Title fights by the numbers, per weight class

[legatoblues]

Put some info together to look at UFC title fights in more detail. Took all the info from Wiki, put it into a spreadsheet and started breaking it down. Others may find this interesting, so here it is.

Highlights:

Highest finish rate: Womens Bantamweight - 90.9% (Mens: Middleweight - 74%)
Most Subs: Light Heavyweight, 10
Most KO/TKO: Heavyweight, 22
Most fights: Light Heavyweight, 42
Longest finish streak: Heavyweight, 10, twice - Couture v Rizzo 2 - Sylvia v Arlovski 2, Couture v Gonzaga - JDS v Mir
Longest decision streak: Welterweight, 10 - GSP v Alves - Lawler v Hendricks
Most Split decisions: Welterweight, 5 (incl. 1 majority decision)
Most Draws: Lightweight, 2 (both split draws).
Light Heavyweight has the only No Contest result (Jones v Cormier 2)

By division: (includes interim fights. Streaks=streaks of title fights, not per fighter)

Heavyweight - 41 fights
11 decisions, 30 finishes 73.1% finish rate
8 subs (3 armbar, 3 RNC)
22 KO/TKO
1 Split decision
5 championship rematches
16 round 1 finishes
Longest finish streak – 10, twice (Randy v Pedro 2, Sylvia Arlovski 2, Randy v Gonzaga – JDS v Mir)
Longest decision streak – 3, twice

Most wins – Couture, 6
Most wins in a row – Stipe Miocic 4 (Couture, Arlovski, Sylvia, Cain 3)
Most fights - Couture 9
Most finishes – Couture, Stipe, Cain, Arlovski, Sylvia, Lesnar 3
Most fights without a win – Rizzo 3
Most losses – Rizzo 3, couture 3, Sylvia 3, Mir 3, JDS 3,


Light Heavyweight - 42 fights
11 decisions, 31 finishes 73.8% finish rate
10 subs (3 rear naked choke)
21 KO/TKO
1 Split decision
1 No contest
6 championship rematches
13 round 1 finishes
Longest finish streak – 8, UFC 46 Belfort v Couture – UFC 71 Rampage v Liddell
Longest decision streak – 3, UFC 165 Jones v Gustaffson – UFC 182 Jones v Cormier

Most wins – Jon Jones 10 (11)
Most wins in a row – Jon Jones 9
Most fights – Jon Jones 10 (11)
Most finishes – Jon Jones 5 (6), Frank Shamrock, Chuck Liddell 5
Most fights without a win – Jeremey Horn, Anthony Johnson 2
Most Losses – Tito Ortiz, Randy Couture 3


Middleweight - 27 fights
7 decisions, 20 finishes 74% finish rate
4 subs (2 rear naked choke)
16 KO/TKO
3 championship rematches
7 round 1 finishes, 7 round 2 finishes
Longest finish streak – 5, UFC 117 Silva v Sonnen – UFC 168 – Weidman v Silva
Longest decision streak – 2, twice

Most wins – Anderson Silva, 11
Most wins in a row – Anderson Silva 11
Most fights – Anderson Silva 13
Most finishes – Anderson Silva 9
Most fights without a win – Chael Sonnen, Dan Henderson 2
Most Losses – Rich Franklin, Dan Henderson, Chael Sonnen, Vitor Belfort, Anderson Silva 2


Welterweight - 38 fights
18 decisions, 20 finishes 52.6% finish rate
8 subs (3 armbar, 3 RNC)
12 KO/TKO
4 Split decision, 1 majority decision, 1 draw
8 championship rematches
7 round 1 finishes, 7 round 2 finishes
Longest finish streak – 9, UFC 52 Hughes v Trigg – UFC 79 GSP v Serra
Longest decision streak – 10, UFC 100 GSP v Alves – UFC 181 Lawler v Hendricks

Most wins – GSP, 12
Most wins in a row – GSP, 8
Most fights – GSP, 14
Most finishes – Matt Hughes, 8
Most fights without a win – Frank Trigg, Nick Diaz, Stephen Thompson, 2
Most Losses – Matt Hughes, 3


Lightweight - 25 fights
14 decisions, 11 finishes 44% finish rate
5 subs (2 RNC)
6 KO/TKO
2 split draw
3 championship rematches
3 round 1 finishes, 3 round 2 finishes,
Longest finish streak – 4, UFC 80 Penn v Stevenson – UFC 107 Penn v Sanchez, RDA v Cerrone – UFC 216 Ferguson v Lee
Longest decision streak – 6, UFC 30 Pulver v Uno – UFC 73 – Sherk v Franca

Most wins – 4, Penn, Henderson
Most wins in a row – 4, Penn, Henderson
Most fights – BJ Penn, 8
Most finishes – BJ Penn, 4
Most fights without a win – Uno, Maynard, Melendez, 2
Most Losses – Penn, 3


Featherweight - 13 fights
6 decisions, 7 finishes 53.8% finish rate
7 KO/TKO
3 championship rematches
2 round 1 finishes, 3 round 3 finishes
Longest finish streak – 3, UFC 206 Holloway v Pettis – UFC 218 Hollow v Aldo
Longest decision streak – 2, twice

Most wins – Aldo, 8
Most wins in a row – Aldo, 7
Most fights – Aldo, 11
Most finishes – Holloway, 3
Most fights without a win – 3, Mendes
Most Losses – 3, Mendes


Bantamweight - 13 fights
6 decisions, 7 finishes 53.8% finish rate
1 sub
6 KO/TKO
1 Split decision
3 championship rematches
1 round 1 finish, rd 2, rd 4, rd 5 2 finishes each
Longest finish streak – 6, Barao v McDonald – Dillashaw v Barao 2
Longest decision streak – 3, twice

Most wins – 4, Cruz, Barao, Dillashaw
Most wins in a row – Barao, 4
Most fights – Barao, 6
Most finishes – Dillashaw, 4
Most fights without a win – Faber, 4
Most Losses – Faber, 4


Flyweight - 12 fights
5 decisions, 7 finishes 58.3% finish rate
5 subs
2 KO/TKO
1 Split decision

2 championship rematches
2 round 1 finishes, 3 round 5 finishes
Longest finish streak – 2, 3 times
Longest decision streak – 2, Benavidez 1 – Dodson 1


Women's Featherweight - 3 fights
2 decisions, 1 finishes 33% finish rate
1 KO/TKO


Women's Bantamweight - 11 fights
1 decisions, 10 finishes 90.9% finish rate
5 subs
5 KO/TKO
1 Split decision
7 round 1 finishes
Longest finish streak – 10

Most wins – Rousey, 6
Most wins in a row – Rousey, 6
Most fights – Rousey, 8
Most finishes – Rousey, 6
Most Losses – Tate, Rousey 2


Women's Flyweight - 1 fight
1 decision


Women's Strawweight - 8 fights
4 decisions, 4 finishes 50% finish rate
1 sub
3 KO/TKO
1 round 1 finishes, 2 r3 finishes
Longest finish streak – 3
Longest decision streak – 4

Get some numbers up ya.

 

[reddhelium]

By division: (includes interim fights. Streaks=streaks of title fights, not per fighter)

Heavyweight - 41 fights
11 decisions, 30 finishes 73.1% finish rate
8 subs (3 armbar, 3 RNC)
22 KO/TKO

Light Heavyweight - 42 fights
11 decisions, 31 finishes 73.8% finish rate
10 subs (3 rear naked choke)
21 KO/TKO

Middleweight - 27 fights
7 decisions, 20 finishes 74% finish rate
4 subs (2 rear naked choke)
16 KO/TKO

Welterweight - 38 fights
18 decisions, 20 finishes 52.6% finish rate
8 subs (3 armbar, 3 RNC)
12 KO/TKO

Lightweight - 25 fights
14 decisions, 11 finishes 44% finish rate
5 subs (2 RNC)
6 KO/TKO

Featherweight - 13 fights
6 decisions, 7 finishes 53.8% finish rate
7 KO/TKO

Bantamweight - 13 fights
6 decisions, 7 finishes 53.8% finish rate
1 sub
6 KO/TKO

Flyweight - 12 fights
5 decisions, 7 finishes 58.3% finish rate
5 subs
2 KO/TKO

interesting that the finish rate among the 3 heaviest weight classes is consistently around 73-74%, but there's a huge drop off for the rest of the weight classes.

 

[legatoblues]

interesting that the finish rate among the 3 heaviest weight classes is consistently around 73-74%, but there's a huge drop off for the rest of the weight classes.

I noticed that, especially that the others are fairly consistent as well, just at a much lower number.

Also then makes me think about women's bantamweight. Good example that a lower level of opponent makes for the greater chance if a mismatch and then a finish more likely?

 

[reddhelium]

Also then makes me think about women's bantamweight. Good example that a lower level of opponent makes for the greater chance if a mismatch and then a finish more likely?

that's why i say wmma is like the early days of the ufc- a lot of mismatches and one-dimensional fighters will eventually yield to a more well-rounded and closely contested group.

 

[peterparker66]

thanks TS .
that looks like a lotta work

 

[USA!USA!]

Cool stuff, man. Thanks for sharing.

You must have been fucking bored!

 

[Askafan]

Women's Strawweight

Most wins – Joanna, 6
Most wins in a row – Joanna, 6
Most fights – Joanna, 7
Most finishes – Joanna, 2
Most Losses – Everyone who has ever fought for the strawweight title has one loss

 

[Chivas GDL]

Conor name is no where to be seen .


Not Goat

 

[legatoblues]

Women's Strawweight

Most wins – Joanna, 6
Most wins in a row – Joanna, 6
Most fights – Joanna, 7
Most finishes – Joanna, 2
Most Losses – Everyone who has ever fought for the strawweight title has one loss

All respect to JJ, but I didn't need to list the records for people to know she has them!