Is it time the UFC added a new 165 pound weight class to their roster? There’s no definitive proof the promotion is ready to pull the trigger on the idea, but there sure has been a lot of talk about it amongst fans and fighters. Rumors of a new 165 pound belt started to pop up near the start of 2018, when Conor McGregor reportedly offered to step up and take a last minute fight with Frankie Edgar at UFC 222. His condition? That it be for a 165 pound title.
That left a lot of people scratching their heads, but once the idea of a 165 pound division started to percolate in our minds, a lot of us started to like it quite a bit. It makes sense for the fighters, who often find themselves too big for lightweight but too small for welterweight. It would make sense for the UFC, given their need for title fights at the top of their PPV cards. And for those fans who like things to stay nice and even, it keeps things at simple 10 pound intervals up to middleweight.
There’s a lot of other ways a 165 pound division adds up. Make sure to watch our video that lays out the history of the UFC’s weight classes and the statistical reason why introducing ‘super lightweight’ makes sense. If you’ve got questions as to why the UFC needs another weight class, we’re sure they’ll be answered by the end of our explainer.
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