DeadlyDirk Posted December 12, 2013 Report Share Posted December 12, 2013 So the UFC have confirmed tonight that they are adding a strawweight division, with 16 fighters set to compete on TUF 20 in May, including eleven fighters from Invicta FC. The winner of the tournament will become the inaugural UFC women's strawweight champion. http://mmainsider.net/13572/ufc-announce-plans-for-strawweight-division-with-tuf-20-signings-of-several-invicta-fc-roster-confirmed The names include, current Invicta FC strawweight champion Carla Esparza (9-2, pictured), Felice Herrig (9-5), Tecia Torres (4-0), Bec Hyatt (5-3), Rose Namajunas (2-1), Claudia Gadelha (11-0), Juliana Lima (6-1), Jo Calderwood (8-0), Emily Kagan (3-1), Paige Van Zant (3-1) and Alex Chambers (4-1). Great news for women's MMA but I find it a little odd that unlike when they gave Ronda the Strikeforce title, they are making Carla Esparza going through TUF to win a title against most of the roster that were in her old promotion. It would have made more sense to me to have ran TUF normally with most of these girls and had Carla coach one team alongside Claudia Gadelha, who was meant to fight Carla this weekend at Invicta FC 7 but had to pull out with illness. Thoughts on the news? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thb Posted December 12, 2013 Report Share Posted December 12, 2013 I didn't see this one coming tbh. Is this a good idea? Maybe. To start a new division in the UFC with a tournament for the belt makes a lot of sense, at least more sense than just giving someone the belt. It will be great for that division because it will give that division a lot of attention and possibly create some new superstars in the process. Women only in TUF will be a little different but as last season proved, it can work. Much of the success of this season will probably depend on the fights and because there is a lot of talent already signed for TUF chances are it could work again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeadlyDirk Posted December 12, 2013 Author Report Share Posted December 12, 2013 Like I said I think it's great news for women's MMA overall, the strawweight division is loaded with talented, probably even more so than the bantamweight division. I also agree that I think women can comfortably cope with the weightload of doing TUF on their own, people seemed pretty disinterested in the men's tournament last season and if the reports were accurate, viewing figures were way up when the men were on. The coaches could be pretty crucial though, I'm sure a lot of people tuned in last time out for the rivarly between Tate and Rousey, whether any of the other females on the current roster could garner so much attention I'm not so sure. I wouldn't be surprised at all if the coaches we're male and perhaps from one of the lighter divisions on the male roster. Faber opposite somebody could be a great move. Carla Esparza and Claudia Gadelha will no doubt be among the front runners on the show, but I'm going to be keeping an eye out for Jo Calderwood, she has some nasty striking and could well be a dark horse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 12, 2013 Report Share Posted December 12, 2013 I'm pretty excited for it. I agree that Carla should have been given the title given her Invicta status. There are a few other things that peak my curiosity about this announcement. Do you think they'll grab some more people for the season? I mean they could do an 11 person bracket, but wouldn't it make sense if they were able to get a couple more and have it be a round number like 16? Do you think anyone on the roster is willing to make the 20 lb cut? I know a few of the ladies fought at 125, but I don't think they've had any dip into 115 yet. Very interested to see the developments up coming. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeadlyDirk Posted December 12, 2013 Author Report Share Posted December 12, 2013 I'm pretty excited for it. I agree that Carla should have been given the title given her Invicta status. There are a few other things that peak my curiosity about this announcement. Do you think they'll grab some more people for the season? I mean they could do an 11 person bracket, but wouldn't it make sense if they were able to get a couple more and have it be a round number like 16? Do you think anyone on the roster is willing to make the 20 lb cut? I know a few of the ladies fought at 125, but I don't think they've had any dip into 115 yet. Very interested to see the developments up coming. It is going to be sixteen overall, the other five will be selected from tryouts next year. There's certainly some smaller women on the current roster who would be better suited at 125 I agree, whether or not they could make the stiff cut down to 115 I'm not so sure. It would be especially difficult on TUF as well because you don't have much notice or time in between fights. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mentor Posted December 12, 2013 Report Share Posted December 12, 2013 I hate all these dwarf and chick fights. I know the UFC needs to fill up a load of cards, but i am not happy we are getting a load of midget fighting and chicks to fill up those cards. No offense to either of them, but i do not see the point of all this. A person which can fight at 145, can easily fight at 155lbs as well. I could maybe see the point of a 145lbs division, but even there i rather they kept the 155lbs division as it was. Chick fighting though.....................man. I rather not comment. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 13, 2013 Report Share Posted December 13, 2013 Invicta is a new scouting org of Ufc it seams Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coton81 Posted December 13, 2013 Report Share Posted December 13, 2013 I'm pretty excited for it. I agree that Carla should have been given the title given her Invicta status. There are a few other things that peak my curiosity about this announcement. Do you think they'll grab some more people for the season? I mean they could do an 11 person bracket, but wouldn't it make sense if they were able to get a couple more and have it be a round number like 16? Do you think anyone on the roster is willing to make the 20 lb cut? I know a few of the ladies fought at 125, but I don't think they've had any dip into 115 yet. Very interested to see the developments up coming. Only thing giving her the belt straight away like they did ronda They havnt brought invicta like they did strikeforce just that div Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 13, 2013 Report Share Posted December 13, 2013 Only thing giving her the belt straight away like they did ronda They havnt brought invicta like they did strikeforce just that div Right, but I mean with 11 of the fighters coming over from Invicta they really should have given her the belt. I mean she earned it. It might be easier to over look if they bring in Jessica Aguilar to the house too. I also wouldn't mind seeing the likes of Mizuki Inoue or Alida Gray getting involved in this either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thb Posted December 13, 2013 Report Share Posted December 13, 2013 Right, but I mean with 11 of the fighters coming over from Invicta they really should have given her the belt. I mean she earned it. It might be easier to over look if they bring in Jessica Aguilar to the house too. I also wouldn't mind seeing the likes of Mizuki Inoue or Alida Gray getting involved in this either. I disagree, Strikeforce was on a higher level than Invicta currently is, most mainstream fans will probably have never heard of these new female fighters what I mean to say is that Strikeforce already had some great great talent in to promote their shows (Fedor, Overeem, Melendez, Henderson, Babalu, ... just to name a few) and on top of that they build the female division while Invicta doesn't really have a lot of well known talent to start with, but that is their choice and while there is nothing wrong with that they just aren't as well known as Strikeforce was Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eveas Posted December 14, 2013 Report Share Posted December 14, 2013 There is more talent at atomweight. I'd have loved to see that added instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JLP Posted December 15, 2013 Report Share Posted December 15, 2013 I like to watch broads fight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 15, 2013 Report Share Posted December 15, 2013 The more low weight classes are added, the more decision fights we'll see, for better or worse. The number of finishes in the ufc has decreased as a % over time, corresponding with their addition of lower and lower weight classes. I personally am not a fan of people who weigh as much as I did when I was 8 bitch slapping each other through 3 rounds to a decision. At what point does it stop being a sport and start being a circus sideshow? See the incredible 65 pound man fight.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArtieBanks Posted December 15, 2013 Report Share Posted December 15, 2013 I don't think she should have got the belt even though the argument could be made like it was with Ronda. I think it is because 11 out of the 20 is from her former org and its only been 7 events, in which she has fought three times and only just won the belt. Ronda had won and defended the belt (i know it was only once) In all honesty i think its because of star power, Ronda had appeared on TV, slated to be the next face of WMMA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kracker Posted December 15, 2013 Report Share Posted December 15, 2013 I don't think I've ever looked forward to a season more, I really hope Tecia Torres and Calderwood are matched up at some point. Torres has already beaten 3 of the women on the list, and just dominated Felice Herrig in her last fight, I wouldn't be surprised if she wins the season. And while I've never seen her fight Paige Vanzant is pretty hot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HalifaxUndead Posted December 15, 2013 Report Share Posted December 15, 2013 This should be entertaining my only problem is they havent really developed the other womens division or the flyweight division and they are starting a new one. Ronda hasnt even made her second title defense and they are starting a new one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeadlyDirk Posted December 15, 2013 Author Report Share Posted December 15, 2013 The more low weight classes are added, the more decision fights we'll see, for better or worse. The number of finishes in the ufc has decreased as a % over time, corresponding with their addition of lower and lower weight classes. I personally am not a fan of people who weigh as much as I did when I was 8 bitch slapping each other through 3 rounds to a decision. At what point does it stop being a sport and start being a circus sideshow? See the incredible 65 pound man fight.... I don't think you can really call lighter weight classes a circus sideshow, if anything the lighter guys and girls have far more technique than the big bulk heavyweights who are often sloppy. While I admit a lot of the heavier classes can be more entertaining and obviously produce more finishes, the lighter classes are certainly not a circus sideshow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rac2 Posted December 15, 2013 Report Share Posted December 15, 2013 where's michelle waterson? ain't she a strawweight? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeadlyDirk Posted December 16, 2013 Author Report Share Posted December 16, 2013 where's michelle waterson? ain't she a strawweight? She's atomweight, I guess she could try and move up and compete in the tryouts but I doubt Invicta will be overly keen, they've already been pretty generous giving them an entire division! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eveas Posted December 16, 2013 Report Share Posted December 16, 2013 She's atomweight, I guess she could try and move up and compete in the tryouts but I doubt Invicta will be overly keen, they've already been pretty generous giving them an entire division! One of the reasons I said atomweight was better earlier. Her last fight was awesome. Most the talent seems to be at that weight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeadlyDirk Posted December 16, 2013 Author Report Share Posted December 16, 2013 One of the reasons I said atomweight was better earlier. Her last fight was awesome. Most the talent seems to be at that weight. I disagree, some good fighters there like Penne and Waterson but I certainly don't think it's where most of the talent is, I'd say it's pretty well spread out from 105-135. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rac2 Posted December 21, 2013 Report Share Posted December 21, 2013 i think waterson would be a big a name for the ufc to sign... maybe somebody to share the spotlight with rousey and/or maybe miesha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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