TraMaI

Okay so I've been training for MMA for over a year (almost two) and I'm almost ready to go into local shows. Originally I wanted to fight at WW, but since I've been training hard for the past couple months I've cut a lot more weight than I expected. As of right now I walk around at 170 and probably have somewhere between 10-7% body fat (judging from a few articles I've seen and my physique, my abs show but aren't totally defined, my arms are toned but not "ripped"). I'm 6' even and I'm wondering if I should just cut down to LW or if I should put on more muscle? For those of you who do fight, how did you pick your weight class? Did you just stay where you landed? Thanks for the help

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dontazo

cutting 25 pounds is brutal ... fight IN WW imo

Fedor>all

This probably sounds really gay, but have you got any pics?

How do you fare against guys the same weight as you in the gym? If they're bigger than you, and it really makes a dramatic impact on how your perform, then cutting may be your best (and toughest) option if you want to be successful.

Thanks for posting this thread though, I've been wondering the same thing.

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kamikaze145

I would say start off at WW and get some experience, if you are having problems with people's strength and size and not just technical problems then consider the drop to LW

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My fight:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPTC7eLM_5M

Tripod87

Well if you're at 170 7-10% body fat at 170 pounds, you can probably lose a permanent 2 pounds of fat or so to be around 168. From there, depending if you have actual weight cutting experience (high school wresting as an example), then I would definitely cut down to LW. 13-15 pounds isn't easy, but it's definitely doable if you're willing to sacrifice.

If you do plan on staying at WW though, I really do think you need to seriously bulk up, not so much for the weight issue, but for the strength issue. 6' 170 pounds is relatively small (especially for a fighter). I would shoot for gaining 5 pounds of pure muscle, obviously targetting your core, back and hips the most. I'm not trying to offend you by saying your small or anything, just trying to help you out and let you know what I think about the routes you should go.

Honestly, going either weight class is an option, and one choice is not better than the other choice. But whichever you choose, you will have to sacrifice and work, whether it is cutting weight or gaining weight. Good luck!

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ManofAction

I say go with LW, you will probably have a good reach advantage on most of them. Work the Jab!

TraMaI

My trainer fights at LW and he's 6'2''..

As far as in my gym, I train with about 5 other guys regularly. One is about 165 (fights LW) and I can toss him around easy. Another is around 195-205, and I can beat him fairly easy too, but he's nowhere near my skill (not trying ot be cocky, its the truth, kids been training for almost 3 months). The other guy I actuall have trouble beating is between 175-185. He's probably at about 7-10% too, and he has a shit load of muscle. He's easily stronger than me and almost at my skill level and learnign very quickly. There are a couple others who come out, but they're fairly raw so I don't count them as real competition (ones around 145, the other is another LHW). I have no problrm strength wise with any of them, I think I match up with the MW almost evenly in the strength department. I don't know if that helps anything (fairly random set of data) but yeah...


@tripod:

I'm not taking any offense to any of that, thanks But one question, how is 6' 170 small for a fighter? I believe GSP is 5'10'' or somethign like that? I also have a fairly stocky build, broad shoulders from when I used to play football.

I also dont know how much this means but I THINK I have fairly long arms. I have about two inches of reach on my trainer (6'2'' guy), and there's a guy who's roughly 6'4'' I went to school with and we're about even.

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MJB23

Do you have any prior weight cutting experience like high school wrestling?

If you do then I would cut to 155.

If not then stay at 170 for a match or two and see how you do there. If you're having trouble dealing with your opponents size then I would try to cut down to 155.

Ultimately it comes down to what you are comfortable at. If you are comfortable fighting at 170 then stay at 170 and try to gain some more muscle. If you think you can make the cut to 155 in a healthy way then cut but you have to listen to your body and if you can't cut that much weight don't do it.

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Tripod87

Well, you actually kind of proved my point heh. You have to remember that GSP probably walks around at 185-190 and is only 5'10". Same with guys like hughes who is even shorter, but still walk at/around that weight. So the fact that you walk around at ~15 pounds under them and are taller than them by ~2-3 inches does imply you are quite small for your height. Now of course I don't expect you to be like those guys, they are professionals. But you do need to gain some more muscle mass to fight at 170 imo.

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Zuke

Here's a crazy idea:

Instead of asking a bunch of guys on a forum. As your coach!! See the guys you train with and make an educated guess. Go see a professional. This is not shit to ask a bunch of 19yr olds on the net.