The addition of new weight classes in mixed martial arts has been discussed for years and the discussions began heating up late in 2015.
On Wednesday, they were finally codified in the Unified Rules of MMA by the Association of Boxing Commissions and Combative Sports (ABC) at the organization’s annual conference in Connecticut. The vote was unanimous.
The ABC approved the addition of four new weight classes — at 165 pounds, 175 pounds, 195 pounds and 225 pounds, per multiple regulators in attendance at the conference. The weight classes will be called super lightweight, super welterweight, super middleweight and cruiserweight, respectively.