Derek Brunson wants to fight for an inaugural UFC title.
The middleweight contender said in a tweet on Saturday that he wants his UFC on FOX 27 main-event spot against Ronaldo Souza to be changed to a 195-pound title fight.
“All of these weight cutting concerns,” Brunson wrote, referring to the Uriah Hall vs. Vitor Belfort cancellation. “Dana White, let Brunson vs. Jacare welcome the 195lb UFC TITLE in 2 weeks!”
Souza vs. Brunson being shifted to a title fight in a new weight class from a pivotal fight in the 185-pound division in a matter of two weeks is highly unlikely, but it’s worth a try.
The 195-pound division does not currently exist in the UFC, or any prominent MMA promotion. Though the Association of Boxing Commissions and Combative Sports (ABC) codified the weight class — along with 165, 175, and 225 pounds — in the Unified Rules of MMA last year, the UFC has yet to adopt it.
UFC Vice President of Athlete Health and Performance Jeff Novitzky said last year that the promotion supports the new weight classes and that he expects they will be introduced to the UFC in the future. UFC president Dana White, on the other hand, isn’t as keen; White said that he doesn’t think adding more weight classes is the answer to eliminating extreme weight-cutting.
As of now, Souza vs. Brunson will still be contested in the middleweight division. It is set to headline UFC on FOX 27 at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina on Jan. 27.