Issue 134

November 2015

Don’t be fooled by heavy-hitting big men. When it comes to excitement, flyweights rule

Zach Makovsky

The top-10 flyweight explains why the 125lb’ers are as the most skilled fighters in the UFC

The UFC’s flyweight division is still very young and is trying to find its place, but it’s definitely made some steps in the right direction. There are guys with a lot of good technique and even though we’re not quite as popular; when it comes to skills, our division is up there with any other division in the UFC.

However, it’s definitely a little frustrating that we don’t always get the credit we deserve. Mixed martial arts should be about two people displaying the skills needed to beat each other and not just about standing and trading. 

The average uneducated fan probably doesn’t understand enough to appreciate what’s going on. It’s like the casual MMA or UFC fans aren’t fans of martial arts, they’re fans of violence and that’s all they want to see. Of course, it’s organized violence but there’s a lot of skill behind it, especially with the flyweights.

Although we might be smaller and don’t hit with the same force as the bigger guys, we’re more skilled, faster and harder to submit. Overall, there’s more technique and more action. The lighter the fighter, the more fans will get. 

The one way flyweights could be more popular is if their fights were more accessible. Firstly, Demetrious Johnson is one of the most complete, technical fighters in the UFC. He’s probably top two pound-for-pound and he’s just as well-rounded as Jon Jones or Georges St Pierre. He’s one of the biggest super talents ever and he’s destroying everybody, kind of like Ronda Rousey is. But often times his challengers haven’t been in the public eye before they get a shot at the belt, so there’s less interest. Before John Moraga fought Johnson, he’d only fought on Fight Pass.

They’re just banking on Demetrious’ skill and dominance to sell the division. At least with John Dodson, he was a popular figure who won The Ultimate Fighter and is a little outspoken too.

Even though I had success at bantamweight in Bellator, the reason I moved down to flyweight is because I’m really not that big of a guy. I walk around at about 145lb and I’m only five-foot-four. In my last couple of fights at 135lb, I fought guys who walk around at 170lb or just under. 

My opponents were significantly bigger than me at that point, which was OK. I’m not complaining about them cutting to make the weight, but it made me realize that 125lb is the right weight class for me. When I was in Bellator, there wasn’t a flyweight division so it wasn’t an option. If it was, I probably would’ve moved down.

As people get bigger and better at cutting weight and learning about nutrition and dieting, it forces you to evolve with the sport. I’m trying to stay on the cutting edge of where the sport is, whether it’s training or cutting weight, so moving down to flyweight made sense to me.

It’s definitely something special to be at the forefront of anything that’s new and developing in the sport that I love. I wasn’t in the 125lb division at the beginning, but it’s still very new and I’m there now so it’s definitely special. Hopefully I can help progress the weight class when it comes to skill and technique. 

Before the UFC

Tachi Palace Fights – a promotion based out of Lemoore, California – boasted the world’s leading flyweights until 2012. Ian McCall was their champion, and at the time ranked as world number one.