UFC · By the Numbers
The answers, from every fight since 2020
MMA is full of confident claims: reach wins fights, southpaws have an edge, the small cage means brawls. We run a database of 3,068 UFC fights, so instead of guessing, we counted. Some of these will surprise you.
11:06
average length
How long does the average UFC fight last?
The exact average, by division, plus the round where fights actually end.
32%
end in a KO
What percentage of UFC fights end in a knockout?
Finish rates by division, from strawweight's chess matches to light heavyweight's coin flips.
51%
longer reach wins
Does reach matter in the UFC?
One of MMA's favorite stats is mostly a myth. Mostly.
53%
southpaw vs orthodox
Do southpaws win more in the UFC?
The lefty advantage, measured across every southpaw vs orthodox fight since 2020.
59%
younger fighter wins
Does age matter in the UFC?
The strongest effect in our entire database. It is not close.
44%
win after a year off
Is ring rust real in the UFC?
Short layoffs do nothing. Long ones show up loudly in the win column.
+1.3
finish rate, small cage
Does the smaller UFC APEX cage mean more finishes?
Fight-week talk says brawls. The data says a nudge.
46%
title fights to decision
Do UFC title fights go the distance more often?
The five-round myth, tested against every title fight since 2020.
Want to slice it yourself?
Every number here comes out of Explore, our Pro query tool. Filter the fight database by division, stance, age, layoff, reach and more, then export the rows.
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