The main idea behind weight classes is, of course, setting a level playing field for the different fighters. Another result of the weight classes is for fans to know how much the fighters weigh, making the sport a little more understandable and relatable. If I know that a fighter weighs approximately the same as me, I can compare myself to him.

Boxing, where weigh-ins started, was never a very institutionalized sport. It was always a sport in which fights were made ad-hoc, and in which the different promoters had to go through a lot of negotiations to be able to make these fights. There was never a very orderly, rank driven kind of management for matchmaking. So the treatment the weigh-ins always got was similarly not very professional. Fighters could do pretty much whatever they wanted, as long as they stand on that scale and make weight once, usually the day before the fight.

MMA adopted this amateurish attitude, because for a long time, MMA was also a sport without some central organization which could organize it all in a more professional, safe fashion.  Now finally (and after ONE championship has declared its implementation of similar measures a few months ago) the UFC has announced new weigh-in rules, for the safety of the fighters.

I agree that the safety of the fighters is the most important thing. but there is another factor to consider, and that is the the effect on the fans.

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Fight Matrix updates the Current MMA Rankings once a week. As the deepest and most inclusive ranking system in the sport, fights all over the globe can have a major impact on the rankings. Let’s take a look at the biggest risers in the divisional rankings. The number in parenthesis is the number of spots that the fighter moved up from the last issued rankings. For the purpose of this article, fighters who were unranked in the previous ranking iteration are excluded.

Welterweight
Emil Weber Meek #9 (205)
In the most astounding upset of the weekend, Meek scored a first-round finish over Rousimar Palhares. Palhares came into the bout as the highest ranked fighter not signed to the UFC or Bellator. On the other hand, Meek was ranked 214th. With the victory, Meek moves all the way up to ninth, while Palhares fell to 11th.

Heavyweight
Adam Wieczorek #131 (74)
Wieczorek moved up 74 ranking spots with a victory over Zoumana Cisse under the Professional MMA League banner. With the victory, the Polish fighter’s record improved to 7-1. He has not lost since falling to recent UFC signee Marcin Tybura in his second professional fight in 2011.

Light Heavyweight
Przemyslaw Mysiala #96 (92)
You might remember Mysiala from his one-fight stint in Bellator back in 2013. He was Muhammed Lawal’s first opponent in the promotion and lost via knockout in the first round. Since then, Mysiala has gone 3-1-1 including back-to-back victories over Ryan White and Marcin Zontek. Following his victory over Zontek at last weekend’s Fight Exclusive Night 12 “Feel the Force” Mysiala moved up 92 spots and into the light heavyweight top 100.
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Fight Matrix updates the Current MMA Rankings once a week. As the deepest and most inclusive ranking system in the sport, fights all over the globe can have a major impact on the rankings. Let’s take a look at the biggest risers in the divisional rankings. The number in parenthesis is the number of spots that the fighter moved up from the last issued rankings. For the purpose of this article, fighters who were unranked in the previous ranking iteration are excluded.

Heavyweight
Daniil Arepyev #182 (38)
Lukasz Parobiec #203 (38)

Arepyev moved up 38 spots after earning credit for his April 30 victory over Denis Komkin. The Russian fighter is now 5-0 with five stoppage wins.

Parobiec earned his new ranking in somewhat unusual fashion. He earned a disqualification victory over Tom Aspinall on the BAMMA 25 undercard after receiving illegal downward elbows. The Berserkers Team representative is now 12-5 and 2-0 under the BAMMA banner.

Light Heavyweight
Antonio Rogerio Nogueira #15 (13)
There was not a lot of activity in the light heavyweight division. However, Nogueira made the most of his opportunity. On the same night that the promotion announced his brother’s entry into the UFC Hall of Fame, he scored a first-round knockout over Patrick Cummins. Per BestFightOdds.com, Nogueira had gotten as high as a +186 underdog in the lead up to the fight, and he had not tasted a victory in over three years.
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