Ultimate Fighting Championship ("UFC") Injuries; A Two Year Retrospective Fight Injury Study

Abstract

PURPOSE: Educate ring-side medical personal with injury patterns suffered in the ring to improve medical care. The UFC's exponential growth has created massive growth to the sport of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). MMA involves a variety of technical moves combined with striking and kicks, leading to an array of injuries.This two year retrospective study is aimed to help guide medical professionals working ring side. METHODS: Data from 304 professional UFC fighters in 152 UFC fights from 02/02/2007-12/27/2008 was collected. The Fighters' Complaints, Physician Diagnosis, Imaging Results, and mechanism of win/loss including 3 specific Tapout/Choke maneuvers (TO), Knockout (KO), Technical Knockout (TKO), were all tabulated. All data was summated & either a Fishers Exact Test or Chi Squared analysis was performed on individual injuries and fight outcome. RESULTS: 200 (66%) of the fighters were uninjured compared to 102(33%). Fighters' complaints totaled: 85 Face/Head (28.1%), 33 Leg/Ankle (11%), 15 Hand/Wrist (5%),10 Knee (3.3%), 7 Arm/Elbow (2.3%) 7 Shoulder (2.3%), 4 Foot (1.3%), Chest/Rib 3 (1%), 4 Neck/ C-Spine (1.3%), 2 Eye (0.6%). Physicians diagnosed: 58 Facial Lac/Soft tissue (19.2%), 14 Facial Bone Fx (4.6%), 6 Eye (2%), 3 Knee(1%), 6 Leg(2%), 4 shoulder (1.3%), 3 hand (1%), 2 Neuropraxia (0.7%), 1 Rib Fx (0.3%). Of a total 43 Xrays, 7% found new fractures and 34 CTs confirmed 13 facial bone fractures. Comparing fight outcomes with total injury rate, three outcomes had a substantial increase in all injury incidence; TO (armbar) 58.3% (7/12), TKO 52.9% (27/51), decisions 46.8% (37/79), other rates were: TO (choke) 29.4% (10/34), KO 20% (1/5), Tapout (NOS) 20% (1.5), TO Win(early stoppage) 16.5% (18/109), TO (ankle) 0% (0/3). Statistically significant injury rates were seen in TKO/KO compared to other outcomes; 1/3 of the total injuries occurred (9.27% of 33%, p= 0.004), 78% of total Facial Bone Fx (p=<0.001) & 83% of the total Eye Injuries (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: A surprisingly low serious injury rate, regardless of fighter's complaints, was seen in 154 UFC fights. There were significant trends in injury type, location and injuries associated with fight outcome which may help the Medical Personal make emergent, ring side evaluations and decisions.