Bantamweight (MMA)
The bantamweight division in mixed martial arts can refer to a number of different weight classes:
- The King of the Cage bantamweight class, which limits competitors to 145 lb (66 kg)[1]
- The WEC's & SRC's bantamweight division of 126–135 lb (57–61 kg)
- The Shooto bantamweight division, which suits competitors below 123 lb (56 kg)
The bantamweight division sits between the lighter flyweight division and the heavier featherweight and/or lightweight divisions. Due to the weight class' relative sparsity, few organizations maintain a bantamweight division.
Ambiguity and clarification
For the sake of uniformity, many American mixed martial arts websites refer to competitors between 126 and 135 lb (57 and 61 kg) as Bantamweights, This encompasses both the Shooto Featherweight division (132 lb / 60 kg) and the King of the Cage Flyweight division (135 lb / 61 kg). WEC uses the Nevada definition of "bantamweight".
Prior to UFC 31, 150-pound (68 kg) fighters were known as Bantamweights in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. After which, the weight limit was raised to 155 lb (70 kg), and the division became reinstated as the lightweight class.
The bantamweight limit, as defined by the Nevada State Athletic Commission, is 135 lb (61 kg).[2]
Professional Champions
Current champions
This table is not always up to date. Last updated on August 19, 2010.
UFC| Organization | Reign Began | Champion | Record | Defenses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | — | — | — | |
| WEC | March 6, 2010 |  Dominick Cruz
|
16-1 (6KO 1SUB) | 1 |
| Strikeforce | — | — | — | — |
| Bellator FC | — | — | — | — |
| Dream | — | — | — | — |
| Sengoku | — | — | — | — |
| Shooto | March 22, 2010 |  Shuichiro Katsumura
|
11-7-3 (1KO 8SUB) | 0 |
Notable bantamweights in MMA
Dominick Cruz, WEC bantamweight champion
Masakazu Imanari, DEEP bantamweight champion, last Cage Rage world featherweight champion, and former DEEP featherweight champion- Mike Easton UWC bantamweight champion
- Brian Bowles, former WEC bantamweight champion
- Miguel Torres, former WEC bantamweight champion
- Chase Beebe, former WEC bantamweight champion
- Urijah Faber, former WEC featherweight champion
Wilson Reis, only/final EliteXC 140 lb champion- Akitoshi Tamura, former Shooto lightweight champion (143 lb), WEC bantamweight
- Masakatsu Ueda, former Shooto featherweight champion (132 lb)
- Takeya Mizugaki, 2005 Shooto 132 lb rookie champion, former WEC title challenger, WEC bantamweight contender
- Abel Cullum, former King of the Cage flyweight champion (135 lb)
- Manny Tapia, former King of the Cage flyweight champion (135 lb), WEC bantamweight contender
- Yoshiro Maeda, former Pancrase featherweight champion, former WEC bantamweight contender
- Rani Yahya, former WEC title challenger, WEC bantamweight contender
- Jeff Curran, WEC featherweight/bantamweight veteran, UFC/PRIDE veteran
- Scott Jorgensen WEC bantamweight contender
- Joseph Benavidez, WEC bantamweight contender
- Antonio Banuelos, WEC bantamweight contender
- Kenji Osawa WEC bantamweight contender
- Charlie Valencia,WEC bantamweight contender
References
- ^ "Fighters: Rankings ..." KingoftheCage.com. Retrieved 2007-02-20.
- ^
"Nevada Revised Statutes: CHAPTER 467 - UNARMED COMBAT". http://www.leg.state.nv.us. Retrieved 2007-02-20.
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