Weight advantage

[Hougigo]

I don't watch UFC that much, but is a huge weight gain an advantage in UFC? I know they fight for 15 minutes and stamina is an issue, but their strikes are heavier and it's that much harder to get taken down.
I heard McCall gained 25 pounds and is walking around 150 right now.... and that's bigger than Johnson has ever been.

[F l i c k e r]

Weight classes in mma are different than boxing.

boxing has like 3-4 lbs difference in weight classes. MMA is almost a full 10-15 lbs between weight classes. so it's not abnormal for a guy to jump in weight.

But weight, I think, really doesn't matter in MMA. Just look as recently as Mir-JDS. Mir was like 250? JDS was 230? JDS still mopped the floor with him.

Not a good comparison? Well, look at Koscheck-Johnson. Kos still won even though Johnson walks around like 230.

[Hougigo]

Weight classes in mma are different than boxing.

boxing has like 3-4 lbs difference in weight classes. MMA is almost a full 10-15 lbs between weight classes. so it's not abnormal for a guy to jump in weight.

But weight, I think, really doesn't matter in MMA. Just look as recently as Mir-JDS. Mir was like 250? JDS was 230? JDS still mopped the floor with him.

Not a good comparison? Well, look at Koscheck-Johnson. Kos still won even though Johnson walks around like 230.

Good analysis, thanks man.
How do you think this will affect the flyweight division though?
I mean, DJ has never weight more than 150.. supposedly ever and McCall will being going in at like 150.
This is a flyweight match, so I thought maybe it'll be more significant at smaller weight classes.

[F l i c k e r]

Good analysis, thanks man.
How do you think this will affect the flyweight division though?
I mean, DJ has never weight more than 150.. supposedly ever and McCall will being going in at like 150.
This is a flyweight match, so I thought maybe it'll be more significant at smaller weight classes.

it's definitely possible it could effect the match.

normally the smaller weight classes are all hands though. They hardly ever go to the ground, so there is a big chance that the weight never even comes into play.

Unless the added mass effects Johnson's punching power. But I really couldn't say, just going off of history. Unless it's a wrestler vs a non-wrestler, the weight advantage doesn't really come into play.

[Hougigo]

it's definitely possible it could effect the match.

normally the smaller weight classes are all hands though. They hardly ever go to the ground, so there is a big chance that the weight never even comes into play.

Unless the added mass effects Johnson's punching power. But I really couldn't say, just going off of history. Unless it's a wrestler vs a non-wrestler, the weight advantage doesn't really come into play.

From what I saw in the last match, Johnson had superior hand speed and was going in and out... tagged McCall with some good shots in the first... but when they got up close, McCall was able to do some damage.
In the Third, he was able to take him down multiple times and almost knocked him out with a vicious ground and pound.
JD gets taken down a little less than 50% of the time, but McCall was getting him with it in the third. Honestly, I think if he can take him down, he can win... if not... I don't see it happening.

[Japanese Boxing]

Weight plays a huge factor in MMA. A few years ago guys were trying to get same day weigh ins because it was getting so ridiculous. Guys like Tibau cut from like 190+ to get to 155. That's absolutely insane. Tito Ortiz used to cut from 240+ to get to 205. Again, he weighed more than JDS did on fight night and fought in a "smaller" guy division.

I think skill definitely can trump size, but size definitely helps.