immediate rematch was on the cards, until Barao had health issues related to his weight cut, and had to withdraw. He has since defended his title twice more against two former champions. In UFC 7 Marco Ruas took down Paul The Polar Bear Varelans despite being around 90lb lighter and 7 shorter. The lowest weight categories are less likely to rely on sheer power and flyweight fights are often defined by off-the-charts cardiovascular fitness and strong wrestling skills. This means that fighters injury record and recent fitness should be a major consideration for betting. The fight took place at UFC 68 in 2007, with Couture putting on a dominant display of both striking and wrestling. The referee immediately stopped the fight, and with two of the most dramatic victories UFC has ever seen, Weidman remained the middleweight champion. Weidman managed to take the contact on his knee, causing Silvas left fibula and tibia to snap in two, leaving his leg hanging like a sock. To date, Volkanovski has defended his championship four times. On the flip side, those moving down from light heavyweight will hope to overpower naturally smaller opponents with their superior striking. I live in Vietnam and there are a ton of guys here in shape that could make 98 pounds, and they generally due manual labor type work- bricklaying etc. Hughes combination of wrestling his opponents into awkward positions before landing powerful blows led to him being considered one of the greatest pound-for-pound fighters the UFC has ever seen. Commission, a sports betting vendor registration, under registration number #100400, issued by the Director Conor McGregor dominated the flyweight class due in large part to the power of his punches, especially his left hand. Post-fight, Figueiredo made it clear that he planned to move up to the bantamweight division, leaving Moreno to finally face fresh, new opponents. 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ, PA, WV), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-522-4700 (NV), 1-800-522-4700 After the fight, Shamrock retired from UFC and vacated the title, holding a 5-0-0 record as light heavyweight champion. WSN.com is run by iGaming Cloud Inc (a Gaming Innovation Group Subsidiary) and is registered with the New Jersey The strawweight class is only used in the womens division and men do not compete in it. A big favorite with fans, Jones utilizes devastating and physically impressive offensive moves, like spinning kicks. For the years that Rousey was the bantamweight champion she was not just the most dominant UFC fighter in her division, but one of the most dominant athletes in the world. they do hydration testing at one championship so most guys are weighing 125 the night of the fight which is what a normal straweight would weigh the night of the fight in ufc. In a dominant display of his trademark creative and acrobatic striking, Jones KOd Rua with a knee midway through the third round, becoming the youngest-ever UFC champion at 23. Despite his time away form the octagon, Couture won the fight by unanimous decision. Flyweight is the lowest weight class for men, and the second-lowest class for women. Volkanovski and Rodriguez are expected to face each other for the undisputed featherweight championship this July at UFC 290. A rematch with St-Pierre was scheduled for UFC 63 in 2006, but an injury to GSP led to him being replaced by BJ Penn, the only man to beat Hughes in the previous six years. McGregor beat Alvarez in the second round by TKO with a dominant display of striking, in the process becoming the first UFC athlete in history to hold the title in two different weight classes simultaneously. Kara-France vs Albazi Odds: This Main Event Boasts Fight of the Year Potential, UFC Rankings: Men, Women & Pound-For-Pound, UFC Fight Night: Dern and Hill Have Equally Struggled Over Their Past Several Fights. While fights can go the distance, early stoppages are common. Registration issued by the Sports Wagering Committee of the Tennessee Education Lottery Corporation. A 2003 tournament aimed to crown a new lightweight champion, but the results were inconclusive. interim Sports Wagering Supplier license, under license number SWS 066, issued by the West Virginia Lottery He successfully defended his title twice in the coming years, first against Dennis Hallman and then in an epic encounter against the iconic BJ Penn. You can throw in the durability to withstand some very heavy hits too. Amanda Nunes won the womens featherweight title in 2018 from Cris Cyborg - becoming the first (and so far only) female fighter to date to achieve double-champ status. Of his seven defenses, Aldo won by unanimous decision five times, underlining his technical superiority over every other fighter in the division. Mens bantamweight, on the other hand, has seen a steady stream of champions and contenders changing over the years, without anyone dominating like the womens. Privacy Policy. Here are the main things to know about the heavyweight class: Mark Coleman was the first holder of the UFC heavyweight title in 1997, before it changed hands twice in the same year, first to Maurice Smithand then Randy Couture. Nate Diaz stepped in as a last-minute replacement, but due to issues making the weight at short notice, the fight went ahead at 170lb a two-weight class jump by McGregor. Soon after becoming only the fourth UFC athlete at the time to hold titles in two separate weight classes, St-Pierre decided to retire from the sport due to recurring injuries and advancing age. All rights reserved. Here are the main things to know about Welterweights: The welterweight title is one of the oldest in UFC, with Pat Miletich becoming the first champion in 1998. As Tapology users create their own lists, the consensus rankings will update in real-time. That result catapulted McGregor even further towards stardom and, thanks in no small part to his trash-talking and promotional skills, the unification fight with Aldo became even more hotly anticipated. Similar to strawweight, flyweight fighters are mostly associated with speed and technical skill. However, she gave a dominant display of striking which led to a first-round TKO with Jedrzejczyk floored by a left hand. However, soon after the fight Jones tested positive for cocaine before being arrested for an alleged hit-and-run incident in Albuquerque, New Mexico. After winning the UFC light heavyweight title from Jan Blachowicz, Glover Teixeira defended his title once in a fight of the year candidate against Jiri Prochazka in June 2022 at UFC 275. In the case of McGregors first loss against Diaz, he was a huge favorite with sportsbooks due as much to his popularity and reputation as anything else, even though he was moving up two whole weight classes. Silva again began the fight with some showboating, dropping his hands and goading Weidman. Featherweight fighters are light enough to have good agility and the ability to move for multiple rounds, while also heavy enough to regularly stop fights with punching power. Ciryl Gane was an obvious contender to battle for the vacant strap, but who would his opponent be? Henderson also won a re-match and became the third featherweight champion to defend his belt three times before Anthony Pettis defeated him with a first-round submission at UFC 164 in 2013. External problems, like contracts and drug testing, affected the UFC lightweight division in the early years. It was his first loss in UFC history. Pettis defended his belt once before losing to Rafael dos Anjos at UFC 185. However, a series of injuries hampered Cruz as he had to continually delay various title defenses. We use the term fresh somewhat loosely, however, as Moreno is set to make his next title defense against Alexandre Pantoja - a man that Moreno lost to back in 2018. Penn won the fight via submission in the second round, becoming the new featherweight champion. As he attempted his customary dodging, however, Weidman connected with a left hook just as Silva was weaving his head. There is no lower limit for strawweight fighters and, just like in all classes, fighters have been known to bulk up and fight at the category above. McGregor won via majority decision, setting up another shot at the lightweight title, now held by Alvarez. By defeating Daniel Cormier in a title defense at UFC 182, Jones had defended his belt 8 times. Charles Oliveira and Michael Chandler fought for the vacant title in the main event of UFC 262. He had the title stripped when he signed with a rival MMA company. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. Although heavy striking is common, wrestling skills remain extremely important in the middleweight class. The run was not without controversy, including allegations of using petroleum to grease his body in a title defense against BJ Penn. Nevertheless, anyone who was able to look through the hype and identify that the power of Holly Holm would cause Rousey problems in their title fight would have made a lot of money on that bet. In UFC 237 in Rio de Janeiro, she finally lose her title to the hometown favorite, Jessica Andrade. Hughes defended his title against Frank Trigg with an impressive comeback victory and defeated a number of other welterweight challengers in non-title fights. Zhang Weili won her first strawweight title back in 2020 but lost in her first defense against Rose Namajunas and lost again in their immediate rematch. In a huge shock, the big favorite took too many punches in the first round against Matt Serra at UFC 69, leading to an early TKO. Another lesson from the history of the welterweight division is in the importance of Injuries and other pre-fight issues. Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board as a gaming service provider, under certificate registration number our Terms & Conditions and our Privacy Policy and you confirm that you are 18+. Without an upper limit, fighters on the border with heavyweight class could face physical disadvantages and serious danger against much heavier opponents. UFC fighters are streaky, and once their momentum is halted and the aura of invincibility disappears it can be hard to recover. Fights often go the distance too, where competent technical displays are rewarded by the judges. It has however been the host of some of the most dramatic moments in UFC both in and out of the ring. Boxing has had stars around 120 in the past, so I think the flyweights becoming a near top division is possible (not consistently but here and there). The maximum and minimum allowed weight for each UFC weight class. To date, he has the most knockouts in history when fights from UFC and WEC are combined. with the Indiana Gaming Commission (IGC) under certificate of registration number SWR-000148, approved by Boxing goes down to 105 pounds which is what Pacquiao started at. For all the latest tips, predictions and special offers directly into your inbox once a week. Although he went into his fight against Weidman as a big favorite, Silva had been rattled in recent matches and was becoming reckless with his showboating. unsubscribe link. Unsurprisingly, not only did the single glove look ridiculous, it was a complete hindrance against Gracies polished Jiu-Jitsu and led to a first-round KO. Jones was suspended by UFC and his title was stripped, allowing Cormier to fight Anthony Johnson for the title at UFC 187 in 2015. In what was an extremely impressive display, Adesanya knocked Pereira out cold in the second round - reclaiming his middleweight title in the process. However, Silva was also a talented wrestler, successfully defending himself when opponents forced the fight to the mat and winning a number of fights via submission, as well as TKO. Furthermore, recent evidence suggests that the weight difference between light heavyweight and heavyweight is perfectly reasonable as it is Daniel Cormier is a recent champion in both classes. Another thing we love is that theres a 20-pound difference between the max and min weights in the light heavyweight class, meaning there is still room for lots of varying styles of fighting. Oh no doubt. In an epic five-round encounter Cruz narrowly regained his title on a split decision. After a close fight, Jones connected with a high kick to the head in the third round, leading to a TKO victory. Jones became a sensation, the biggest American star of the UFC, and earned an international sponsorship deal with Nike. Specific tips for betting on each UFC weight class. In the end, the lightweight title remained vacant until 2006 when Sean Sherkdefeated Kenny Florianby unanimous decision to win the title. $5, Get $150 in Bonus Bets Instantly! He eventually lost his title in controversial fashion to Frankie Edgar, who won via unanimous decision despite many thinking Penn deserved to win. Studying the habits of fighters within their classes, as well as the history of the class, is essential to being a winning UFC bettor. Instead, Cyborg faced Tonya Evinger for the vacant title, knocking her out in the third round. It was four years since St-Pierres last fight, and his return was a huge event for UFC. Edgar eventually matched Penns achievement of three successful title challenges before losing his belt in 2012 to Benson Henderson, a former WEC athlete and newcomer to UFC. For example, Cormier is 5 shorter in height and has a 12 lower reach than Jones. The men that have dominated the division, while being proficient wrestlers, are all chiefly known for their powerful striking ability: McGregor, Aldo, Holloway. Gaming Licensing and Investigations of the Virginia Lottery to operate in the State of Virginia, and a You should know what styles of fighting are most common in each class and the most common reasons for stoppages. Baraos reign was not to last long. The power of athletes in this division means that KO finishes are always a distinct possibility. The middleweight division is home to Anderson Silva, holder of the longest run as a champion in any class and widely regarded as one of the best strikers of all time. No official challenger has been announced for Jones first title defence, but it is highly expected to the former champion Stipe Miocic - the man who defended the UFC title more than any other fighter in history. Unsurprisingly, Adesanya was granted an immediate rematch and the two once again went head-to-head in the main event of UFC 287. Undisputed champion a more technical encounter cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a rival MMA company rewarded the. And Makhachev became the inaugural title in 2017 at UFC strawweight ufc men's allowed weight for strawweight fighters 115lb... Fights see the balance tip more towards boxing and striking, Jones reign champion! Fights since his first-round KO against McGregor, Aldo has lost four times promoted from interim undisputed! Like contracts and drug testing, affected strawweight ufc men's UFC womens bantamweight champion Reddit may still use certain cookies ensure... The lightweight title most-recently updated member lists will be included a doping test, testing positive anabolic. His eleventh title defense against Rose namajunas with Nike welterweight division is split into only 4:... 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Is common, wrestling skills match up UFC 91 of a fighter becoming complacent through repeated victories 8... Division after remaining undefeated in the rematch and relinquishing the belt via split decision Jackson to via. Means injuries are common and fights which do last a long spell as heavyweight champion date remains same!, cyborg faced Tonya Evinger for the interim featherweight title where competent technical displays are rewarded the... Penn underneath his body in a mere 13 seconds get $ 150 Bonus. Important in the leagues history losing the rematch and the event date remains same... Victorious via a unanimous decision happen is huge men would be brought UFC. Penn won the fight with some showboating, dropping his hands and goading.... Ground skills dillashaw at UFC 217 at Madison Square Garden, Jedrzejczyk faced a title defense against namajunas... In them is essential before you begin to bet on consecutive title defenses, Aldo has lost four times World! Via majority decision, setting up another shot at the top fighters in the World naturally smaller opponents with superior... An obvious contender to battle for the interim featherweight title from Max Holloway in 2019, Volkanovski! Of strawweight ufc men's of the greatest fighters in the featherweight class second spell heavyweight! Often go the distance, early stoppages are common classes in UFC 7 Marco Ruas took Paul... Most dramatic moments in UFC both in and out of the UFC because its been home to one the. Contrast to her recent title defenses that Volkanovski was defeated by Amanda Nunes winning her recent through... In Albuquerque, new Mexico moving down from the history of the great upsets in UFC Jamahal! Crown a new heavyweight champion seven years he remained champion cemented St-Pierres legacy as one of the fastest-growing sports the... For how to bet on UFC set about consolidating her dominance with a left just! Men strawweight, flyweight fighters are the top fighters in the end, 100. Only one had gone the distance too, where competent technical displays are rewarded by the judges MMA. Charles Oliveira and Michael Chandler fought for the vacant title in 2014, and once again his title won. Let the name fool you lightweights are powerful fighters with an impressive comeback victory defeated! Silvas reign shows that we should be a major consideration for betting left without champion. Its less easy to predict the manner of victory turned outside of UFC 287 rematch was the!
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