Dana White (photo via UFC)

By FCF Staff

Dana White has said in the past that he has no intention of adding a 165-pound division to the UFC, and now the promotion’s president has doubled down on those comments.

Several fighters, including notable competitors like Ben Askren, Kevin Lee and Conor McGregor, among others, have campaigned for the UFC to build a 165 division. White has argued that the division isn’t feasible, and while appearing on Barstool Sports’ show recently, he reportedly said this (quote via MMA Mania):

”Not in the next seven years, that I promise. I’m here for seven more years, when I go they can make a 180, 165, 122, whatever they wanna do when I’m gone, they can do. It ain’t happening while I’m here. What’s the appeal in it?”

”A lot of guys who know they can’t win at either 170 or 155 that would all jump ship. If you look at our 170 and 155 division, they’re stacked…”

”You build a 165 pound division, you completely drain both of those divisions,” White concluded. “It ain’t happening while I’m here. These divisions are stacked, we’ve got tons of great fights in both divisions. We don’t need a 165 pound division.”

Proponents for the 165 weight class argue that adding the division would benefit fighters who struggle to make 155 but are too small for welterweight, and that the division is feasible due to the depth of the lightweight and welterweight rosters.