 There seems to be some discussion ongoing in the sport as to why the pro women have weight divisions and the men don't. The reason weight divisions were introduced in women's bodybuilding was to allow smaller women to have a chance at winning titles - which is the same reason amateur bodybuilding uses weight classes. Many people have been concerned that having only one weight class would mean that it would be difficult to promote and publicize smaller and more aesthetic women, which could easily alienate not only the general public but the ticket-buying bodybuilding audience as well. This has worked very well. Many competitors have been encouraged to LOSE size to compete in a lighter class, rather than to get as big as possible to challenge the top heavyweights. The only problem has been the use of only two weight divisions when three would be better - with the division between middleweight and heavyweight moved up higher than 135 pounds. With a real lightweight division many of the women now competing in fitness and figure could be highly competitive in bodybuilding - where their genetics would allow them to be more successful. Can you imagine the benefit for women's bodybuilding if Monica Brant (or Timea Majorova or somebody like them) were able to win a lightweight Ms. Olympia or Ms. International title?
The question is not why the women have weight divisions, but why the men don't. As things stand, only "monsters" stand a chance of winning IFBB pro contests - and there are a lot of people - again, both in and out of the sport - who don't find these huge physiques aesthetic. Until 1980, the IFBB used weight classes in pro competition. If there were weight divisions today, the 225 or 235 lb competitors would not have to stand in the line-up next to 290 and 300 lb giants. And bodybuilding shouldn't just be about "getting big." If it were, we would never have seen the likes of Frank Zane, Franco Columbu or Chris Dickerson as title holders. In fact, at a 235 pound competition weight, Arnold himself would have no chance in today's lineups.
Bodybuilding is a sport in which body type and size make a huge different. As in boxing. Can you imagine the results if boxers all had to compete in one weight division? Only the biggest would have any kind of a chance and we would never have heard of Sugar Ray Robinson or Sugar Ray Leonard.
Why hasn't the IFBB decided to use weight classes for the male pros? The answer I hear most often is MONEY. The big guys don't want to share their winnings with smaller competitors. But using weight divisions would be good for the competitors as a whole, good for the sport and would help promote and publicize the sport.
So rather than doing away with weight divisions for the women, I suggest they ought to be used in men's pro bodybuilding - just as they are with the amateurs.
I hope you will find these ideas of some value in determining the ongoing evolution of the sport. Thank you for your time and consideration.
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