A Comprehensive look at UFC Champions Ages and Primes

[StonedLemur]

Excellent write up sir, and the data is pretty interesting.

Can you PM me all the numbers?
Thanks in advance.

@HuskySamoan

 

[HuskySamoan]

Athletic prime is generally between 25-30, so all of this checks out.

People bring up outliers about this stuff and say it's the norm all the time. Nice of TS to show they're full of shit.

Depends a bit right? Like what the athletic activity is and also the way the athletes style is especially in regards to MMA, Striking and Grappling sports. Fighters who are more dependent on dynamic movement (like Cruz footwork), speed, explosive movements, reflexes and durability typically fall out of their primes earlier compared to fighters who are more defense oriented, cardio oriented, strength oriented and technique driven. Some people also just hold up super well and don't see the effects of absorbing punishment, lifestyle choices, tons of factors.

And also with PEDs getting so much better, and I believe the majority of all top athletes in all sports are on them, some with their own specialized chemists and doctors, primes will continue to slowly improve. PEDs just between the Pride days and now have evolved so God damn much even though people like to think the sports clean now because of USADA for some reason.

Also to me there's a technical prime and an athletic prime, fighters are in their literal prime during the ideal overlap of the two relative to their games. But yeah? 25-30 is a fairish idea of prime years.

 

[wisdom blows]

Max is washed at age 30 and arguably slipping out of his prime around 28-29

 

[HuskySamoan]

Max is washed at age 30 and arguably slipping out of his prime around 28-29

Washed is a poor choice of words, he's clearly not washed. Max Just beat Yair and fought for the title. His performance against Kattar was one of his careers best by far and that was in 2021. I do think, based off how he struggled in the Yair fight and the gap widening between he and Volk in the rubbermatch that Max may be beginning to fall out of his prime? Yes ive alluded to as much in the past. But we still need to see more and I do not think he's by any means "washed".

There was a big enough gap between Holloway and the rest of the division that he could still be a world class FW even out of his prime, I don't think he's that far removed but I also don't think we will see the same Max as when he was young and climbing nor do I think he change or add much as a fighter at this point.

 

[theaustrianoak]

should create some graphs with this data, could show if age of prime is normally distributed (then break it down further by weight class)

i can help if you pm the data