McGregor wants to see more divisions in MMA,or he could be driven from t…
Conor McGregor: “It’s a horrible, horrible part of the business, and if I could come in and help a situation like that, I believe I would like to come in and spearhead many more divisions in the game.”
There are too many weight divisions in boxing, and the gaps between them too small. For example, there are three divisions in the first 8.8 pounds. There are too few weight divisions in mixed martial arts, and the gaps between them are too large. For example, there is one division between 185 and 205.
Some progressive commissioners like ABC president and director of the Mohegan Tribal Department of Athletic Regulation Mike Mazzulli recognize champions outside the Unified Rules. And California executive director Andy Foster has put together a 10-point program to combat the culture of extreme weight cutting in mixed martial arts that includes the addition of new divisions at 165 (super lightweight), 175 (super welterweight), 195 (super middleweight), and 225 pounds (cruiserweight).
Fans would get better fights. Promotions would get less fights canceled due to failed cuts. And fighters wouldn’t ruin their health having to suffer near fatal levels of dehydration.
During a recent interview with The Mac Life, former UFC champ champ Conor McGregor cited weight-cutting as one of the two things that could cause his exit.
If there’s two things that will keep me away from this game, it’s the intense media obligations and the weight cuts, said McGregor, as transcribed by Milan Ordoñez for BE. Right now, they always seem to come together at the same damn time.
There’s a lot of work involved in the media and a lot of different type of energy, and of course, factor that in when you’re cutting weight. It’s not enjoyable at all. The weight cuts are ruthless. I’ve gone through every single one of them throughout the years.
This is the game we’re in. It’s a horrible, horrible part of the business, and if I could come in and help a situation like that, I believe I would like to come in and spearhead many more divisions in the game. So we can figure this whole situation out.
There should be many more weights to choose from. 155 to 170, it’s a 15-pound gap.
There’s definitely space for more divisions, and something needs to be done. Where we can keep an eye on the way people are cutting weight, and manage it. And make the sport more enjoyable for the athletes that are actually competing.
You’ll get better fights for it. You’ll get fighters that are able to do extraordinary things when they are going in full of energy and correctly prepared. Rather than killing themselves. So if I could do something, that would be something I would be interested in doing.
McGregor challenges UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov in the main event of UFC 229. It is expected to be the biggest PPV bout in MMA history.