UFC writer John Morgan reported this week that according to the UFC’s list of rankings-eligible fighters, the promotion has only 30 heavyweights on the roster.
When comparing heavyweight’s numbers with the other weight classes, it’s clear the division is lagging behind the others. Welterweight, lightweight and featherweight each have over 80 rankings-eligible fighters, providing the depth each division needs to help build up prospects and develop talent.
With only 30 fighters, the UFC is forced to rank fighters who don’t deserve that designation yet.
Don’Tale Mayes is 4-6 in the UFC, and before his loss on Saturday to Valter Walker, he was ranked 15th in the division. He has been on the losing end of two of the five heel hook submissions in heavyweight history.
Tai Tuivasa has lost five consecutive fights, but is still ranked tenth due to the lack of talent available to replace him.
Heavyweight has always been a tricky division, because most people weighing between 206 and 265 pounds who are physically fit will pursue other sports like football, basketball or rugby. As a result, the division is dominated by a few fighters that combine their skills flawlessly, and the rest rely on one-punch knockout power or strong grappling.
Even the UFC’s matchmaking shows that it’s in desperate need of new talent. Curtis Blaydes’ last fight was for the interim title. Now, ranked fifth in the division, he’s booked to fight Rizvan Kuniev in his debut at UFC 313 — a huge step down for a top-five fighter.
The Kuniev signing also screams desperation.
Kuniev used to fight in the Professional Fighters League (PFL), but a win over Renan Ferreira was overturned when four different performance-enhancing drugs were found in his system. For a promotion that prides themselves on their zero-tolerance policy of steroids, signing Kuniev and giving him a top five opponent for his debut is a bad look.
The UFC also came under fire in November, when it didn’t extend the contract of top-10 heavyweight Alexander Romanov after a win at UFC Edmonton. Then, clearly not having learned its lesson, it cut ninth-ranked Jairzinho Rozenstruik after a single loss in a lackluster fight at UFC Saudi Arabia.
The UFC has cut fighters for boring fights before, but when the division has just 30 fighters total, the company should be trying to keep whoever it can. While neither looked like title-winning material, both could have served as good litmus tests for up-and-coming prospects or as a bounceback fight for higher-ranked contenders.
Heavyweight boxers and mixed martial artists used to be among the most feared individuals on the planet. Now, the division seems to be dominated by former light heavyweights who put on a few pounds to get a run at a title.
Jailton Almeida looks like one of the better grapplers in heavyweight history, and he used to compete at 185 and 205 lbs. Kennedy Nzechukwu hasn’t reached Almeida’s success level yet, but since moving up from 205, he appears to be faster and more talented than most fighters in the rankings above him.
Jon Jones, the greatest light heavyweight ever, moved up to heavyweight and has won his two fights in the division with ease.
If the heavyweight division is to be dominated by Tom Aspinall and other similarly skilled fighters for years to come, the UFC needs to branch out.
Former Bellator light heavyweight champion and current PFL heavyweight Vadim Nemkov would be an interesting addition to the UFC, as would ONE’s former heavyweight champion, Anatoly Malykhin.
Bringing in stars from other promotions has succeeded recently for the UFC. Signings like Reinier de Ridder and Kai Asakura have made immediate impacts. The return of Francis Ngannou would be incredible, but the chance of that happening with Dana White as CEO seems impossible.
Cutting proven ranked fighters like Rozenstruik has to stop if the UFC wants anyone to join from other promotions. The cuts send a message that the UFC is looking for a certain type of fighter when fans just want a growing and talent-filled division.
