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INCIDENCE OF INJURY IN PROFESSIONAL MIXED MARTIAL
ARTS COMPETITIONS

Gregory H. Bledsoe, Edbert B. Hsu, Jurek George Grabowski, Justin D. Brill and Guohua Li
Combat Sports Special Issue
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Department of Emergency Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA

ABSTRACT
Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) competitions were introduced in the United States with the first Ultimate
Fighting Championship (UFC) in 1993. In 2001, Nevada and New Jersey sanctioned MMA events after
requiring a series of rule changes. The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of injury in
professional MMA fighters. Data from all professional MMA events that took place between September
2001 and December 2004 in the state of Nevada were obtained from the Nevada Athletic Commission.
Medical and outcome data from events were analyzed based on a pair-matched case-control design. Both
conditional and unconditional logistic regression models were used to assess risk factors for injury. A total
of 171 MMA matches involving 220 different fighters occurred during the study period. There were a total
of 96 injuries to 78 fighters. Of the 171 matches fought, 69 (40.3%) ended with at least one injured fighter.
The overall injury rate was 28.6 injuries per 100 fight participations or 12.5 injuries per 100 competitor
rounds. Facial laceration was the most common injury accounting for 47.9% of all injuries, followed by
hand injury (13.5%), nose injury (10.4%), and eye injury (8.3%). With adjustment for weight and match
outcome, older age was associated with significantly increased risk of injury. The most common conclusion
to a MMA fight was a technical knockout (TKO) followed by a tap out. The injury rate in MMA
competitions is compatible with other combat sports involving striking. The lower knockout rates in MMA
compared to boxing may help prevent brain injury in MMA events.