Injuries in Bellator vs UFC

Destroy3in1 · 11-19-2012, 01:47 PM

Bellator tournament format can be taxing on fighter's body. Fighting every month gives little time to heal the injuries you might get in training and in the fight. Yet it seems there are less (MUCH less) injuries in the Bellator compared to the UFC.
What is the cause of this? Is this unique to UFC that we are forced to watch completely different fights that were previously announced? If this trend would be in the Bellator, no tournament would ever be completed. Is this because fighters in Bellator have a strict path in tournament and cannot choose and pick their fights?
For those who hinted at use of doping, gotta remember, that Bellator is being overseen by the same Athletic Commissions (NJ, FL) as the UFC. Keep that in mind.
So the lack of "injury bug" in the Bellator is because of the tournament format that locks fighters to the fights and absence of fighters' insurance, so the fighters don't milk their injuries until they can get get a better fight?
Discuss.

Atheist · 11-19-2012, 02:04 PM

Interesting thread !

Unfortunately I have no idea why there are more injuries in the UFC ?

Maybe it has to do with top fighters making more money and not feeling as motivated to fight ? Or maybe there is more pressure in the UFC to perform so fighters train too hard and get injured easier.

It seems like once an athlete in any sport hits a certain pay grade suddenly they can't stop getting hurt and having to take time off.

It would be interesting if a formal investigation could be done to look into why there is a difference in the injury rate between the two promotions.

Carl25 · 11-19-2012, 02:15 PM

It's not that black and white imo

In the UFC I'd be willing to bet that a few fighters that say they got injured probably just don't want a last minute replacement opponent or don't want to face their opponent.

van1ty · 11-19-2012, 02:24 PM

I don't believe there is any truth to your assertion that there are more injuries in the UFC than Bellator.

HaulParris · 11-19-2012, 02:33 PM

There are more athletes in UFC. It may seem like there are many injuries, but given their 250-person roster (I think that's how many fighters they have), it's expected that there will be injuries, especially in a full-contact sport such as MMA.

I had a related question - why is it that in Bellator tournaments ban elbows, but in the TUF reality show, elbows are allowed? I understand that a cut may prevent a winner of a fight from continuing in the tournament, but has it really been a problem in either TUF or Bellator?

Destroy3in1 · 11-19-2012, 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by van1ty

I don't believe there is any truth to your assertion that there are more injuries in the UFC than Bellator.

25 Bellator events in 2012, compared to 31 UFC including TUF finales (and UK-Australian one). Also Bellator took time off for a couple months here and there. Now dare to compare the injuries list?

ShinkanPo · 11-19-2012, 02:57 PM

Belator!! I think their fighters just dont want to file Sick leave even if they are injured unlike in todays UFC fighters are taking injuries more seriously because they can afford. Some fighters tried to push for it even if they are injured and paid a hefty nifty price like Mark Munoz

ROCKA · 11-19-2012, 03:35 PM

In the UFC fighters have Medical Coverage, thus if they get injured the UFC pays the medical bill and they can fight when they are Healthy(or healthier).
In Bellator if you pull out due to injury(the not so severe ones) then the fighter pays the medical bill, and doesnt get payed because he did not get to fight, AND most importantly GOD KNOWS how long it will take before they get another fight in bellator.

So there.

JonSnitchPhones · 11-19-2012, 04:08 PM

It's regularly stated as some kind of fact UFC has so many more injuries, but it's never backed up with data. You know why it's not backed up with data? Because unlike with the UFC, there is very little information about cards circulating well before the event since Bellator gets very little media coverage, and Bellator themselves don't post their official card until on average about a week and a half before the event, at which point it still gets little press. When you know about UFC fights on average 2-3 months in advance, but Bellator a week and a half, if that, how would you be able to determine the relative injury problems of the two organizations? You've got to know the fights scheduled well in advance for an organization to be aware of which changed due to various reasons like injury.

In regards to just the tournament alone, each tourney is only a 7-fight sample, so a little bit more than half a card's worth of fights. And you saw numerous drop outs with the HW tourney alone this season. Magomedov, Kudin, and Sparks all had to be removed due to injury or illness. The LHW tourney lost Van Buren, Hollett, and possibly Raphael Davis too (he had both an eye injury and legal problem). Once they get deeper into the tournament they'll push back fights due to an injury like Amoussou-Baker, whereas in the UFC outside a tourney format they'd just find a new opponent. To some small degree there may be less injuries derailing fights within the Bellator tourney format because fighters make more money the longer they stay in, but that would be all theory with little to no evidence. There's not even much logic to this theory that UFC fighters bow out more due to the health insurance coverage. For the lower-level fighters insurance doesn't pay the bills, and the higher-level fighters they miss out on a big paycheck.

This reminds me of the myth that there are more child abductions these days to worry parents. In reality there's just more channels on TV to air the Nancy Grace's of the world.

HaulParris · 11-21-2012, 12:29 AM

^^^Good post. You're right about Bellator not posting their card until very shortly before the event, and I agree with your other points. Well said.