Should Bellator Make the Division Change First?

[Mentallooser]

This thread isn't really about whether you agree with making 165 and 175 or not. Let's assume, for the sake of this thread, that there is an overall favorable opinion towards the creation of those two weight classes. With Dana White consistently saying it will never happen and the things he often does, would Coker be smart to create those changes first? He might even allow the winner of his WW tournament to decide whether that belt will go with them to 165 or 175 when the tournament is over.

The problem is obvious. Bellator obviously doesn't have anywhere near the depth of the UFC, and therefore may not be able to sustain another division right now. Then again, Bellator allows a lot more moving around in weight anyway and has done a good job of pulling over free agents for new opportunities. Working with Rizin and making some clever moves COULD potentially make this a game-changing move for them.

How do you all feel about this?

 

[ThunderL1ps]

Differentiate yourself from your competitors and offer the fans something different. A division can be built.

Go out and sign some fighters for a new division that may give them a new lease on their career.

Edit: UFC will eventually imitate to try to squash the competition and come up with an excuse as to why they flip flopped on it. They said they would never get into WMMA and they did. UFC will follow suit if they think they can get more headliners/money out of their roster.

A great way to do a tournament, which the UFC won't ever do.

 

[TheBrownRanger]

I honestly can't imagine how thin Bellator's weight classes will get if they introduce 165.

Bellator relies on about 8-10 top fighters in each weight class. Introducing 165 would probably cut those numbers in half.

 

[Mentallooser]

Differentiate yourself from your competitors and offer the fans something different. A division can be built.

Go out and sign some fighters for a new division that may give them a new lease on their career.

Edit: UFC will eventually imitate to try to squash the competition and come up with an excuse as to why they flip flopped on it. They said they would never get into WMMA and they did. UFC will follow suit if they think they can get more headliners/money out of their roster.

A great way to do a tournament, which the UFC won't ever do.

I agree. Anyone hoping to compete with UFC needs to give themselves an opportunity to differentiate themselves and draw some attention. The chances of it being the catalyst for an explosion in popularity are next to none, but I can't think of many other opportunities that they would have.

 

[Mentallooser]

I honestly can't imagine how thin Bellator's weight classes will get if they introduce 165.

Bellator relies on about 8-10 top fighters in each weight class. Introducing 165 would probably cut those numbers in half.

That's the biggest downside. They have a thin division. Coker has grown divisions with minimal moving pieces before, but this would be something unprecedented. One of the big draws for these divisions in the UFC is that there are fighters we can point to directly as benefitting from these changes. In Bellator, I don't really know what current fighters would benefit from it.

 

[Go Go Plata]

TBH I would love to have some WEC style promotions that just focus on 2-3 divisions.

 

[mime]

would be interesting especially if they build the new divisions with tournaments but i doubt they do it

 

[Kingz]

They were first on Women’s 125 and I’m sure that didn’t stop the shills from considering whatever shit the UFC initially threw together for that division to be the end all be all of women’s 125

165 is pointless. Telling that the biggest crusaders for it are middle of the road veterans from 155 and 170

 

[mallen7272]

Wow this never even crossed my mind. Solid thread TS

 

[executionermma]

No. They don't have enough talent for that, UFC does.

 

[HaulParris]

TBH I would love to have some WEC style promotions that just focus on 2-3 divisions.

I agree. If UFC does fold FLW, for example, it would be great to have a WEC-style promotion with maybe FLW - LW classes only. It could even be a feeder-league like Invicta or RFA, meaning dudes/gals from there could develop and then move up into UFC.

 

[RizinSon88]

I'm sure they could lure in some lower-echelon LW talent from RIZIN, UFC and PFL with the promise of a new division...10 LWs who don't want to do the weight cut can be found worldwide.