Combat & UFC
Liz Carmouche says women’s MMA has talent, but fewer weight classes mean fewer opportunities
The Ariel Helwani Show
Liz Carmouche Questions Dakota Ditcheva's Career, Facing Poor Competition, Making Jena Bishop CRY
What was said
"Yeah, I'd absolutely have to agree with that is I think that it's not that there isn't enough talent pool out there, it's that we're not diving into and finding the talent to be able to fill the weight classes. You know, starting off with the UFC, it was 135 and that was your only option. Then we added 25, we added 45, we added 15, and then again, we're starting to see those weight classes fall off and less and less opportunities for women."
Liz Carmouche said she does not believe women’s MMA lacks talent, but argued that promotions are not finding and supporting enough athletes to fill divisions as weight-class options shrink. She said she regularly encounters fighters who feel they cannot safely make 125 pounds, and warned that reduced divisional opportunities can push capable athletes out of the sport.
Verification status
Attributed speaker claim
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Source and context
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- Speaker
- Liz Carmouche · guest
- Programme
- The Ariel Helwani Show
- Episode
- Liz Carmouche Questions Dakota Ditcheva's Career, Facing Poor Competition, Making Jena Bishop CRY
- Clip time
- 21:32
- Original source
- Watch the source segment →
From this episode
The Ariel Helwani Show