The featherweight division in mixed martial arts can refer to a number of different weight classes:
- WEC's & Pancrase's featherweight division, which groups competitors within 136 to 145 lb (62 to 66 kg)
- Sengoku's featherweight division, which limits competitors to 143 lb (65 kg)
- DREAM's featherweight division, which limits competitors to 139 lb (63 kg)
- Shooto's featherweight division, which limits competitors to 132 lb (60 kg)
[edit] Ambiguity and clarification
For the sake of uniformity, most American mixed martial arts media outlets consider Featherweight competitors to be between 136 to 145 lb (61 and 66 kg). This encompasses the Pancrase Featherweight division (141 lb / 64 kg) now revised to 145 lb (66 kg); U.S.-based King of the Cage, where it is known as the bantamweight division 145 lb (66 kg); Shooto, where it is known as the lightweight division 143 lb (65 kg); the Sengoku Featherweight division, the DREAM Featherweight division, and World Extreme Cagefighting's (WEC) Featherweight division.
The featherweight limit, as defined by the Nevada State Athletic Commission, is 145 lb (66 kg).[1]
[edit] Notable featherweights in MMA
Bibiano Fernandes, current DREAM Featherweight Champion- Jose Aldo, current WEC Featherweight champion
Takeshi Inoue, Current Shooto 143-pound champion- Masakazu Imanari, DEEP Bantamweight champion, Cage Rage Featherweight champion, and former DEEP featherweight champion
- Hatsu Hioki, TKO featherweight champion
Urijah Faber, former WEC featherweight champion, former KOTC bantamweight champion, former Gladiator Challenge bantamweight champion- Mike Thomas Brown, former WEC featherweight champion
- Norifumi "Kid" Yamamoto, K-1 HERO'S 2005 Middleweight Grand Prix champion, DREAM contender
- Din Thomas, UFC veteran
- Mamoru Yamaguchi, former Shooto Bantamweight Champion and a former Shooto Featherweight Champion
- Masakazu Imanari, former DEEP featherweight champion
- Alexandre Franca Nogueira, former Shooto champion
- Hiroyuki Takaya, top DREAM contender and the Featherweight Grand Prix Finalist
Mark Hominick, former TKO featherweight champion- Antonio Carvalho, Shooto veteran
- Jens Pulver, former UFC lightweight champion
- Dan Hall, former Shooto champion
- Manvel Gamburyan, finalist of The Ultimate Fighter 5 tounament
- Rumina Sato, All Japan Amateur Shooto Championship 2nd Place and Shooto Pacific Rim Lightweight Champion
- Hiroyuki Takaya, WEC Veteran
- Marlon Sandro, Pancrase Featherweight champion
- Wagnney Fabiano, Last IFL featherweight champion
- Dokonjonosuke Mishima, DEEP Featherweight Champion
- Hideki Kadowaki, Shooto veteran
[edit] References
