ABC tries their hand at MMA rules

The Association of Boxing Commissions (ABC) just released their new ‘unified’ rules for mixed martial arts. While clearly clarifying some rules, such as what constitutes the ‘back of the head (Herb Dean needs to read that) there is some controversy, namely the men's new weight classes (see below).

flyweight (up to 105 lbs), super flyweight (over 105.1 to 115 lbs), bantamweight (over 115.1 to 125 lbs), super bantamweight (over 125.1 to 135 lbs), featherweight (over 135.1 to 145 lbs), lightweight (over 145.1 to 155 lbs), super lightweight (over 155.1 to 165 lbs), welterweight (over 165.1 to 175 lbs), super welterweight (over 175.1 to 185 lbs), middleweight (over 185.1 to 195 lbs), super middleweight (over 195.1 to 205 lbs), light heavyweight (over 205.1 to 225 lbs), heavyweight (over 225.1 to 265 lbs), and super heavyweight (over 265.1 lbs).

While everyone is for breaking down economic barriers and making conformity for a more efficient business (just look at the E.U. there currency is killing ours!) I am not sure if the conformity presented by ABC’s weight classes is good. Principally MMA is still an extremely young sport with still a small number of athletes. I am not sure if dividing the talent into more precise weight classes at this time is wise or prudent. However there are several divisions that are extremely talented and deep such as welterweight, light heavyweight and lightweight and it could be argued that new divisions allow more talent to rise to the top. Or so the argument goes. But thin divisions like the heavyweight and middleweight divisions would become even weaker.

Presently Boxing is having the problem of too many titles in too many organizations in too many weight classes and is in the process of trying to unify as many as possible. Why should MMA take a page out of the boxing book (cause its worked so well for them) and partition talent into new weight classes. Besides MMA is trying to take the lessons of boxing by having more emphasis on promotions and hoping they act like leagues (i.e. the UFC is the NBA while Afflcition is the ABA and EliteXC is the D-league). Plus promotions are able to market talent as a whole essentially cutting out the Don King ‘boxing manager/promoter’ role (something everyone thinks is a good idea). If the talent was to further separate it would make marketing marquee fights and fighters that much more difficult.

Basically the ABC needs to make an MMA committee and stop simply asking ‘Big’ John McCarthy what to do. One guy as a source of information is never a good policy just ask the Bush Administration.