Add James Krause to the list of fighters who would like to see new weight classes introduced to the UFC – especially the 165-pound division that lightweight contender Kevin Lee has long advocated for.

A longtime lightweight, Krause (26-7 MMA, 7-3 UFC) returned to welterweight for his most recent outing, a UFC Fight Night 135 appointment with Warlley Alves. Krause walked away with a second-round TKO win – a result which, as Krause said after the fight, he believes validated his decision to move up.

While he might be giving up a few pounds against naturally bigger competition, Krause also felt relieved of the mental weight that came with the strict, months-long dieting. Outside the cage, Krause’s quality of life has vastly improved; inside of it, Krause felt faster, more durable and more present than ever before.

“I felt like this fight, this was my 56th fight, pro and amateur, and I felt like I’ve never been more intimate into a fight ever, in my entire career,” Krause recently told MMAjunkie Radio. “I was so into this fight. I don’t know if you guys can see me – I was talking to him the entire fight. I was just so involved. And even after the fight was over, the camera pans at me, and I’m looking at my coach, but I’m not really looking at him. I’m still processing.

“I felt like a different person whenever I was in there, and I think that was my ability to kind of flip that switch. There were times when I would literally just sit in the pocket and eat those kicks just so I could call him a (expletive).”

More importantly, though, Krause has recovered something he’d lost competing in the lower division: He’s enjoying himself again.

“I can have fun, and if I want to have a cookie after practice, I can have a cookie,” Krause said. “If I want to take my family to a steak house, I can do that. I’m going to have fun with it, and it makes it more enjoyable again. It makes it where I want to fight more frequently. It makes it to where life is good again.”

Clearly, Krause doesn’t regret his decision to move up to welterweight. But, while the trade-off is worth it, the fighter does wish he didn’t have to make such a big concession.

Like Lee, who was in the MMAjunkie Radio studio during Krause’s interview, Krause believes there’s a lot to be gained by narrowing the weight gap with new divisions.

“Whenever everything is even, the power, the strength, all that stuff – maybe sometimes the 10 pounds does make the difference,” Krause said. “I completely agree. I am doing it now. It’s really because I have no choice. I don’t want to kill myself to make – it takes me two months to make 55.

“If I fight three times in a year, six out of the 12 months of my life are dog (expletive). It’s not worth it to me anymore. But you’re right, I shouldn’t have to do that.”

Gallery James Krause def. Warlley Alves at UFC Fight Night 135: Best photos view 7 images

For fighters like Lee and Krause, who have tough cuts to 155 but still aren’t as big as a lot of the welterweights, an intermediary division would have obvious advantages. Apart from that, though, Krause believes it would also be a smart business decision for the UFC.

“Who the hell wouldn’t want to see these 155 vs. 170 matchups?” Krause said. “How many awesome fights are there for you, Kevin, to watch you fight a welterweight that’s maybe a little too small at welterweight?”

Case in point: The UFC 226 scrap between welterweight Mike Perry and longtime lightweight Paul Felder, which only came together because Felder’s original opponent, James Vick, was pulled from the meeting in favor of a headliner against Justin Gaethje.

Krause doesn’t know whether Perry, specifically, could make 165 but believes that this matchup that wouldn’t have happened under normal circumstances is one example of the possibilities there.

“They could literally (create the 165-pound division) today,” Krause said. “They could do this today and they could make a top-15, no problem. Look at the women’s divisions, there’s people that are on three-fight losing streaks. Look at the heavyweight division. These guys are losing three, four, five fights in a row, and they’re still top 15 in the world. You could put together a stud-ass top 15 at 165 right now, and it would be 100 percent legit.”

For more on the UFC schedule, visit the UFC Rumors section of the site.

MMAjunkie Radio broadcasts Monday-Friday at 1 p.m. ET (10 a.m. PT) live from Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino’s Race & Sports Book. The show is hosted by “Gorgeous” George Garcia, Brian “Goze” Garcia and Dan Tom. For more information or to download past episodes, go to www.mmajunkie.com/radio.

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