Cruiserweight

Last updated: July 2, 2026

What is cruiserweight in MMA?

Cruiserweight is one of the 14 weight classes recognized under the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts, the shared ruleset used by athletic commissions across the United States. The division covers fighters who are too heavy for light heavyweight, which caps at 205 pounds, but far smaller than the 265-pound heavyweight limit.

The class exists to close a real gap. In promotions that skip it, the jump from light heavyweight to heavyweight spans 60 pounds, by far the largest between neighboring divisions. A fighter weighing 215 pounds can legally face an opponent who outweighs them by 50 pounds. Cruiserweight gives those in-between athletes a division of their own.

The Association of Boxing Commissions and Combative Sports (ABC) approved cruiserweight on July 26, 2017, at its annual convention in Uncasville, Connecticut. It was one of four new classes added that day, per Sherdog’s convention report, alongside super lightweight (165 pounds), super welterweight (175 pounds), and super middleweight (195 pounds). California State Athletic Commission executive officer Andy Foster proposed the additions as part of his 10-point plan to reduce dangerous weight cutting.

Most fans have never watched a cruiserweight bout for a simple reason: the UFC and other major promotions never adopted the division.

How the cruiserweight division works

Division	Upper limit
Light heavyweight	205 lb (93.0 kg)
Cruiserweight	225 lb (102.1 kg)
Heavyweight	265 lb (120.2 kg)

A cruiserweight must weigh in at 225 pounds or less, typically the day before the fight. Commissions usually permit a one-pound allowance in non-title bouts, so a fighter could tip the scale at 226 and still compete. Missing the limit by more than that brings penalties: a fine paid to the opponent, and possible cancellation if the gap is large.

Since no major promotion runs a formal cruiserweight division, professional action in this range usually happens at catchweight instead. A catchweight is an agreed fight weight that falls outside the standard classes. One example came before the class even existed: Quinton “Rampage” Jackson met Satoshi Ishii at Bellator 157 in 2016 at a 225-pound catchweight, the exact number that later became the cruiserweight limit.

Why the UFC doesn’t have a cruiserweight division

ABC approval never obligated anyone to use the class. Sean Wheelock, who chaired the ABC rules and regulations committee, said after the 2017 vote that promotions run their own belts and can set titles at whatever weight they choose.

The UFC has stuck with its existing structure, where heavyweight covers everyone from 206 to 265 pounds. The standard argument against change is talent depth. Heavyweight is already the promotion’s thinnest division, and a 225-pound class would pull away the smaller heavyweights who have historically done well there. Daniel Cormier held the UFC light heavyweight and heavyweight titles at the same time in 2018, which many fans cite as proof that elite athletes can handle the jump between the two classes.

Doubts surfaced at the vote itself. A New York State Athletic Commission representative wanted more time to vet the new classes, and ABC chairman Mike Mazzulli put forward a motion to strike cruiserweight from the list, according to CBS Sports. The additions still passed unanimously.

Outside the UFC, the picture changes only slightly. ONE Championship’s light heavyweight division already extends to 102.1 kg (225 pounds), so it covers cruiserweight territory under another name. Regional promotions sanctioned by state commissions occasionally book cruiserweight bouts, but the class has yet to produce a star.

Cruiserweight in MMA vs. boxing

The same word means different sizes in different sports, and that is where most confusion starts. In boxing, cruiserweight caps at 200 pounds. In MMA, the limit is 225. A boxer weighing 220 pounds is a heavyweight, while an MMA fighter at 220 is a cruiserweight.

Class	Sport	Weight range
Cruiserweight	Boxing	175 to 200 lb
Cruiserweight	MMA	Over 205 to 225 lb
Bridgerweight	Boxing	200 to 224 lb

The boxing version came first. The World Boxing Council created the class in 1979 with a 190-pound limit, then later raised it to 200. Evander Holyfield and Oleksandr Usyk both ruled boxing’s cruiserweight division before winning heavyweight titles.

Boxing’s closest match to MMA cruiserweight is bridgerweight, a 200-to-224-pound class the WBC introduced in 2020 and the WBA adopted in 2023. The two ranges nearly overlap; only the names differ. Deontay Wilder and Oleksandr Usyk both turned down WBC approaches to compete at bridgerweight, preferring to stay at heavyweight, per Boxing News.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a cruiserweight division in the UFC?

No. The UFC groups everyone above 205 pounds into its heavyweight division, which runs from 206 to 265 pounds. Cruiserweight exists in the Unified Rules, but the UFC has never adopted it.

What is the cruiserweight weight limit in MMA?

225 pounds (102.1 kg). The class begins above the 205-pound light heavyweight limit.

When was cruiserweight added to MMA?

July 26, 2017, when the ABC voted unanimously to add it to the Unified Rules of MMA along with three other new classes.

Do any MMA promotions use cruiserweight?

Mostly regional ones. ONE Championship covers the same weight range within its light heavyweight division, and Bellator once staged a 225-pound catchweight bout, but no major promotion runs a dedicated cruiserweight division.

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Sources

1. Wikipedia. “Mixed martial arts weight classes.” Accessed July 2, 2026.
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mixed_martial_arts_weight_classes
2. Sherdog. “Association of Boxing Commissions Approves Addition of Four New Weight Classes for MMA.” Accessed July 2, 2026.
   https://www.sherdog.com/news/news/Association-of-Boxing-Commissions-Approves-Addition-of-Four-New-Weight-Classes-for-MMA-125447
3. CBS Sports. “New weight classes are coming to MMA, but it’s unlikely to affect UFC anytime soon.” Accessed July 2, 2026.
   https://www.cbssports.com/mma/news/new-weight-classes-are-coming-to-mma-but-its-unlikely-to-affect-ufc-anytime-soon/
4. IMMAF. “ABC unanimously approves additional weight classes for MMA.” Accessed July 2, 2026.
   https://immaf.org/2017/07/26/abc-unanimously-approves-additional-weight-classes-for-mma-2/
5. Wikipedia. “Bridgerweight.” Accessed July 2, 2026.
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridgerweight
6. Wikipedia. “Light heavyweight (MMA).” Accessed July 2, 2026.
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light_heavyweight_(MMA)
7. Boxing News. “Bridgerweight Explained: All You Need To Know About Boxing’s Newest Division.” Accessed July 2, 2026.
   https://boxingnews.com/bridgerweight-explained-all-you-need-to-know-about-boxings-newest-division/
8. TheSportster. “8 MMA Weight Classes That Were Never In The UFC.” Accessed July 2, 2026.
   https://www.thesportster.com/mma-weight-classes-never-in-ufc/

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