Cruiserweight: Do we need another division above 205?

Much is brought up in MMA and boxing about the creation of an additional division that splits the gargantuan Heavyweights from their slightly smaller counterparts.

One of the data elements that I have recently added and started populating the database with are official weigh-in weights.

The sample set so far is small, but in 166 non-draw official fights where both fighters weighed in at different weights, but above 210 (our Light Heavyweight limit), 87 were won by the lighter fighter, and 79 won by the heavier fighter (47.6%).

Now, here’s a strange one. When you allow for mismatches and include matches in which only one fighter had to weigh above 210, the total tally increases to 191 and the gap widens, with the heavier fighter only winning 86 (45.0%).

This should be interesting to revisit later down the road when more data is available.

For the record, across the board, the heavier fighter has won 51.5% of the time.