The UFC has clearly established itself as the mixed martial arts competition of the world. It's the competition every MMA fighter wants to compete in at some point in their careers. A lot of professional fighters would even take a lower fight purse just to compete in the UFC. However, some featherweight/lightweight fighters who dream of being in the UFC, simply cannot for a couple of reasons. First, the UFC strongly prefers heavier and bigger looking fighters even for their lightweight division (e.g. 170lb fighters who cut weight to make 155lbs). Second, it doesn't make complete sense to be a fighter who walks at 150lbs, for example, to face a talented fighter who walks around at 170lbs.
So where do all the talented fighters in the world below 155lbs go? A lot of them hope the UFC will start a lighter division, but I'm not sure that will happen any time soon. The WEC has positioned itself to be a competition that highlights lighter fighters, yet, the WEC does not have the same popularity and impact as the UFC. There are always MMA organizations in Japan that like light fighters, but they generally do not pay much.
Are the top MMA competitions solely for heavier fighters? I understand that the general public like watching bigger and stronger fighters go against each other. However, many fight fans know that lighter fighters can put on a great show of athleticism and technique. I recently read about a person who tried out for a 155lb spot on the Ultimate Fighter. The person seemed to have the skill and the right personality for the show; but, he just was "too small." His walking weight was around 155lbs, but the producers wanted people who were heavier and who would cut weight to fight.
I don't know what's in store for guys like Uriah Faber, Kid Yamamoto, etc. Maybe their respective organizations (e.g. the WEC) will truly be the top competitions for lighter weight fighters. Who knows. As one of the "small guys" in the sport though, I'd love to see featherweights get more credit and more exposure.
On another note, I just realized that "Crazy" Tim Credeur is in this season of Ulimate Fighter. Tim belongs to the BJJ Revolution Team and is a BJJ Black Belt. We used to train together in La Habra, CA when Rodrigo Medeiros and John Ouano were teaching there. Now, Leo Viera has taken over the school. (For a while, Javier Vasquez had his own school there.) It was nice to see him there and I hope he does well.
Just some random thoughts for today. I'm preparing for a big exam and have to get back to studying. . .
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Featherweight and Lightweight Fighters Who Want to Fight in the UFC
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