While weight classes are usually mandatory now, openweight competition was the norm for combat sports since antiquity and continues into the modern day.
Bob Fitzsimmons is notable for being the lightest World Heavyweight Champion, weighing just 165 pounds when he won the title.
The wrestling at the ancient Olympic Games never used weight classes and competitors were simply divided into two categories: men and boys.
Though match-fixing led to predetermined results and theatrics that gradually replaced the competitive sport, the legitimate aspects continued into the 1970s as wrestler vs. fan challenges.
Originating in 19th century carnivals, wrestlers would challenge locals from the crowd, with the promoter offering cash or a prize if the fan could win or last a certain amount of time.
While plants were sometimes used, usually as a set-up to convince a local to compete, matches were mostly shoots that the professionals won, though fans have also been known to win.
Not all open-weight fights were "freak shows" however, PRIDE Fighting Championships organized in 2000 a two-night 16-fighter "Grand Prix" (tournament) called the Pride FC: Grand Prix 2000 with the objective of finding "the world's best fighter" and consisted with the top fighters at the time, from 75.75kg (167 lb) Kazushi Sakuraba to 116 kg (255 lb) Mark Kerr.
All weight categories are welcome inside the absolute division and smaller competitors must rely on skill and technique against larger opponents.
[10] Organizations that hold some of the most popular openweight competitions are ADCC (since 1998), IBJJF (gi since 1996 and no-gi since 2007), NAGA, Grapplers Quest, and Quintet.