Little guys give UFC big boost

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By Dann Stupp, Contributing Writer 7:57 PM Sunday, December 4, 2011

LAS VEGAS — Just as the UFC was emerging as a mainstream sports organization in 2005, the 155-pound division was considered a bit of a novelty. In fact, officials didn’t even bother to crown a champion in the weight class.

Back then, the focus was on the big guys, and light heavyweights and heavyweights ruled the day.

Six years later, the lightweight division is the UFC’s deepest and most competitive, and even the 135-pound bantamweight and 145-pound featherweight divisions — which the UFC added earlier this year — are building steam.

Those smaller divisions got a big boost this past Saturday, with The Ultimate Fighter 14 Finale, which concluded the latest season of the UFC’s long-running competition/reality series. Bantamweight John Dodson and featherweight Diego Brandao won their respective tournaments in quick fashion, and many of the show’s eliminated tourney fighters dazzled in second-chance fights on the event’s preliminary card, which took place at The Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.

“These smaller guys just bring it,” said Michael Bisping, who served as a head coach on “TUF 14” opposite Jason Miller, whom he defeated in the finale’s main event. “We’re now seeing some depth, too. These guys are the future of the sport. They’re loads of fun to watch because they have so much energy.”

In fact, the UFC’s lighter weight classes now have enough depth that UFC officials will soon add a 125-pound flyweight division. While much of the flyweight talent will be recruited from outside organizations, undersized UFC bantamweights such as Joseph Benavidez, Demetrious Johnson and Dodson all have discussed a likely drop to 125 pounds, which would provide immediate depth and known names.

Farewell, MMA fans: Due to increasing demands with my MMAjunkie.com duties, I’m sad to report that this will be the Dayton Daily News’ final edition of the MMA Insider.

The newspaper will provide Associated Press content related to MMA, but MMA Insider is heading into retirement.

Truly, it’s been an honor. I first interned with the newspaper back in 1997, and after rejoining it in 2007 for the MMA column, doors opened much easier for me. Sports editor Brian Kollars and his staff believed in and covered this often-misunderstood sport long before most newspapers did. I owe them and you, the area’s passionate MMA fans, a heartfelt thank you for the past four years.

Dann Stupp is editor-in-chief of MMAjunkie.com, voted best media outlet from 2008-2011 in the World MMA Awards. For the latest mixed-martial-arts news, go to mmajunkie.com.

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