Most common methods of achieving victory in MMA

Can the MMA be a subject of interest to academics? Of course, it can. Can statistical analysis tell you some valuable tips if you want to make lucky sports bets? Actually, such a study provides a sea of invaluable information.

Dr Jorge García Bastida of the University of Barcelona (Institut Nacional de Educació Física de Catalunya) wrote a doctoral paper on that subject. He found out if there is a correlation between types of fights, MMA fighter weights and their winning techniques.

It turns out there is a correlation, and this data may well help MMA betting fans win more often in UK Betting Sites Not on GamStop.

The most popular styles in MMA

Let’s start by identifying which fighting styles are most popular within MMA.

Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) is one of the fastest-growing sports socially and economically in the last 20 years. Combat sports enjoyed great popularity as early as the ancient Olympic Games in Greece. But it was not until 1993 that it re-emerged as a spectator sport.

In the last millennium, martial Arts is often used to describe the combat arts in Eastern cultures. However, it should include all the arts developed for combat globally. These arts were designed to be performed primarily during battle and therefore had no set rules.

Among some of these Martial Arts, we would find:

1. Coming from China, the Kung-fu (or Gung-fu) has multiple styles, such as Wing Chun or Tai Chi Chuan.
2. Coming from Japan, we get the ancestor of Judo, Ju Jutsu, Karate, and the ancestor of Aikido, Aiki Jutsu.
3. From Korea, we find Taekwondo and Hapkido.
4. Escrima or Kali from the Philippines.
5. Penkat Silat from Indonesia.
6. Muai Thai or Thai Boxing, where an essential part of the training is dedicated to the discipline, respect and spirituality.

Some Martial Arts, such as Tai Chi, have seen their practice reduced as a combat art, being replaced by the objective of exercise for the improvement of health.

Experts say MMA is an evolution of Brazilian Vale Tudo. Nevertheless, we can find the origin of this fighting in Pancratium.

Pancratium consisted of boxing and wrestling mix and was first introduced in the ancient Greek Olympics (XXIII edition, 648 BC) as Pankration, which translates from Greek as “all-powerful”. The sport achieved great popularity, being revered and reserved by the Greeks as the culminating event of the Ancient Games.

The relationship between victory options and fighter weights

Dr Jorge García Bastida has determined a correlation between the type of victory and the fighters’ weights. You can see it in the graph below. Use this data to win weighted fights in all UK bookmakers 2022.

The highest percentage of TKOs (technical knockouts) is seen in heavyweight fighters. Submission is more common among middleweight fighters than in other categories. KO is rare compared to other victory options; though, it is seen more often in the heavyweight division. And almost half of all lightweight fights end up in judges’ decisions.

Which technique is more likely to be used by different categories of fighters?

In the Heavyweight division, 21 techniques or types of victory were applied. The most frequent technique was Strikes (32.6%), followed by Unanimous Decision (15.21%), Punch (9.78%), Punches (7.6%) and Armbar (5.43%).

In the Light Heavyweight category, 19 types or techniques of finishing the fight were counted. The most frequent kind of victory was Unanimous Decision (23.25%), followed by Strikes (18.6%), Punches (13.95%), Rear Naked Choke (8.13%) and Split Decision (5.8%).

In the Middleweight, 20 types or techniques of victory were counted. The most frequent kind of victory was Unanimous Decision (23.9%) and Strikes (23.9%), followed by Guillotine Choke (11.95%), Rear Naked Choke (7.6%), Punches (7.6%) and Arm Triangle Choke (6.5%).

In the Welterweight, 22 types or techniques of victory were counted. The most frequent kind of victory was Unanimous Decision (36.25%), followed by Strikes (12.5%), Rear Naked Choke (12.5%), Split Decision (7.5%) and Punch (5%).

In the Lightweight, the most frequent type of victory was Unanimous Decision (27.65%), followed by Strikes (18.08%), Punches (9.57%), Rear Naked Choke (6.38%) and Armbar (6.38%).

Average bout time

The average time (from shortest to longest) was as follows for each of the eight categories:

1. Category H (heavyweight) had the shortest average duration with 358±377.27 sec,
2. Followed by the M (middleweight) with an average duration of 502.02±378.26 sec,
3. The HL (light-heavyweight) has an average duration of 528.94±378.26 sec,
4. The W (welterweight) has an average duration of 550.73±332.41 s.
5. And finally, the one with the most extended average duration was division L (lightweight), with an average period of 636.58±394.97s.

In most cases, we can see that as the weight category decreases, bouts have a higher average duration.

Distribution of wins by round

In the first round (R1), the Heavyweight category has the highest winning percentage with 51.1%, followed by the Middleweight with 41.3%, the Light Heavyweight with 37.2%, the Welterweight with 31.9% and finally the Lightweight with 30%.

In the second round (R2), the Welterweight division has the highest winning percentage with 25.5%, followed by the Middleweight with 22.8%, the Light Heavyweight with 22.1%, the Heavyweight with 18.5% and finally the Lightweight with 16.3%.

In the third round (R3), the Lightweight has the highest winning percentage with 47.5%, followed by the Welterweight with 39.4%, the Light Heavyweight with 36%, the Middleweight with 32.6% and finally the Heavyweight with 25%.

In the fourth round (R4), the Welterweight has the highest percentage of victories, corresponding to 2.1%, followed by the Light Heavyweight with 1.2% and the Middleweight with 1.1%. The Heavyweight and Lightweight categories have no cases of fights finished in this round.

In the fifth round (R5), the Lightweight has the highest winning percentage with 3.6%, followed by the Heavyweight with 5.4%, the Light Heavyweight with 3.5%, the Middleweight with 2.2% and finally the Welterweight with 1.1%.

Well, hopefully, this data will help you make your MMA bets consistently profitable. Good luck!