Tim Means (photo via UFC.com)

By Kelsey Mowatt

Tim Means was defeated by one of the planet’s top welterweights at UFC 189, but the fighter is more certain than ever, about his decision to close the book on competing at 155.

After Means exited the UFC back in 2013, “The Dirty Bird” elected to take fights at 170, and proceeded to stop Pete Spratt and Artenas Young while competing for Legacy FC. Means was brought back to the UFC in 2014, and was decisioned by welterweight Neil Magny, but the punishing striker rebounded and proceeded to win four straight.

Although Means was submitted by Brown in the opening round of their recent bout, the 6’2 tall fighter certainly did not look out of place, competing against one of the division’s top contenders. Means managed to stun Brown early on, and did not appear to be at any disadvantage, in terms of size and positioning. So much so, it’s somewhat hard to imagine Means competing at 155 now.

“Looking back at the fight I was the bigger guy in the fight,” Means said in a recent episode of Full Contact Fighter Radio, when asked if it’s hard to believe he competed at 155, in light of his recent success. “I think a lot of people were thinking that, you know, I’m small. I think I was kind of large for 155 and I was about 180 pounds at that point. As I got more fights and got more fights with the UFC, I started getting higher and higher, and in the 190 marks.”

“My body changed and it was just time to change weight classes,” added the FIT NHB fighter. “Looking back, like cutting to 170 now, it’s not a walk in the park. So, I’m definitely kind of shaking my head at the times that I had to make 155, and not quite sure how I was getting it done…that was awfully hard man. It really was.”

While many fighters attempt to kickstart their career by moving down in weight, Means appears to be another  fighter who has been better served, doing the opposite. It’s an ongoing debate in MMA, in terms of whether athletes are just depleting themselves, in an effort to gain any advantage possible come fight night.

“I’m so happy to be at this weight class and I’m not a small guy in the weight class,” furthered Means. “I might not be winning like a muscle building contest anytime soon, but I’m definitely not weak, and I definitely have power to win fights.”

With the loss to Brown, the 31 year-old Means’ records stands at 24-7-1.