What is the difference between MMA weight classes?

What is the difference between MMA weight classes?

The early days of MMA were truly wild. Many of the rules and regulations in place today, took years to be applied uniformly throughout the sport. This includes rules surrounding appropriate cage attire, the length of fights, and scoring methods. However, perhaps the biggest change made in the sport’s history has been the implementation of weight classes.

“Open-weight” fights were marketable in the infancy of the sport, but as MMA developed and fighters became more well-rounded as both strikers and grapplers, it was necessary to implement weight classes to keep things safe and competitive. Over the years the number of weight classes has continued to grow not just within the UFC, but within the sport as a whole.

The UFC currently has four women’s weight classes and eight men’s weight classes. 

UFC women’s weigh classes:

• Strawweight  (115 pounds)
• Flyweight (125 pounds)
• Bantamweight (135 pounds) 
• Featherweight (145 pounds)

UFC men’s weigh classes:

• Flyweight (125 pounds)
• Bantamweight (135 pounds) 
• Featherweight (145 pounds) 
• Lightweight (155 pounds)
• Welterweight (170 pounds) 
• Middleweight (185 pounds) 
• Light Heavyweight (205 pounds)
• Heavyweight (265 pounds)

While the names of the weight divisions are generally the same across all MMA organizations, not all organizations have the same weight classes. For example, Bellator has all of the same weight classes as the UFC, except that they don’t have a men’s flyweight division or a women’s strawweight or bantamweight division. 

What are the PFL weight divisions?

The Professional Fighter's League is a new MMA organization and runs a season tournament format. They only have six weight classes, for now.

PFL women’s weigh classes:

• Lightweight (155 pounds)

PFL men’s weigh classes:

• Featherweight (145 pounds) 
• Lightweight (155 pounds)
• Welterweight (170 pounds) 
• Light Heavyweight (205 pounds)
• Heavyweight (265 pounds)

What are the ONE Championship weight divisions?

ONE Championship is unique in their own right, in that they use different names for its weight classes. They also have a unique weight class within the men’s division, that other organizations do not (225 pounds).

ONE women’s weigh classes:

• Atomweight (115 pounds)
• Strawweight (125 pounds)

ONE men’s weigh classes:

• Strawweight (125 pounds)
• Flyweight (135 pounds)
• Bantamweight (145 pounds)
• Featherweight (155 pounds)
• Lightweight (170 pounds)
• Welterweight (185 pounds)
• Middleweight (205 pounds)
• Light Heavyweight (225 pounds)
• Heavyweight (265 pounds)