Dana White "Working on" Details for Women's 115-Pound Weight Class

[Swinny]

Dana White ‘working on’ details for women’s 115-pound weight class

Company president Dana White confirmed on Saturday that a women’s strawweight division is on its way to the UFC. When and where said division will debut? Those details still remain a mystery.

“We’re just working on it,â€￾ White told MMAjunkie of when the 115-pound division will debut. “I really don’t have any details yet, but we’re interested in it and trying to figure out how to do it.â€￾

With the women’s bantamweight division being introduced earlier this year, White previously said another women’s division wouldn’t come along for the foreseeable future. That tone changed this week when White revealed the UFC would introduce a 10th weight class that would feature 115-pound female fighters. When asked what prompted his change of heart, White pointed out the caliber of fighters in the division was the most attractive quality.

“It’s a good division,â€￾ White said. “It’s full of talent, and we like it.â€￾

As of now, a majority of the world’s elite strawweight talent is signed to other organizations. The all-female promotion Invicta FC has a wealth of quality fighters that would make a perfect addition to the division when it inevitably comes together. A majority of those fighters could be locked up in exclusive deals, though, which would make signing with the UFC explicitly more difficult.

In the past the UFC has purchased other promotions as a means of obtaining talent, but in this circumstance, White says attempting to buy out Invicta would be a blow to the overall development of women’s MMA.

“We can’t just go out and buy up all these companies and make them go away,â€￾ White said. “These companies need to exist. If Invicta went away, it’s an outlet for women to get fights, get experience, get paid – it would not be good if that went away.â€￾

For now, White is focused on hammering out the necessary details for the UFC’s fifth new weight class in just under three years and is eager to create the division and give women in the sport more opportunities.

“I like it,â€￾ White said. “I’m working on it.â€￾

MMAJunkie

 

[Smart Marx]

Are there really enough female fighters to have two weight classes? And is there enough of a difference that they can't all compete in the same one?

 

[Swinny]

Are there really enough female fighters to have two weight classes? And is there enough of a difference that they can't all compete in the same one?

Yes and yes.

There's a 20 pound difference. It's like forcing a natural middleweight to gain weight and go from 185 to 205 or going all the way from bantamweight at 135 to lightweight at 155. Look at some of the guys in those two weight classes and there's a huge difference and they're clearly not going to be at their best if it's not their natural weight class.

And there's a lot of 115 pounders, they could easily have a good division with them. Invicta has a whole promotion putting on women's fights with weight classes from 105-145, so the UFC with all its power and influence and everyone wanting to fight there can easily do two.

 

[Smart Marx]

Yes and yes.

There's a 20 pound difference. It's like forcing a natural middleweight to gain weight and go from 185 to 205 or going all the way from bantamweight at 135 to lightweight at 155. Look at some of the guys in those two weight classes and there's a huge difference and they're clearly not going to be at their best if it's not their natural weight class.

And there's a lot of 115 pounders, they could easily have a good division with them. Invicta has a whole promotion putting on women's fights with weight classes from 105-145, so the UFC with all its power and influence and everyone wanting to fight there can easily do two.

According to the article most of the fighters in Invicta would be under contract. So Dana might have trouble getting fighters for a new weight class.

Also I didn't mean to imply that girls at 115 should cut weight or vice versa. I meant that there could be an open weight women's division.

I really couldn't see a fighter weighing 105 having that much of a disadvantage fighting some in 115 range.

 

[Swinny]

According to the article most of the fighters in Invicta would be under contract. So Dana might have trouble getting fighters for a new weight class.

Also I didn't mean to imply that girls at 115 should cut weight or vice versa. I meant that there could be an open weight women's division.

I really couldn't see a fighter weighing 105 having that much of a disadvantage fighting some in 115 range.

But the people in the 155 range are cutting weight too, so you're looking at someone who could be 130 pounds or more when the fight comes if they really cut a lot of weight.

Besides, I'm pretty sure open weight fights are illegal in most commissions and even if it wasn't you couldn't have someone like Cyborg or a chick who is an absolutely killer fighting someone that weighed that much less than her because some serious, serious damage could be done.

As for women being under contract with Invicta, I do believe they have a deal with the UFC that would allow their talent to go over there and if not I don't think their contracts are very long anyway.

 

[Smart Marx]

But the people in the 155 range are cutting weight too, so you're looking at someone who could be 130 pounds or more when the fight comes if they really cut a lot of weight.

Besides, I'm pretty sure open weight fights are illegal in most commissions and even if it wasn't you couldn't have someone like Cyborg or a chick who is an absolutely killer fighting someone that weighed that much less than her because some serious, serious damage could be done.

As for women being under contract with Invicta, I do believe they have a deal with the UFC that would allow their talent to go over there and if not I don't think their contracts are very long anyway.

I'm confused by what the weight classes are currently. The way I understood it there would only be a 10 to 20 lb difference between most fighters.

I suppose if he can get the fighters to make it work, he'll make it work.

But, I am a little perplexed as to why he'd want to try to maintain 10 weight classes with so little space for them all on current cards.

 

[Swinny]

I'm confused by what the weight classes are currently. The way I understood it their would only be a 100 to 20 lb difference between most fighters.

I suppose if he can get the fighters to make it work, he'll make it work.

But, I am a little perplexed why he'd want to try to maintain 10 weight classes with so little space for them all on current cards.

There's plenty of space though. There's 12 or 13 fights on a card and with the 115 weight class there will be 10 weight classes and with a card almost every week or two these days they have plenty of events, plenty of fights and plenty of space.

 

[The Great Cochrane]

I'm pretty sure if this was to happen the death of invicta would be on us and Cyborg would have no choice but to come to the UFC.

 

[Swinny]

I'm pretty sure if this was to happen the death of invicta would be on us and Cyborg would have no choice but to come to the UFC.

Not at all. Invicta still has 105, 125 and 145 that the UFC doesn't and there's always going to be girls that need to prove themselves before going to the UFC and that's where Invicta will come in for the 115 and 135ers.

 

[The Great Cochrane]

Even if Invicta does become a start league for female UFC hopefuls, it'll definitely have the same fate as Pride, Elite XC, WEC, and Strikeforce.. with Bellator soon to follow that suit.

Happens to all promotions that get bought by Zuffa.

 

[Swinny]

Even if Invicta does become a start league for female UFC hopefuls, it'll definitely have the same fate as Pride, Elite XC, WEC, and Strikeforce.. with Bellator soon to follow that suit.

Happens to all promotions that get bought by Zuffa.

If it gets bought by Zuffa yeah, but that hasn't happened yet.

And Zuffa had control of the WEC for years before they folded, so I'd expect the same thing to happen with Invicta and either way it should still be around for awhile.