UFC 130 Fight Card: Thiago Alves and 8 Fighters Who Need to Move Up in Weight
Whether they need to move up in weight because they have trouble making it or because they are having trouble finding competition, it can be a challenging and demanding option for many fighters and champions. This article will focus on the first of those two.
Fighting at a lower weight gives them advantages of being the bigger guy when they finally get into the fight, but a bad weight cut can zap them of their energy—fast. The argument to that is the current status of Frankie Edgar, an "undersized" but successful champion in the lightweight division.
Weight-cutting has been figured down to a science, but it can attribute to health problems later on in a fighter's career. Is it really worth it?
These are eight fighters that should consider moving up in weight if they don't want to find out the answer to that question.
No. 8: Jake Shields
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Jake Shields is the former EliteXC welterweight champion and Strikeforce middleweight champion.
His 15-fight win streak recently came to an end when UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St. Pierre defeated him at UFC 129.
Shields has had tough weight cuts before and his worst one came against Martin Kampmann at UFC 121. Visibly fatigued and tired, Shields struggled to beat the Danish-kickboxer, but eeked out a split-decision over three rounds.
If a fighter has shown success at a higher weight as Shields has, there is no reason to struggle to drop weight. He should move up to middleweight and he would have a good chance at making a run for the title if he does so. He will be in a lot better shape, too.
No. 7: Gabe Ruediger
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Former WEC Lightweight Champion Gabe Ruediger hasn't had any trouble making the 155 lb. weight limit in the UFC, but he is most remembered for his tremendous weight cut on the fifth season of The Ultimate Fighter.
A drastic weight cut had climaxed into a trip in an ambulance after he was found face-down outside the TUF house. He even requested a colonic to help him make weight.
The UFC denied him his chance to fight and removed him from the show. He did find his way back into the UFC where he dropped back-to-back losses in 2010 and 2011.
No. 6: Travis Lutter
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Ultimate Fighter winner Travis Lutter has been fighting in the middleweight division for most of his career, but he also has fought in the light-heavyweight division.
A bad weight cut forced him to come into his middleweight title bout with Anderson Silva overweight, removing his chances of winning the title.
He has only fought four times in the past four years and a 1-3 record isn't enough to keep his hopes of returning to the biggest organization anytime soon.
A return to the light-heavyweight division should be his next option. A reason for his lack of success can be attributed to his bad weigh cuts.
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No. 5: Paul Daley
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In Paul Daley's last seven fights, three of them have been catchweight bouts after the knockout-puncher missed the welterweight limit each time.
Besides having an effect on a fighter's health, missing weight because of a bad weight cut can take it's toll on their guaranteed payment for the fight.
In bouts versus Jorge Masvidal and Dustin Hazelett, Daley came in overweight and was forced to forfeit 10 percent of his purse. He had to give Hazelett $1,800 for the missed weight.
At 5'9" Daley may be a bit undersized to fight at middleweight, but Mike Tyson was only 5'11" and fought at heavyweight, so why can't Daley find success at a higher weight class?
No. 4: Vitor Belfort
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Former UFC Light-Heavyweight Champion Vitor Belfort made his middleweight debut in 2008 versus Terry Martin.
Since then, he has gone 3-1, which includes a catchweight bout at 195 lbs. versus Rich Franklin.
For fighters like Belfort and Franklin, a 195 lb. weight class would be perfectly suitable for fighters that are too big for middleweight but too small for light-heavyweight.
It's the worst place to be because the LHW division contains the biggest disparity in weights with fighters dropping from 240 and below to make the 205 lb. weight limit.
His next bout will come against Yoshihiro Akiyama at UFC 133. It will happen in the middleweight division.
No. 3: James Irvin
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James Irvin has only won two fights since 2008, but he has no plans of retiring from the sport anytime soon.
The former WEC champion has fought in three different divisions throughout his career, including middleweight, light-heavyweight and heavyweight.
He fought in all three during his UFC career, which came to a halt when he suffered a defeat in his middleweight debut followed by a loss in the light-heavyweight division.
His most recent bout was against Mamed Khalidov in the light-heavyweight division. He missed weight by 15 pounds.
A move to the heavyweight division is the best option for him right now.
No. 2: Thiago Alves
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Former welterweight title challenger Thiago Alves has had several catchweight bouts, including one of his biggest fights versus Matt Hughes at UFC 85. He missed the 170 lb. weight limit by four lbs.
The second time he missed weight in the UFC was against Jon Fitch in their rematch at UFC 117. What followed was a very lackluster performance by a fighter many consider to be a top three welterweight. He lost a unanimous decision.
The weight he walks around at is around 200 lbs.—five lbs short of the light-heavyweight division. He may not have a size advantage in the middleweight division, but he would be a lot faster and his muay-thai kickboxing style would actually fair better against the middleweight elite.
His next bout will be against a tough wrestler in Rick Story at UFC 130.
No. 1: Anthony Johnson
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Anthony Johnson never has one fight as he approaches his next bout. A fight inside the Octagon always follows his fight on the scales and it makes him have one of the most anticipated weigh-ins of any fighter.
He announced on an episode of Inside MMA that he has dropped 55 lbs. already to make the 170 lb. weight limit.
He has missed weight twice in his nine-fight UFC career, including one by seven lbs. and a second by six lbs.
He showed a considerable improvement in his cardio in his last fight versus Dan Hardy, but many of his other fights he has been in that has gone past one round has turned into a cardio war.
His next fight will come against former middleweight Nate Marquardt. That may be one of the most interesting weigh-ins ever.
UFC 130: News, Results, Predictions and More
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