EliteXC President Gary Shaw on Wednesday announced the addition of two new weight classes for the promotion on a conference call promoting the Nick Diaz versus KJ Noons Nov. 10 world title fight on Showtime.
"We'll have 150- and 160-pound divisions," Shaw said, adding to a list of weight classes already sanctioned under the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts. "Fighters should be able to fight for world titles without endangering their health. We'll have belts at each weight class."
The Diaz versus Noons contest will be fought at 160-pounds for the EliteXC Lightweight Championship.
Diaz, who became known as one of the most exciting fighters in the Ultimate Fighting Championship's 170-pound division, first fought at 160-pounds versus former Pride Fighting Championships lightweight titleholder Takanori Gomi in February.
"I felt good," he said after submitting Gomi in a gogoplata. "I felt more in shape than ever actually."
Noons, who has previously fought at the Unified Rules lightweight limit of 155-pounds, appreciates the extra five pounds. "People will be surprised at how big I'll be at 160-pounds."
"I'm worried," Shaw confessed Sept. 15 after EliteXC: Uprising in Hawai'i. "You need fluid on the brain when you fight. There've been plenty of studies. And sometimes I worry they don't have enough time to go from dehydration to hydration."
Promoters can legally match fighters at any weight. However, Shaw, a former regulator for the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board, plans to seek athletic commission recognition of the new weight classes in the next 30 days.
Nicholas Lembo, the Counsel for the NJSACB, agrees commission sanctioning of the new weight classes would provide universal recognition among United States athletic commissions sanctioning MMA.
"We'll consider anything that promotes the health and safety of fighters," Lembo said, but admitted, "I'm not sure how additional weight classes encourages fighters to cut less weight," since fighters are prone to be the biggest fighter at the lowest practical weight class regardless of the weight limit.
EliteXC held its first 160-pound fight in September after signing Diaz. He won a split decision over local underdog Mike Aina and seemed to admit in the post-fight press conference that 160 pounds is the minimum to which he could cut.
"I'm not used to cutting so much water," he complained after the fight. "Last time I made 160, I didn't cut half as much water."
Diaz trains with EliteXC 170-pound star Jake Shields and won't fight him, which may have been a factor leading to Shaw creating the 160-pound weight class.
"We'll have 150- and 160-pound divisions," Shaw said, adding to a list of weight classes already sanctioned under the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts. "Fighters should be able to fight for world titles without endangering their health. We'll have belts at each weight class."
The Diaz versus Noons contest will be fought at 160-pounds for the EliteXC Lightweight Championship.
Diaz, who became known as one of the most exciting fighters in the Ultimate Fighting Championship's 170-pound division, first fought at 160-pounds versus former Pride Fighting Championships lightweight titleholder Takanori Gomi in February.
"I felt good," he said after submitting Gomi in a gogoplata. "I felt more in shape than ever actually."
Noons, who has previously fought at the Unified Rules lightweight limit of 155-pounds, appreciates the extra five pounds. "People will be surprised at how big I'll be at 160-pounds."
"I'm worried," Shaw confessed Sept. 15 after EliteXC: Uprising in Hawai'i. "You need fluid on the brain when you fight. There've been plenty of studies. And sometimes I worry they don't have enough time to go from dehydration to hydration."
Promoters can legally match fighters at any weight. However, Shaw, a former regulator for the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board, plans to seek athletic commission recognition of the new weight classes in the next 30 days.
Nicholas Lembo, the Counsel for the NJSACB, agrees commission sanctioning of the new weight classes would provide universal recognition among United States athletic commissions sanctioning MMA.
"We'll consider anything that promotes the health and safety of fighters," Lembo said, but admitted, "I'm not sure how additional weight classes encourages fighters to cut less weight," since fighters are prone to be the biggest fighter at the lowest practical weight class regardless of the weight limit.
EliteXC held its first 160-pound fight in September after signing Diaz. He won a split decision over local underdog Mike Aina and seemed to admit in the post-fight press conference that 160 pounds is the minimum to which he could cut.
"I'm not used to cutting so much water," he complained after the fight. "Last time I made 160, I didn't cut half as much water."
Diaz trains with EliteXC 170-pound star Jake Shields and won't fight him, which may have been a factor leading to Shaw creating the 160-pound weight class.