Vitor Belfort knocked brash British standout Michael Bisping silly with a vicious head kick in Round 2 of their UFC on FX 7 main event. That is the only strike that matters. Playing with and analyzing Fightmetric statistics is quite fun, but …
VitorBelfort knocked brash British standout Michael Bisping silly with a vicious head kick in Round 2 of their UFC on FX 7 main event.
That is the only strike that matters.
Playing with and analyzing Fightmetric statistics is quite fun, but in an instance like this one, the stats are pretty lackluster and come down to one incredibly significant strike.
In Round 1, Michael Bisping kept his range and threw jabs and leg kicks at Belfort as he circled away from “The Phenom’s” powerful left hand.
This was probably the right idea going in, but Bisping connected on just 19 percent (10 of 52) of his significant strikes, and he appeared unwilling to switch things up or develop a more cohesive game plan as the round progressed.
Basically, it was jab city and a lot of movement.
As the round ended, however, Belfort clipped Bisping with a head kick (foreshadowing, anyone?) and promptly unloaded a barrage of strikes as the Brit was pinned against the cage.
During this exchange, Belfort ran his significant strike count for the round to nine total on 36 attempts, good for 25 percent, and he also stuffed a desperation takedown from Bisping—the only takedown attempt of the fight.
Where the statistics are concerned, Round 1 shows Bisping threw more shots but did so with less accuracy.
Round 2
Belfort dominated Round 2 on paper and in reality.
Landing nine of 17 significant strikes that included the fight-ending blows, Belfort made good on 53 percent of his significant strike attempts and smartly avoided any danger.
During the round’s short duration, Bisping again failed to establish a rhythm, landing just four of 14 (29 percent) of his significant strikes.
In Summary
There isn’t much to take from these Fightmetric numbers, really. Neither fighter performed brilliantly, but Belfort did exactly what he needed to do to secure the victory—he caught and finished Bisping.
What is most baffling to me was Bisping‘s seeming lack of a game plan. I personally thought he would try his hand at grappling against Belfort, but he instead appeared content to pick “The Phenom” apart from a distance.
The problem with this is that Belfort never really chased him or threw any significant volume of punches, so Bisping was doing nothing to wear him down and force him to gas as expected.
Making this worse, Bisping‘s punches and kicks were pitter-pattery and did no damage whatsoever.
Overall, Bisping failed miserably in his UFC goal, and the statistics back up this notion.
Statistics can be an effective way of manipulating an audience into thinking something that you want them to. Unless you know what you’re looking at, statistics can be deceptive enough to convince you to believe something other than what you saw with y…
Statistics can be an effective way of manipulating an audience into thinking something that you want them to. Unless you know what you’re looking at, statistics can be deceptive enough to convince you to believe something other than what you saw with your own eyes.
At UFC 155, Cain Velasquez met Junior dos Santos in a five-round beatdown in which most statistics speak for themselves. However, if you’re a fight nerd like me, you’ll enjoy a look at the numbers.
The numbers show us some things that may have been missed. Most notable is the fact that Junior dos Santos actually averaged more than two significant strikes landed per minute of competition. He ultimately scored 57 strikes of this magnitude.
Another surprising statistic comes in the takedown department. With new champion Velasquez scoring an incredible 11 takedowns against Cigano, it’s easy to overlook the fact that Junior shrugged off twice as many.
As the fight went on, Cain began to tire as dos Santos got his second wind. This led to dos Santos being able to fend off attempts on seven of eight occasions.
So what happened to Velasquez that showed a chink in his never-ending-cardio armor?
When we look at the numbers, we can see that the AKA fighter threw a total of 245 strikes in the first three rounds, as well as attempting 19 takedowns in the same period of time.
In terms of totals, one metric jumps out at me: significant strikes.
Over the course of five rounds, Velasquez nearly doubled the successful output of his opponent. Notably, he outscored Junior 42-17 in Round 1 and 24-2 in Round 2.
But in the end, the most important numbers come in written form on the scorecards. Although each member of the panel had a different opinion as to how many 10-8 rounds took place, Velasquez won all five rounds according to each judge.
Canada and Canadian fighters have had another prominent year in the UFC with overall fighter success, big star power and strong fan support for the number one fighting promotion in the world. The feeling is positive north of the border heading in to 20…
Canada and Canadian fighters have had another prominent year in the UFC with overall fighter success, big star power and strong fan support for the number one fighting promotion in the world. The feeling is positive north of the border heading in to 2013, but how can you really measure impact and success in any given year without breaking down the various numbers of the game.
Here is a 2012 breakdown, by the numbers, of the impact that Canada has had on the UFC.
Three out of 31 total events were held in Canada
Three of the top six gate attendance shows were held in Canada
24 Canadians fought in the UFC
Canadian fighters were on 17 of 31 fight cards
Canadians were involved in 38 fights out of over 300, for approximately 10 percent
Win-loss record of 22-15 with one No Contest ruled in Clements vs Riddle for a 58% winning percentage
Eight finishes in 38 fights for a 21% finish percentage
Three Fight of The Night bonuses—Mark Hominick, Sam Stout, Georges St-Pierre
The most fights by a Canadian in 2012 is three by Sam Stout and Antonio Carvalho
One title fight in 2012—Georges St-Pierre vs Carlos Condit
UFC 154 from Montreal generated 700,000 pay-per-view buys to make it the second most highly watched pay-per-view event held this year along with UFC 145: Jones vs Evans and behind UFC 148: Silva vs Sonnen, which pulled in 1,000,000 buys.
It was also the third most highly watched pay-per-view held in Canada behind UFC 124 Montreal and UFC 129, which each had 800,000 buys.
These numbers should only go up in 2013 as there are already plans for four events to be held in Canada next year, with many up-and-coming fighters waiting in the wings to join the ranks and land a UFC fight.
Dwight Wakabayashi is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report UFC and regular contributor to Sportsnet.ca’s UFC section. Follow him on Twitter @wakafightermma.
Sports are games of numbers. If a football game ends 28-21, we immediately know which team won. Similarly, if a basketball contest is scored 109-97 at its conclusion, we can automatically recognize the victor. MMA, however, is no…
Sports are games of numbers.
If a football game ends 28-21, we immediately know which team won. Similarly, if a basketball contest is scored 109-97 at its conclusion, we can automatically recognize the victor.
MMA, however, is not so simple. Numbers are involved in the game, sure, but we cannot simply look at a set of numbers and determine who won a given fight.
Metrics like “significant strikes” and “takedown efficiency” can tell part of the story of an MMA fight, but it only takes one punch, kick or submission to turn the tides in any given matchup.
For the main event at UFC 149, the numbers tell a story that you can trust. Renan Barao won based on the numbers FightMetric has provided, and he won in reality.
Let us take a look and see if we can break down this fight numerically.
Significant Strikes
In his matchup with Urijah Faber, Renan Barao landed 85 significant strikes to Urijah Faber’s 60. Watching the fight, I actually felt that Barao landed much more and that Faber landed much less.
However, the numbers don’t lie, and Barao held an edge, as expected, in this department.
What does it mean?
Barao’s edge in significant strikes only means that he was landing harder shots on a more consistent basis than Faber. Neither fighter was rocked or wobbled at any point in the fight; so, while the strikes may be labeled “significant,” the fight was a tale of volume more-so than power.
Grappling
Here is an important aspect of the fight, and the numbers tell the tale perfectly.
Many people, myself included, felt that if Faber could drag Barao to the mat, he would hold an advantage with his power and grappling prowess.
Here is a stat to crush that hope: 0-6, Faber’s takedown rate.
He shot six times on the Brazilian but was unsuccessful on each attempt, meaning that Barao was able to play his rangy striking game for the full 25 minutes of action.
Barao’s takedown defense looked good, and the numbers certainly back up what we saw.
What Does it Mean?
Faber’s inability to get the fight to the mat obviously means he had to stand and strike with Barao. This turned out to be a fight he simply couldn’t win, and Barao became the new interim champion thanks to his superior technical striking.
Leg Kicks
It is no secret that Urijah Faber has trouble defending leg kicks, and we saw that story play out against Renan Barao just as it did in his bout against Jose Aldo.
Barao landed 15 of 19 powerful leg kicks that clearly slowed Faber and reduced his ability to throw strikes and shoot for takedowns (a sentiment echoed in his 0 percent takedown efficiency).
Conversely, Faber returned fire only three times, connecting on each powerful leg kick he threw.
What Does it Mean?
The leg kick statistics show, as we already knew, that Faber is susceptible to having his legs attacked. Leg kicks rarely end fights, but the work Barao did in slowing Faber and reducing his overall efficiency was a key aspect to the fight.
Overall:
In total, Faber vs. Barao was a stand-up war that went the distance, so the numbers are relatively easy to dissect.
Barao landed more shots, more powerful leg kicks and avoided ever being taken down.
For that, he is the clear victor on paper, and he has a shiny UFC belt to back up these statistics.
Brian “Bad Boy” Ebersole vs. Claude “The Prince” Patrick could be the sleeper hit of the UFC 140 card. Both men are skilled in each area of the sport, yet they are not mirrors. Both men know how to strike, but go ab…
Brian “Bad Boy” Ebersole vs. Claude “The Prince” Patrick could be the sleeper hit of the UFC 140 card.
Both men are skilled in each area of the sport, yet they are not mirrors. Both men know how to strike, but go about it differently.
Both men know how to grapple, but have different styles. Both men have the ability to take opponents down.
The winner may come down to who finds and exploits an opening.
Mixed martial arts is the fastest growing sport in the world and continues to grow each day. With so many fighters that are up-and-coming, it is difficult to remain in the spotlight. The UFC has been the forefront of growth of MMA, and to many, r…
Mixed martial arts is the fastest growing sport in the world and continues to grow each day. With so many fighters that are up-and-coming, it is difficult to remain in the spotlight.
The UFC has been the forefront of growth of MMA, and to many, represents the majority of what people view as the sport. The UFC boasts some of the greatest talent there is in MMA, but not without its own boundaries.
With so many fighters out there, only the select few can make it, and more importantly, remain in the UFC.
This concept applies to all other sports and organizations, but the UFC is the biggest, so that is the focus. Led by President Dana White and the Fertitta brothers, the UFC has grown exponentially each year. But with much success and attention comes inevitable flaws.
The UFC is notorious for cutting fighters following a series of losses. Typically, the trend has been the “three strikes and you’re out” sort of setup. But this is not always the case.
Some fighters have been cut after one loss; some after two. On the other hand, there are fighters that can go four or five losses and not get cut. Due to limited roster space and limited resources, cuts are certain to happen, but the inconsistency is confusing at times for fans.
But what factors affect who gets cut and when?
A lot seems to do with business moves as time has gone on. One significant factor that seems to be in the mix is a fighter’s nationality. Where they come from can be argued as to why some guys have been let go and why some have stuck around.
Take Dan Hardy for example. Hardy has lost four fights in a row, two of them being by a finish. Typically, by the norm, Hardy should have been cut after his loss to Anthony Johnson, but the UFC kept him around. Dana White went to the media, who were curious if the “The Outlaw” was on the chopping block, and once again after his loss to Chris Lytle. White responded that they would keep him since he always “comes to fight.”
This is a legitimate reason to hold onto someone, in an organization built on the backs of fighters who “came to fight.” However, guys like John Howard who are finishers and come ready to give a good fight, get cut right after the third.
When this situation happens, fans tend to converse over why this happens. It makes sense when you take into consideration what else the fighter brings to the organization besides his skills and technique.
Dan Hardy is one of two huge British ambassadors for the sport; the other being Michael Bisping. England has a strong MMA fanbase and therefore provides a huge business angle for the UFC and MMA in general. Certain guys like Hardy seem to be untouchable, unless they do something in violation with conduct. Bisping is in the same boat, and if he were to lose four in a row, the UFC probably wouldn’t cut him.
Look at it this way. If Georges St. Pierre lost four in a row, would the UFC cut him?
Most likely not, since he is not only a huge star in America, but is the leading fighter to come out of Canada. Canada is known to be one of the biggest, if not the biggest, fanbase of MMA in North America. Cutting him would hurt financially to them, largely due to his nationality. If it were any other fighter, four losses would be rather impossible to recover from.
Another individual in this situation is Yoshihiro Akiyama. Akiyama made his UFC debut at UFC 100 and won a controversial decision over Alan Belcher. He then went on to lose three in a row, yet he still is competing and contracted with the UFC. Given two of his losses were “fight of the night” material, it still doesn’t take away the loss in the end of the day.
Early 2012, the UFC is going to Japan and would love to carry with it one of the biggest stars to come out of Asia. Akiyama brings a crowd and would certainly have a huge fanbase at an UFC event in Asian territory. Akiyama has expressed desires to move to Welterweight, and this move helps lessen the burden of three losses. However, it may be correct to say his race is helping him stay in the UFC.
Does nationality play a part? If so, how significant?
While nationality may or may not play a significant role, there does seem to be this luminous ambiguity of what constitutes “cutting” criteria. Sometimes it seems based on how they lose, sometimes on what they have done for the sport. Sometimes it seems guys get cut solely because they lost X fights in a row. But if you look at Tito Ortiz, it contradicts some of them.
Tito has done great things for the sport, but had he been held to the standard some of these others have faced, he would have been gone a long time ago. Keith Jardine is a tough fighter who is interesting to watch, but he hit the four and then was released.
The true nature of why these guys are getting released when they are is unknown, but it is apparent there is a lack of system. This is where fans find frustration and where the organization starts to look more like a business than a sport.
So far, their decisions do not have huge impacts on the sport, but it would be nice to have some consistency of when fighters get released. In the end of the day, it is their organization, and they can do whatever they want, but it makes us all curious.
Sometimes fighters get cut for substance abuse or taking PED’s. But there is inconsistency there are well. Thiago Silva used a urine adulterant in his drug test for UFC 125, and no note of his release from the UFC has surfaced. As far as information goes, he was fined and his win overturned, but still remains contracted with the UFC.
But then, look at cases such as Nate Marquardt. Nate had failed medical requirements, and almost as soon as fans heard about this, he was released from the UFC. Once again, another case which shows that each fighter case is situational and inconsistent throughout.
Fans have different views and responses when fighters get cut, but regardless, the UFC and MMA is thriving. Many have expressed that a system would be nice to have, but we may not see that anytime soon. Until then, everyone can make up their own lists as to what they think matters in the “cutting” decisions.
What kind of system would you like to see? What are your thoughts?
Statistics can be an effective way of manipulating an audience into thinking something that you want them to. Unless you know what you’re looking at, statistics can be deceptive enough to convince you to believe something other than what you saw with your own eyes.