Sports have rules. The establishment of the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts was a key first step towards legitimacy for fighting as a sport. No part of the unified rules was more important than the establishment of weight classes.

When boxing promoter Gary Shaw decided to start promoting MMA, one of his first moves was to deviate from the weight classes outlined in the unified rules. He dispensed with the 135lb class for women, replacing it with a 140lb class. And in the men's divisions, he exchanged the usual 155lb lightweight class for a 160lb class.

Why did Shaw do this? Well, it's pretty clear that his biggest female star Gina Carano is way too big to fight at 135lbs, the most common female weight division. Shaw's solution? Dispense with the rules and make a special 140lb class just for his star.

The 160lb lightweight division was similarly created just for former UFC and PRIDE star Nick Diaz.

Ironically, both Carano and Diaz have now failed to make weight in the weight classes Shaw created just for them. The reaction from commenters has been predictably negative.

Sam Caplan says it best:

I just don’t see any point to having special weight classes when the two people they were created for aren’t making the weight anyway. Carano at 145 is just a better fit for her and the only reason why 170 isn’t a good fit for Diaz right now in EliteXC is because his friend and teammate Jake Shields is the promotion’s top welterweight. But if EliteXC improves its depth at 170, having the two of them in the same division isn’t as big of an issue. Look at the UFC, which has AKA training partners Jon Fitch, Josh Koscheck, and Mike Swick all in the same division. Obviously, EliteXC is building towards a rematch between Diaz and K.J. Noons, but if Noons wins it, Diaz should go back to welterweight and the lightweight division should be re-classified from 160 lbs. to 155 lbs. This weight class stuff is becoming silly.

Shaw put his thumb on the scales, attempting to give an advantage to two of the only stars in his organization. Now it's coming back to bite him.

I believe that Shaw's cynical willingness to bend the rules to his advantage betrays a contempt for MMA as a sport. Sports have rules. Rules that are followed.

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