In professional wrestling, a weight class is a standardized weight range for the wrestlers. The top class in almost every promotion is heavyweight, but super heavyweights exist. Weight class matches in modern-day American professional wrestling are rare, but weight class championships still exist. However, Japanese professional wrestling, Mexican wrestling and traditional British wrestling use the weight classes more seriously.
| Name | Promotion | Weight limit | |
|---|---|---|---|
| National | Unknown | ||
| National | Unknown | ||
| 92–97 kg | |||
| Pacific Pro Wrestling Light Heavyweight Championship[1] | Pacific Pro Wrestling | <85 kg | |
| National | Unknown | ||
| Unknown |
WWE, the largest professional wrestling promotion both nationally and internationally, had a reserved championship exclusively for wrestlers under the "Cruiserweight" category until 2022. Historically, WWE has had a number of championships that were only competed by lighter wrestlers such as the WWE Light Heavyweight Championship which became defunct in 2001. Conversely, WWE's so-called "Heavyweight" championships are not exclusive to heavyweight performers (240 lbs and above), as they have been won by comparatively smaller wrestlers such as Rey Mysterio and AJ Styles.
While some of the smaller, independent wrestling promotions use weight classes, most of the larger promotions do not. Even if weight classes are used, they are usually not enforced due to the scripted nature of professional wrestling. In March 2013, Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) imposed a 230 lb (104 kg) weight limit for wrestlers competing in the X Division for the TNA X Division Championship. In October 2013, however, TNA wrestler Samoa Joe, billed at 280 lb (127 kg), competed in an X Division Championship bout at TNA's Bound for Glory pay-per-view. Rather, it's more common for wrestling promotions to create a secondary championship to be competed for by smaller wrestlers. This championship, depending upon the promotion, is usually named Cruiserweight, Light Heavyweight or Junior Heavyweight. In some sports, most notably boxing since it has a large number of weight classes, these three names represent different separate weight classes. In professional wrestling the upper weight limit of these championships varied and are often not strictly enforced, depending upon the desires of company management, but usually ranged from a maximum of 215 pounds to 230 pounds depending upon the promotion. Throughout the years, practically all of such championships have been retired due to the wrestling promotion closing down or losing interest. The oldest of these championships still active in the United States is the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship. Created in 1945, the title is also recognized and frequently defended in other promotions outside of the United States.
| Name | Promotion | Weight limit | Years active | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| <220 lbs. | June 1981 – 1993 | |||
| No official weight limits, formerly 225, 230 lbs. | June 19, 2002 – present | |||
| <225 lbs. | March 20, 1996 – September 25, 2007 After WCW was purchased by WWE, then the WWF, in March 2001, the WWF included the WCW Light Heavyweight Championship as part of the lineage of the WCW Cruiserweight Championship. The title was renamed the WWE Cruiserweight title when, WWF turned into WWE. | |||
| <235 lbs. | October 27, 1991 – September 2, 1992 | |||
| <215 lbs. | March 26, 1981 – November 25, 2001 Originally sanctioned as a co-promotion with the Mexican UWA until its closure in 1995, it was then defended in NJPW before becoming a full-time WWF title in 1997. It was abandoned in favor of the WWE Cruiserweight title. | |||
| <205 lbs. | September 14, 2016 – January 4, 2022 |
The only active National Wrestling Alliance championships in a specified weight division are the NWA World Heavyweight Championship (active since July 14, 1948) and the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship (revived in March 2022). The usual weight limit between the two is 225 lbs., but in practice the heavyweight championship is open to any weight class.
| Name | Weight limit | Years active | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| NWA World Super Heavyweight Championship[2] | Unlimited | 2003 – 2005 | Controlled by Pro Wrestling Zero1 |
| <200 lbs. | November 6, 1952 – August 2010 | Controlled by Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre since 1958 and kept by successor promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre until 2010; replaced with Historic version (see below). An alternate version existed in New Jersey from 1997 to 1998. | |
| <185 lbs. | 1939 – August 2010 | Controlled by Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre and kept by successor promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre until 2010; replaced with Historic versions (see below). | |
| <170 lbs. | March 15, 1946 – June 1992 December 1995 – April 2016 |
No other professional wrestling promotions have made such an extensive use of weight classes as some located in Mexico. The lucha libre style is highly prominent in Mexico and makes extensive use of high spots and a fast, sometimes frantic, pace that suits physically smaller wrestlers. As a result, most of the top professional wrestling stars in Mexico are lighter than those in many American promotions. Whereas the few American promotions and governing bodies, such as the National Wrestling Alliance, have what would be termed a Cruiserweight, Light Heavyweight or Junior Heavyweight division, several Mexican wrestling promotions have multiple weight classes.
| Name | Promotion | Weight limit | Years active |
|---|---|---|---|
| <105 kg | May 21, 2009 – present | ||
| between 92 and 97 kg | September 26, 1991 – present | ||
| between 82 and 87 kg | December 18, 1991 – present | ||
| between 70 and 78 kg | February 15, 1992 – present | ||
| between 63 and 70 kg | February 27, 1999 – present | ||
| between 92 and 97 kg | August 12, 2010 – present | ||
| between 82 and 87 kg | |||
| between 70 and 78 kg | |||
| between 92 and 97 kg | September 25, 1942 – present | ||
| between 77 and 87 kg | June 17, 1934 – present | ||
| between 63 and 70 kg | June 28, 1934 – present | ||
| between 82 and 87 kg | July 27, 1997 – present | ||
| between 70 and 78 kg | March 1, 1998 – present | ||
| between 63 and 70 kg | May 29, 2008 – present | ||
| between 70 and 78 kg | November 19, 2006 – 2007 |
As with Mexico, non-heavyweight wrestling championships have risen to prominence in a number of Japanese wrestling promotions. Unlike Mexico, however, and more in line with most promotions in the United States, most Japanese wrestling companies generally have a secondary singles and, in some cases, a tag team championship geared to the Cruiserweight/Junior Heavyweight/Light Heavyweight weight division rather than multiple weight divisions; lower weight division belts are usually imported from Mexico, as in the case of the UWA titles.
February 3, 1998 – 2002
May 7, 2017 – present
June 24, 2001 – present
July 16, 2003 – present
October 28, 1993 – present
March 26, 1995 – present
February 23, 1996 – present
February 6, 1986 – present
August 8, 1998 – present
December 23, 2003 – present
September 20, 2011 – present
July 31, 2022 – present
August 25, 2002 – present
November 25, 1975 – present
November 26, 1975 – present
July 31, 1986 – present
June 29, 2002 – present
The 1947 Admiral-Lord Mountevans rules set out seven weight divisions with maximum weight limits and called for champions to be crowned of each limit: Lightweight: 11st (154lb), Welterweight 11st 11 lb (165lb), Middleweight 12st 8 lb (176lb), Heavy Middleweight 13st 5 lb (187lb), Light Heavyweight 14st 2 lb (198lb), Mid-Heavyweight 14st 13 lb (209lb) and Heavyweight for all weights upwards of 15st (210lb).[3] [4]
An earlier system of weight classes with different levels and more divisions existed under the 1930 All-In rules.[5] Many "American style"/"New School" promotions follow the example of modern US promotions of having a Cruiserweight/Junior Heavyweight/etc division alongside primarily Heavyweight competition.
An exclusion does apply to charity ran organisations whereby, the organisation is not required to have weight divisions and may use the weight, without impersonation, to market their product for the charity and/or cause and nothing further. Organisations of this nature may also have a smaller roster of professional wrestlers to be able to separate weight divisions and therefore, all athletes must sign a contractual disclaimer in order to compete.