Dana White: UFC 'working on' introduction of women's 115-pound division

[Dale]

In 2012, the UFC launched its flyweight division. In 2013 it was the women's bantamweights. Now, according to UFC President Dana White, promotion officials are "working on" the introduction of a 115-pound women's strawweight division.

White revealed the plans while speaking to FoxSports.com's The Fighter & The Kid podcast.


"People care (about the women). I didn't see it (coming)," White said.


"The thing that's really cool about it is, just like you said, there's a lot of other women's sports that a lot of people don't care about, and a lot of people don't support, and a lot of people don't follow. On The Ultimate Fighter right now that's airing, the women are out-rating the men. When the women fight, ratings are up 44-percent.


"It's pretty cool," White continued. "I never in a million years thought that it would take off the way it has. I'll even give you guys something that nobody knows yet. We're actually working on bringing in another division right now for women, which I said wouldn't happen for a long time."


When asked whether he was referring to a 125-pound or 145-pound addition, White clarified that the UFC has instead settled on the 115-pound strawweight division.


White did not reveal a timetable for the launch of the new weight class, which would be the tenth in the UFC and second for the women.


Former Strikeforce champion Ronda Rousey and Liz Carmouche launched the women's bantamweight division on February 23, 2013 at UFC 157 to great success, drawing an estimated 400,000 to 500,000 pay-per-view buys.


Several of the top women strawweights fighters in the world currently compete for Invicta FC, including champ Carla Esparza, Claudia Gadel, and Felice Herrig. Additionally, top-ranked strawweight Jessica Aguilar recently signed with World Series of Fighting.

Bet [MENTION=718]The Cork[/MENTION] is over the moon about more midgets being introduced :dana:

I'll give it a chance when it actually emerges especially given how well the women have done in the UFC so far.

 

[Deezy]

I can't speak for anyone else, but I don't want to see twigs fight twigs, wheres the 150 lb womens division? Give me some bitches that can knock another bitch the fuck out.

Supermodel body types? Fuck that, gimme some chicks who can do damage, then I'll be interested, until....This gimmick will oversaturate itself, much like the UFC is doing to their product and eventually those curiosity ratings are going to plummet.

 

[Slim]

I'm just like wow... really? 115? please no. get a little bigger man.

 

[Embrace Thou Maryse]

115 is where all the talent is at if you know anything about WMMA. 145+ is just Cyborg crushing cans.

 

[Slim]

Doesn't matter. I would just really prefer to not see smaller and smaller fighters.

 

[Embrace Thou Maryse]

They're the better fighters though, and Dana and co. can stick them on posters and sell tickets with their bodys as well.

 

[Deezy]

What's next.........Midget MMA?

Still a joke imo. First hot chick that busts up her nose and breaks her orbital bone, is the last time people will be interested in WMMA. You watch an uncomfortable beatdown and that's all she wrote, look what happened to Stirkeforces womens division after Cyborg beat the fuck out of Gina Carano. Rousey and Tate to got less viewers on their show?

 

[The Cork]

They've barely established the WEC weight classes, and flyweight is seriously thin, should prol concentrate on those rather than add some pigeon chested anorexic brauds.

 

[Dale]

Rousey and Tate to got less viewers on their show?

Not entirely sure what you mean by this, but the women's fights on TUF this season were something silly like up 40% on the mens fights the week before.

For whatever reason, there's interest surrounding the women.

 

[Deezy]

Curiosity viewing only lasts so long.

 

[Embrace Thou Maryse]

Depends how long the women can fight like old school UFC fighters and keep wall n stall, lay n pray jabfests out of WMMA. Hasn't been a boring womens fight in the UFC yet.

 

[Deezy]

Depends how long the women can fight like old school UFC fighters and keep wall n stall, lay n pray jabfests out of WMMA. Hasn't been a boring womens fight in the UFC yet.

This is why I said wmma is like Royce vs everybody else atm