Arguably UFC’s most lethal division could be scrapped following weight cut summit

The UFC are entertaining the idea of abolishing the welterweight division after some new changes were proposed at the weight cut summit in Los Angeles.

The committee at the California State Athletic Commission's weight-cutting summit has approved a plan to alter and add weight classes to the unified rules of MMA, as Marc Raimondi of MMA Fighting reports.

Among the ideas proposed was the altering and adding of divisions which would see it the current system change to 115, 125, 135, 145, 155, 165, 175, 185, 195, 205, 225, 265 (heavyweight) and super heavyweight. The welterweight division (170) would be abolished.

The change was approved by a vote of 9-0 with one abstention and it will now go to the medical committee. If approved there, it will be voted on by the Association of Boxing Commissions body in August.

Although the UFC would have no obligation to adopt the rule changes but Jeff Novitzky, the UFC vice president of athlete health and performance, claims UFC matchmakers Joe Silva and Sean Shelby are not opposed to the idea.

"It's been very preliminary with them, but I've had no opposition from them on those proposals as long as it was done in a gradual manner," Novitzky told MMA Fighting.

"It's something I think they're constantly evaluating even before this weight-management issue came along."

Referee Big John McCarthy also confirmed that the weight class alterations do not have to be adpted by the promotion.

"The UFC doesn't have to use a weight class. They don't have to use the 170-pound weight class right now. They don't use the 145-pound women. There's weight classes they don't utilize. They can do the same thing with any weight class they want. They're a promotion and they have a right to say, 'We don't want to use this weight class."