We’ve seen or heard it multiple times: fans asking UFC CEO Dana White to launch a 165-pound division for men.
A memorable journalist/personality named The Schmo once went viral because of his delivery and expertly delivered plea to White for the weight class. In case you’ve never seen it, take a look:
However, the face of the world’s biggest mixed martial arts promotion has not only continued to shut down the idea, but he went even harder against it during the UFC 303 post-event press conference.
Following the scramble that led to Diego Lopes defeating Dan Ige at a 165-pound catchweight on Saturday night in the co-main event, a reporter asked if the fan-friendly scrap softened White on the idea and if we’d ever see a 165-pound division.
White quickly responded, “Never. Not while I’m here.” I’m not sure why White is so adamant about the weight class. Perhaps he feels it would dilute the overall roster, but several reasons exist to support a 165-pound weight division.
The leap from 155 (lightweight) to 170 (welterweight) is one of the most significant gaps between weight classes. Only the jump from middleweight (185) to light heavyweight (205) is bigger. Dropping a weight class between lightweight and welterweight could provide an option for fighters who struggle to make 155 pounds but are too small to fight at welterweight.
Kevin Lee is one of the most noteworthy tweeners that come to mind in recent years. The Detroit native was a serious title contender at 155 pounds, but he struggled to get over the hump and never actually got to the point to challenge for a title.
Lee did lose to Tony Ferguson in a fight for the latter’s interim title, but he never challenged for the undisputed crown. While Lee had three fights in the UFC at welterweight and even one at the 165-pound catchweight, he never found his footing in a weight class. Conor McGregor might be in a similar conundrum.
McGregor won a title at 145 pounds (which he used to look like death trying to make featherweight) and a second belt at 155 pounds. As he’s aged, it doesn’t look realistic for him to make lightweight, so he seems destined to fight at 170 pounds if he ever returns to the Octagon.
However, because he’s McGregor, and any appearance in any weight class would be a draw, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him fighting at a catchweight–perhaps even at 165 pounds.
In any case, the UFC doesn’t seem against having the occasional fight at 165 pounds, but there will never be a full-fledged, title-supported division while White is calling the shots.
