For the majority of the UFC's 25-year existence, the heavyweight division has been without a doubt the most-watched among the casual, and even the more hardcore, fans. However, in the past few years, we seem to have seen a paradigm shift, with the large amount of the high-anticipated bouts coming at the lower weight classes. The MMA Mindset are going to take a look at the possible reasons for the change in perception.
One of the main reasons for this is the fact the division's top 10 is currently the oldest on the roster, with an average age of 35. This hasn't gone unnoticed, with a distinct lack of exciting faces and fresh prospects entering the scene. With the notable exclusion of Francis Ngannou, who himself is turning 34 next month, the current top 10 looks remarkably similar to what it did 5 years ago.
The lack of new contenders in the division is contributing to a lack of new and intriguing fights, with many of the top fighters running back previous bouts. The heavyweight division is wide open for a young contender to take the UFC by storm, but it seems as though we may be waiting a while longer.
Another massive and significant talking point is that, even amongst the casual viewers, the understanding and appreciation of MMA as a sport has grown vastly in the past 10 years. Gone are the days when fans would only tune in to see two 265lb giants throw leather, which ultimately would end in a finish. Now, fans appreciate the skill and movement of the smaller fighters, which is apparent when you see that only one of the last 10 pay-per-view main events have included heavyweight fighters.
Finally, and possibly the most important reason, is that the level of fighters in the other weight classes is by far outshining the talent in the heavyweight division. Bantamweight is an absolute murderers row of contenders, and along with lightweight, is the most anticipated and talked about division in the promotion. The fast-paced and constant action that the lower weight classes provide seems to be taking precedent over the heavier divisions, and given the amount of contenders 185 and under, it doesn't seem like that will change any time soon.
Who knows if the heavyweight division will regain its illustrious past popularity? I for one hope it does, and hopefully, we see some new faces on the scene sooner rather than later.
Comments