The Weight-Cutting Begins

A few weeks ago I made a passing comment about how many UFC Lightweights would be dropping weight to fight in the featherweight division now that they can keep pulling UFC paychecks and fighting on the big cards. Nostradamus I am not but I hit this one square on the head. Kenny Florian (left) and Tyson Griffin (right) have already expressed their plans to cut 145 pounds for their next fight. Two fighters do not constitute a mass exodus but it does signal what is to come. Florian and Griffin are important for two major reasons. First, both are well-known, talented, former contenders. These are not guys that can’t hack it 155 pounds. Both have found significant success there and will be immediate contenders at featherweight. Kenny Florian has had two shots at the lightweight title and Tyson Griffin has found himself a win away on more than one occasion. This brings us securely to the second point, both Florian and Griffin are representative of a class of fighters that get stuck right below the top tier of champions. Both men have enough talent to give anyone at 155 pounds a run for their money and constantly find themselves with the upper hand over mid-level competition. They are in an awkward spot, prime of their career and stuck below the title picture. A move down could bring new life to each’s career. The adjustment in weight will tweak their skill sets a bit. Their bodies will be more well equipped to put weight on after weigh-ins; they have more big fight experience and should find themselves stronger in comparison at 145. The move is good for both fighters, who could find their way back to 155 after they develop a little bit at their new weight and gain some momentum. I don’t expect this to be the last of the moves we see like this. More fighters will find that they are reaching their limits at 155 pounds and decide to see what they can do at 145. Most of them will likely move with no fan-fair but will fundamentally alter the face of both divisions.