ONE FC is the leading MMA promotion in Asia that differs a lot from other major organizations when it comes to rules. The promotion didn’t adopt the Unified Rules of MMA, and as such, it has its own rule set and weight classes.
In short, ONE FC Championship has 10 weight classes in total. Male fighters can choose to compete across 9 weight classes, while female fighters have 5. The upper and lower weight limits of each weight class are actually “heavier” than in most other promotions, and we are going to explain why in this article.
Also, ONE FC events also include Muay Thai, Kickboxing, and submission grappling matches. And you are going to learn how weight classes work in these disciplines as well.
What Are the ONE FC Weight Classes?
ONE FC is a premiere combat sports promotion that primarily promotes MMA matches. But each event also includes Muay Thai (with 4oz MMA gloves), Kickboxing, and submission grappling matches. It has been around since 2011 and has risen quickly to become a leader in the Asian market.
In terms of weight classes, ONE FC offers multiple divisions for both male and female fighters. Bear in mind that the promotion didn’t adopt the Unified Rules of MMA, like most other western promotions such as the UFC. Instead, the events are in line with the famous “Global” rule set that originates from legendary PRIDE FC.
The concept of weight classes is very much the same as in other promotions. The name of each weight class is the same as in Unified Rules, as well as the gaps between them. The only difference is the upper and lower weight limits for each weight class because the ones in ONE are “heavier”.
The number of total weight classes varies between the martial art disciplines. When it comes to MMA, there are 10 weight classes in total. Muay Thai has 5, while kickboxing includes six different divisions.
In contrast with other promotions, ONE FC does not include extreme weight cutting by dehydration. The promotion banned this practice in 2019, which now forces the fighters to compete closer to their weight outside of competition, also known as “walking weight”. They can’t lose much weight without flushing the water out of their system, nor are they allowed to enter the cage weighing 5% above the upper limit of a specific weight class.
How Many Weight Classes Are There in ONE FC?
Following is a detailed explanation of ONE FC weight classes across all disciplines with the upper and lower weight limits of each one.
ONE FC MMA Weight Classes
There are 10 MMA weight classes out which 9 are used by male fighters, and 5 are for females.
| Weight Class | Lower limit | Upper Limit |
| Atomweight | 105.1lbs (47.7 kg) | 115lbs (52.2 kg) |
| Strawweight | 115lbs (52.2 kg) | 125lbs (56.7 kg) |
| Flyweight | 125lbs (56.7 kg) | 135lbs (61.2 kg) |
| Bantamweight | 135lbs (61.2 kg) | 145lbs (65.8 kg) |
| Featherweight | 145lbs (65.8 kg) | 155lbs (70.3 kg) |
| Lightweight | 155lbs (70.3 kg) | 170lbs (77.1 kg) |
| Welterweight | 170lbs (77.1 kg) | 185lbs (84 kg) |
| Middleweight | 185lbs (84 kg) | 205lbs (93 kg) |
| Light Heavyweight | 205lbs (93 kg) | 225lbs (102.1 kg) |
| Heavyweight | 225lbs (102.1 kg) | 265lbs (120.2 kg) |
Male MMA Divisions in ONE FC
| Weight Class | Lower limit | Upper Limit |
| Strawweight | 115lbs (52.2 kg) | 125lbs (56.7 kg) |
| Flyweight | 125lbs (56.7 kg) | 135lbs (61.2 kg) |
| Bantamweight | 135lbs (61.2 kg) | 145lbs (65.8 kg) |
| Featherweight | 145lbs (65.8 kg) | 155lbs (70.3 kg) |
| Lightweight | 155lbs (70.3 kg) | 170lbs (77.1 kg) |
| Welterweight | 170lbs (77.1 kg) | 185lbs (84 kg) |
| Middleweight | 185lbs (84 kg) | 205lbs (93 kg) |
| Light Heavyweight | 205lbs (93 kg) | 225lbs (102.1 kg) |
| Heavyweight | 225lbs (102.1 kg) | 265lbs (120.2 kg) |
Female MMA divisions in ONE FC
| Weight Class | Lower limit | Upper Limit |
| Strawweight | 115lbs (52.2 kg) | 125lbs (56.7 kg) |
| Flyweight | 125lbs (56.7 kg) | 135lbs (61.2 kg) |
| Bantamweight | 135lbs (61.2 kg) | 145lbs (65.8 kg) |
| Featherweight | 145lbs (65.8 kg) | 155lbs (70.3 kg) |
ONE FC Muay Thai Weight Classes
There are five different Muay Thai weight classes for males and two for female fighters.
ONE FC Muay Thai weight classes for men
| Weight Class | Lower limit | Upper Limit |
| Lightweight | 155lbs (70.3 kg) | 170lbs (77.1 kg) |
| Welterweight | 170lbs (77.1 kg) | 185lbs (84 kg) |
| Middleweight | 185lbs (84 kg) | 205lbs (93 kg) |
| Light Heavyweight | 205lbs (93 kg) | 225lbs (102.1 kg) |
| Heavyweight | 225lbs (102.1 kg) | 265lbs (120.2 kg) |
ONE FC Muay Thai weight classes for women
| Weight Class | Lower limit | Upper Limit |
| Atomweight | 105.1lbs (47.7 kg) | 115lbs (52.2 kg) |
| Strawweight | 115lbs (52.2 kg) | 125lbs (56.7 kg) |
One FC Kickboxing Weight Classes
There are six weight classes for males and just one for female fighters.
ONE FC kickboxing weight classes for men
| Weight Class | Lower limit | Upper Limit |
| Strawweight | 115lbs (52.2 kg) | 125lbs (56.7 kg) |
| Flyweight | 125lbs (56.7 kg) | 135lbs (61.2 kg) |
| Bantamweight | 135lbs (61.2 kg) | 145lbs (65.8 kg) |
| Featherweight | 145lbs (65.8 kg) | 155lbs (70.3 kg) |
| Lightweight | 155lbs (70.3 kg) | 170lbs (77.1 kg) |
| Light Heavyweight | 205lbs (93 kg) | 225lbs (102.1 kg) |
One FC Kickboxing weight classes for females
| Weight Class | Lower limit | Upper Limit |
| Atomweight | 105.1lbs (47.7 kg) | 115lbs (52.2 kg) |
One FC Submission Grappling Weight Classes
Submission grappling is only available for men, and there are two different divisions
| Weight Class | Lower limit | Upper Limit |
| Atomweight | 105.1lbs (47.7 kg) | 115lbs (52.2 kg) |
| Strawweight | 115lbs (52.2 kg) | 125lbs (56.7 kg) |
How Do Weight Classes Work in ONE FC?
The concept of weight classes in ONE FC is very much the same as in any other promotion. Upon signing a contract with the promotion, each athlete must choose a weight class based on their physical size and weight. Since weight cutting by dehydration is banned, athletes usually compete close to their natural weight, or “walking weight”.
Official weigh-ins are organized one day before the fight, usually on Friday and sometimes on Thursday. First, fighters must pass the hydration test performed by the ONE FC’s doctor and technician, and have a urine gravity of 1.025 or lower. Then, they would step on the scale and meet the restrictions of the weight class they are assigned to compete in. They are not allowed to exceed the upper or lower weight limits. Once both fighters hit the scale at the right number, the fight becomes official.
ONE FC pays extra caution to keep their fighters at walking weight during the match as well which further evens the playfield. That’s why they have introduced the concept of post-fight weigh-ins. Once a fighter steps on the scale after the match, they must not exceed 5% over the upper limit of the weight class. This forces both fighters to stay within the range of the division limits during the fight which prevents significant differences in weight.
In other promotions, fighters would lose up to 30 pounds to pass the weigh-ins on Friday. Then, they would gain the majority of weight back and enter the cage weighing 20 pounds over the division limits. The concept of ONE FC differs here as it forces the fighters to compete at close to their natural weight, which has many benefits.
What Happens When a ONE FC Fighter Misses Weight?
If a fighter steps on the scale weighing more than the upper limit, they would receive additional time to cut extra pounds. Each event is overseen by the Athletic Commission of the state in which the show takes place. They would give a fighter an hour or two to go backstage and come back and make weight in their second attempt.
In most cases, an extra hour or two is more than enough for a fighter to lose half a pound or pound, and make weight. But if they come back and miss weight on their second attempt, then there are two possible scenarios.
First, the promotion and Athletic Commission would try to arrange a catchweight fight. Instead of at 145 pounds, for instance, the fight would take place at 150 pounds or the last recorded weight of the fighter who failed to make weight.
In most cases, the opponent would accept to compete under new circumstances, and once the commission gives the green light, the fight is on. However, a fighter who missed weight must give between 20–30% of their fight purse to their opponent who was professional and made weight. In the second scenario, the match would get canceled and stripped off the card, but this rarely ever happens.
In contrast with other promotions, ONE FC athletes can also fail the hydration test. During the fight week, their urine sample gets tested multiple times, and their urine gravity must not be above 1.025. If they fail the hydration test, they would receive a warning for the first offense. For the second, they would be penalized 25% of their fight purse, and 50% for the third offense.
Can ONE FC Fighters Switch Weight Classes?
ONE FC fighter can move up or down in weight as much as they want to. As long as they are capable of hitting the scale within the restricted limits of a specific weight class, there is no rule forbidding them to change the division. However, changing weight classes in ONE FC is much harder than in other promotions because there is no extreme weight cutting by dehydration.
For example, it would be very hard for a fighter who competes in a 170-pound weight class (lightweight) to drop down to the 155-pound division (featherweight) without losing water from their body (dehydration). Seeing a fighter losing this much weight is a common practice in promotions such as UFC and Bellator, but not in ONE FC.
Further, moving up in weight is also a risky move because the gaps between the divisions are big. If you are already competing at your natural weight, let’s say in a 155-weight class (featherweight), moving to a 170-pound division and adding 15 extra pounds on top of your natural weight will certainly have a huge impact on your performance. It makes you slower and certainly has a negative impact on your cardio as well.
Again, moving up in weight is easier in the UFC or Bellator because of extreme weight cuts. A 170-pound fighter usually competes in a 145 division. So if they want to move to 155, they would just cut less weight which won’t impact their performance a bit.
Do ONE FC Fighters Cut Weight Before the Fight?
ONE FC fighters are allowed to cut weight, but they can’t do it by dehydrating their bodies which completely changes the process of losing weight. They can focus on losing weight the healthy way by following a strict diet program but are not allowed to flush the water out of their bodies. That’s why ONE FC fighters lose just a couple of pounds while in other promotions athletes cut up to 30 pounds.
ONE FC is widely praised for changing its weight-cutting policies, but this change came at a big cost. In 2015, ONE FC fighter Yang Jian Bing died during the process of weight cutting, and the company decided to react and be the first promotion to make a step toward a safer MMA environment.
They changed the concept by banning weight cutting by dehydration. During the fight week, fighters would undergo multiple weigh-ins, as well as hydration tests. The entire process would be tracked throughout the entire week and breaking these rules results in serious penalties.
The entire program is there to force the fighters to stop cutting weight and instead compete at the natural, “walking weight”. This is a much, much safer approach that makes the athlete feel fit and healthy ahead of the bout. It also adds to the entertainment value of the show as fighters clearly come in a much better shape and mood on fight night.
So overall, yes, ONE FC athlete cut weight, but much less, and the process is much safer than in other promotions. In the future, we might see more and more promotions adopting this revolutionary concept as it clearly improves the safety of the fighters and the quality of fights.
Difference Between UFC and ONE FC Weight Classes?
The biggest difference is the number of weight classes and the upper and lower weight limits of each weight class. The UFC has 9 weight classes in total while ONE FC has 10 MMA weight classes. Also, ONE FC divisions are “heavier” than the same ones in the UFC by 10 pounds.
This is because the UFC adopts the “Unified Rules” while ONE FC adopts “Global Rules”. Here is a detailed comparison.
| ONE FC Weight Classes | Lower limit | Upper Limit |
| Atomweight | 105.1lbs (47.7 kg) | 115lbs (52.2 kg) |
| Strawweight | 115lbs (52.2 kg) | 125lbs (56.7 kg) |
| Flyweight | 125lbs (56.7 kg) | 135lbs (61.2 kg) |
| Bantamweight | 135lbs (61.2 kg) | 145lbs (65.8 kg) |
| Featherweight | 145lbs (65.8 kg) | 155lbs (70.3 kg) |
| Lightweight | 155lbs (70.3 kg) | 170lbs (77.1 kg) |
| Welterweight | 170lbs (77.1 kg) | 185lbs (84 kg) |
| Middleweight | 185lbs (84 kg) | 205lbs (93 kg) |
| Light Heavyweight | 205lbs (93 kg) | 225lbs (102.1 kg) |
| Heavyweight | 225lbs (102.1 kg) | 265lbs (120.2 kg) |
| UFC Weight Classes | Lower Limit | Upper Limit |
| Strawweight | / | 115 lbs (52.2 kg) |
| Flyweight | 115lbs (52.2 kg) | 125lbs (56.7 kg) |
| Bantamweight | 125lbs (56.7 kg) | 135lbs (61.2 kg) |
| Featherweight | 135lbs (61.2 kg) | 145lbs (65.8 kg) |
| Lightweight | 145lbs (65.8 kg) | 155lbs (70.3 kg) |
| Welterweight | 155lbs (70.3 kg) | 170lbs (77.1 kg) |
| Middleweight | 170lbs (77.1 kg) | 185lbs (84 kg) |
| Light Heavyweight | 185lbs (84 kg) | 205lbs (93 kg) |
| Heavyweight | 205lbs (93 kg) | 265lbs (120.2 kg) |
Why ONE FC divisions are Split by Weight and Not Height?
Weight plays a much bigger role than height when it comes to factors like power, damage, and safety of the fighters. Height doesn’t represent a big advantage and having long physical attributes does not mean you can generate big power. Being tall means that you probably have a long reach, but on the flip side, not all fighters know how to use this as an advantage in a fight.
Weight is what enables you to generate force behind each strike. The heavier you are, the harder you will strike and cause more damage. Just imagine a world without weight classes where Francis Ngannou blasts 170-pound Leon Edwards with a full-blown punch to the face. This is very dangerous and potentially lethal. And the same stands for grappling where heavier fighters can easily overwhelm their opponent with sheer strength and power.
So overall, fighters are split by weight primarily because of safety reasons.
Final Thoughts
ONE FC adopts the “Global” rules of MMA which differ a lot from the rule sets used in western promotions, notably when it comes to weight classes. Overall, the Asian promotion includes similar number of divisions, and the gap between each one is very much the same as well.
Where ONE FC differs the most is when it comes to weight cutting. Unlike in other promotion, ONE FC bans losing weight by dehydration, which makes the entire process much safer. The promotion is widely praised for making the initial step toward making MMA safer by getting rid of such a dangerous practice. In the near future, we might expect other promotions to adopt a similar concept which will make an MMA world a much safer place.
