Jimmie “El Terror” Rivera (23-4 MMA, 7-3 UFC)
Bantamweight (135lbs): 6-3 (UFC)
Featherweight (145lbs): 1-0 (UFC)
Jimmie Rivera will be making his return to the bantamweight division for UFC Vegas 20. Rivera elected to end his experiment at 145lbs after just one fight, even though he won an absolutely grueling bout via a unanimous decision against Cody Stamann. Maybe some of that energy came from the lack of a dramatic weight cut? To be fair, this fight took place at 145lbs because of the short-notice nature of the bout, and because of increased health risks with the COVID-19 pandemic. Rivera even said recently that there is a “strong possibility” of him moving up to the featherweight division because he just feels so good not cutting all that weight.
But Jimmie has fought in the bantamweight division since coming to the UFC in 2015 and has been among the elites of the division. At 5’4″ with a 68.5″ reach Rivera’s frame is one that definitely favors the bantamweight division. And pretty much every match-up in the featherweight division he’d be giving up some size in terms of length. At 31 years old there could be potential for Rivera to struggle coming back down in weight as he has utilized his allotted grace pound a couple of times at bantamweight. Rivera will be a fighter to watch on the scale and in the cage for his return to 135lbs, though he might not be in the weight class for long.
