If you are here, it probably is for two reasons; the first one: are you going to start combat sports? Second one: you begin a combat sport.
It is expected that beginners ask this question because they still have not experience fighting.
If you are just curious more about the weight classes in martial arts, it is also the best place for you. So let’s go.
Why are there weight classes in combat sports? The weight classes in combat were made because the fighters must have the possibility to fight against an opponent of the same size, in the way that both fighters have the same amount of force or almost. Nowadays, the weight classes are very different from years ago, the modern fighter use, the weight-cutting that consists of drastic types of diet, and dehydration,to enter the weight classes that they are competing in.
The weight-in is not the same for all the combat sports, there are many differences in the weight category, and this is what we are going to talk about in the following part of the article, and much more, so let’s go.
How have weight classes born in combat sports?
Still, in 1900, there wasn’t a standard weight class for combat sport; these were doing damage to the fighter that was with a weight class less, but also to the watcher, because the fight was wholly mismatching and, the fighter with more weight was almost always destroying his opponent.
The first signal for correct implementation of the weight-in on combat sports happened thanks to boxing. They were on in 1909 by the National Sporting Club of London, and those in the 1920 Walker Law that established the New York State Athletic Commission (NYSAC).
A significant change in the weight classes also happened in 1960, with the WBA; the WBA introduces eight different weight-classes; thus, the fighters can move more easily from a class to another.
In general, the fighter after passing the age, they start from a lower weight class and end up their carrier, with much higher weigh classes, this is due to the difficult to maintain the weight after the advanced age, more in particular maintain the diet and dehydration for weight cutting.
Now it’s time to go more in-depth and see the different weight classes category for the main combat sports:
Boxing weight classes
If you are a newbies and you are not sure if start or not in boxing i can give you my 11 Reason Why boxing is considered a good martial art
Now have a more clear idea about boxing let’see go to see in details.
The boxing as we saw before, has eight classes, in particular, these are :
| Divisions | Weights |
|---|---|
| Heavyweight | 200+ lbs (+90.71 kg) |
| Light heavyweight | 168–175 lbs (76.20 - 79.37 kg) |
| Middleweight | 154–160 lbs (69.85 - 72.57 kg) |
| Welterweight | 140–147 lbs (63.50 - 66.67 kg) |
| Lightweight | 130–135 lbs (58.96 - 61.23 kg) |
| Featherweight | 122–126 lbs (55.33 - 57.15 kg) |
| Bantamweight | 115–118 lbs (52.16 - 53.52 kg) |
| Flyweight | 108–112 lbs (48.98 - 50.80 kg) |
In addition to the main eightcategory, in the past few years was introduced the tweener divisions”, mostly recognized with either a “super”, “light” or “junior, in front of the main eightcategory.
These weight classes category is:
| Divisions | Weights |
|---|---|
| Cruiserweight | 175–200 lbs (79.37 - 90.71 kg) |
| Super middleweight | 160–168 lbs (72.57 - 76.20 kg) |
| Light middleweight | 147–154 lbs (66.67 - 69.85 kg) |
| Light welterweight | 135–140 lbs (61.23 - 63.50 kg) |
| Super featherweight | 126–130 lbs (57.15 - 58.96 kg) |
| Super bantamweight | 118–122 lbs (53.52 - 55.33 kg) |
| Super flyweight | 112–115 lbs (50.80 - 52.16 kg) |
| Light flyweight | 105–108 lbs (47.62 - 48.98 kg) |
| Strawweight | 105 lbs (47.62 kg) |
In case you decide to increase or decrease of weight in the weight class, it is always suggested to improve your footworking skills, in order to give you more speed and be able to beat your opponent.
Judo weight classes
In general, the weight classes on judo are divided into seven weight divisions, but the judo limits can be modified, depending on the age of the competitors.
The standard table for the judo weight classes is the following:
| Men | Under 60 kg (130 lb; 9.4 st) | 60–66 kg (132–146 lb; 9.4–10.4 st) | 66–73 kg (146–161 lb; 10.4–11.5 st) | 73–81 kg (161–179 lb; 11.5–12.8 st) | 81–90 kg (179–198 lb; 12.8–14.2 st) | 90–100 kg (200–220 lb; 14–16 st) | Over 100 kg (220 lb; 16 st) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women | Under 48 kg (106 lb; 7.6 st) | 48–52 kg (106–115 lb; 7.6–8.2 st) | 52–57 kg (115–126 lb; 8.2–9.0 st) | 57–63 kg (126–139 lb; 9.0–9.9 st) | 63–70 kg (139–154 lb; 9.9–11.0 st) | 70–78 kg (154–172 lb; 11.0–12.3 st) | Over 78 kg (172 lb; 12.3 st) |
Kickboxing weight classes
The kickboxing weight classes, are verily depending upon the organizations; as we will see, the classes of the weight of kickboxing are different from the boxing. In almost all the case, it will be different also between the same martial art.
In the following part, I decide to insert the weight classes of kickboxing, choosing the most know competitions; if you are curious to know more kickboxing weight classes take a look here.
Glory utilizes the following weight classes:
| Weight class name | Upper limit |
|---|---|
| Bantamweight | 60 kg (132.3 lb) |
| Featherweight | 65 kg (143.3 lb) |
| Lightweight | 70 kg (154.3 lb) |
| Welterweight | 77 kg (169.8 lb) |
| Middleweight | 84 kg (185.2 lb) |
| Light Heavyweight | 95 kg (209.4 lb) |
| Heavyweight | No weight limit |
The International Kickboxing Federation (IKF) utilizes the following weight classes:
| Weight class name | Upper limit | Gender |
|---|---|---|
| Atomweight | 107 lb (48.534 kg) | Feminine |
| Strawweight | 112 lb (50.802 kg) | Feminine / Masculine |
| Flyweight | 117 lb (53.070 kg) | Feminine / Masculine |
| Bantamweight | 122 lb (55.338 kg) | Feminine / Masculine |
| Featherweight | 127 lb (57.606 kg) | Feminine / Masculine |
| Lightweight | 132 lb (59.874 kg) | Feminine / Masculine |
| Super Lightweight | 137 lb (62.142 kg) | Feminine / Masculine |
| Light Welterweight | 142 lb (64.410 kg) | Feminine / Masculine |
| Welterweight | 147 lb (66.678 kg) | Feminine / Masculine |
| Super Welterweight | 153 lb (69.400 kg) | Feminine / Masculine |
| Light Middleweight | 159 lb (72.121 kg) | Feminine / Masculine |
| Middleweight | 165 lb (74.843 kg) | Feminine / Masculine |
| Super Middleweight | 171 lb (77.564 kg) | Feminine / Masculine |
| Light Heavyweight | 178 lb (80.739 kg) | Masculine |
| Light Cruiserweight | 185 lb (83.915 kg) | Masculine |
| Cruiserweight | 195 lb (88.451 kg) | Masculine |
| Super Cruiserweight | 215 lb (97.522 kg) | Masculine |
| Heavyweight | 235 lb (106.594 kg) | Masculine |
| Super Heavyweight | No weight limit | Masculine |
The ONE Championship utilizes the following weight classes:
| Weight class name | Upper limit |
|---|---|
| Atomweight | 115 lb (52.163 kg) |
| Strawweight | 125 lb (56.699 kg) |
| Flyweight | 135 lb (61.235 kg) |
| Bantamweight | 145 lb (65.771 kg) |
| Featherweight | 155 lb (70.307 kg) |
| Lightweight | 170 lb (77.111 kg) |
| Welterweight | 185 lb (83.915 kg) |
| Middleweight | 205 lb (92.986 kg) |
| Cruiserweight | 225 lb (102.058 kg) |
| Heavyweight | 285 lb (129.274 kg) |
K-1 utilizes the following weight classes:
| Weight class name | Upper limit |
|---|---|
| Lightweight | 61 kg (134.5 lb) |
| Light Welterweight | 64 kg (141.1 lb) |
| Welterweight | 67 kg (147.7 lb) |
| Light Middleweight | 70 kg (154.3 lb) |
| Middleweight | 73 kg (160.9 lb) |
| Light Heavyweight | 76 kg (167.6 lb) |
| Heavyweight | 91 kg (200.6 lb) |
Superleague weight classes:
| Weight class name | Upper limit |
|---|---|
| Lightweight | 61 kg (134.5 lb) |
| Light Welterweight | 64 kg (141.1 lb) |
| Welterweight | 67 kg (147.7 lb) |
| Light Middleweight | 70 kg (154.3 lb) |
| Middleweight | 73 kg (160.9 lb) |
| Light Heavyweight | 76 kg (167.6 lb) |
| Heavyweight | 91 kg (200.6 lb) |
These were the main competition category for weight in kickboxing; as you can see, the differences are also inside the kickboxing category.
For example, for the super Lauge, the Lightweight category limit is 61 kg (134.5 lb), while for the K-1, 65 kg (143.3 lb).
Mixed martial arts weight classes
The mixed martial arts have a different story regarding the weight-in; in the first years of the MMA’s birth, there weren’t any differences in weight-class, and as you can imagine, the fight was not equal.
As soon the MMA became more famous, more attention was given, particularly thanks to the exponential growth of the UFC (ultimate fighting championship).
In 2000, the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts were codified by the New Jersey State Athletic Commission, with the mission to create uniformity on the rules
The Unified Rules designate limits for fourteen different weight classes in mixed martial arts
| Weight class | title bout | non-title bout |
|---|---|---|
| Strawweight | 115 lb (52.2 kg) | 116 lb (52.6 kg) |
| Flyweight | 125 lb (56.7 kg) | 126 lb (57.2 kg) |
| Bantamweight | 135 lb (61.2 kg) | 136 lb (61.7 kg) |
| Featherweight | 145 lb (65.8 kg) | 146 lb (66.2 kg) |
| Lightweight | 155 lb (70.3 kg) | 156 lb (70.8 kg) |
| Super lightweight | 165 lb (74.8 kg) | 166 lb (75.3 kg) |
| Welterweight | 170 lb (77.1 kg) | 171 lb (77.6 kg) |
| Super welterweight | 175 lb (79.4 kg) | 176 lb (79.8 kg) |
| Middleweight | 185 lb (83.9 kg) | 186 lb (84.4 kg) |
| Super middleweight | 195 lb (88.5 kg) | 196 lb (88.9 kg) |
| Light heavyweight | 205 lb (93.0 kg) | 206 lb (93.4 kg) |
| Cruiserweight | 225 lb (102.1 kg) | 226 lb (102.5 kg) |
| Heavyweight | 265 lb (120.2 kg) | 266 lb (120.7 kg) |
| Super heavyweight | n/a | n/a |
In this way, the MMA fighter has more benefits on the fight, and the match is more equal.
Taekwondo weight classes
Olympic weight classes Taekwondo
In taekwondo Olympic, there are eight weight classes 64 men and 64 women- four for each gender; these are:
| Men | Women | |
|---|---|---|
| Weight limit kg (lb) | Weight limit kg (lb) | |
| unlimited | unlimited | Heavyweight |
| 80 (176.1) | 67 (147.7) | Welterweight |
| 68 (149.9) | 57 (125.7) | Featherweight |
| 58 (127.9) | 49 (108.0) | Flyweight |
Wrestling weight classes
In international competition, men’s freestyle wrestling, men’s Greco-Roman wrestling, and female wrestling utilize the following weight classes
Men’s freestyle wrestling
- 57 kg (125 lb)
- 61 kg (134 lb) (non-Olympic class)
- 65 kg (143 lb)
- 70 kg (154 lb) (non-Olympic class)
- 74 kg (163 lb)
- 79 kg (174 lb) (non-Olympic class)
- 86 kg (190 lb)
- 92 kg (203 lb) (non-Olympic class)
- 97 kg (214 lb)
- 125 kg (276 lb)
Men’s Greco-Roman wrestling
- 55 kg (121 lb) (non-Olympic class)
- 60 kg (132 lb)
- 63 kg (139 lb) (non-Olympic class)
- 67 kg (148 lb)
- 72 kg (159 lb) (non-Olympic class)
- 77 kg (170 lb)
- 82 kg (181 lb) (non-Olympic class)
- 87 kg (192 lb)
- 97 kg (214 lb)
- 130 kg (286.5 lb)
Women’s wrestling
- 50 kg (110 lb)
- 53 kg (117 lb)
- 55 kg (121 lb) (non-Olympic class)
- 57 kg (126 lb)
- 59 kg (130 lb) (non-Olympic class)
- 62 kg (137 lb)
- 65 kg (143. lb) (non-Olympic class)
- 68 kg (150 lb)
- 72 kg (159 lb) (non-Olympic class)
- 76 kg (168 lb)
For more details regarding the weight-classes of wrestling, you can visit this page.
CONCLUSION
The weigh-classes have an essential role on the martial arts, it makes the fight equal, with no discrepancy, between fighter, as we saw during the article, every combat sport, adopt his rule and margin from a category to another, but the principle always remain the same “ Make a match equal without a discrepancy between fighter.”
if you are interested you can read: what do mma fighters eat before a fight