-Updated
GeeDub points out since looking at average days between fights is probably a better way to look at this and I have to agree. See his comments below for details, but a fairer look does seem to point more to about 2.2 fights per year.
This post earlier today complained, that Danna shouldn't say his standard "You have to realize that here in the UFC the best fighters in the world fight each other three times a year" because it isn't true. The statement was never really supported besides pointing to a couple fighters may taken a bit over three years to fight three times. I was curious what a real look at the data would show, so check out my analysis below and if Dana is really liar as lots of comments in the fanpost contend.
First we need to agree on what "You have to realize that here in the UFC the best fighters in the world fight each other three times a year" actually means. I'd always read that simply as on average, he believes the UFC has the worlds best fighters and most UFC fighters fight around 3 times per year.
We also, need to define a reasonable dataset to use to analyze the claim. The dataset I will use was generated via Sherdog fight finder. I looked up every event that occurred during 2010 thus far. For each event I looked at every fighter on that card. If the fighter's previous 2 fights before the one I looked up were in the UFC (meaning his last three fights were in the UFC), that fighter was included in my dataset even if the fighter is no longer in the UFC. I then collected the dates of those fighters latest three UFC fights. I ignore any injuries, movies, TUF, or any other reason for extended layoffs. I simply look at the dates. This gives the most conservative view with no excuses.
I look at the data in three ways. First I look at all UFC fighters (assuming this is what Dana means when talking about the best). Then I filter that data down to just look at the fighters currently ranked in the top 25 and in the top 10 using the BE rankings in case people argue Dana had some more restrictive meaning of best fighters. For each of those sets, I'll present the average, median, max, and min number of days it took to get three fights in the UFC. I'll also give the % of fighters in that set who had three fights in a year or less.
For all UFC fighters
|
Avg |
331.5411765 |
|
Median |
294 |
|
Min |
150 |
|
Max |
882 |
|
% under year |
75.29% |
For UFC fighters currently in the top 25
|
Avg |
329.972973 |
|
Median |
297.5 |
|
Min |
173 |
|
Max |
728 |
|
% under year |
75.68% |
For UFC fighters currently in the top 10
|
Avg |
349 |
|
Median |
336 |
|
Min |
203 |
|
Max |
700 |
|
% under year |
65.63% |
So just looking at the data, seems Dana is actually correct. UFC fighters really do fight even more than three times a year normally. These numbers include some major outliers like Tito Ortiz taking 882 days for three fights, Patrick Cote taking 728 day, James Irvin taking 743 days, etc. Remove those and the numbers are even MUCH better, but I left them in to avoid any question.
-update
In the comments below it was said
As you broke it down to the top 10 the number dropped down to 65%. Now that top 10 is taking out fighters from other organizations. So, for example, when you do that at heavyweight your 7, 8, 9 and 10 fighters are Schaub, Kongo, Nelson, and Gonzaga.
Just want to be clear that is NOT what the top 10 above represents. If say the #3 HW wasn't under the UFC banner, then there was simply no #3 HW in my rankings. So there we actually less than 10 fighters in each class in my "top 10" sample. But the method of using the top 10 simply in the UFC in each class is interesting so I've included that below as well:
For top 10 UFC fighters in each class
|
Avg |
325.88 |
|
Median |
304.5 |
|
Min |
173 |
|
Max |
700 |
|
% under year |
76.00% |
At the bottom of this post is the full dataset I collected for your own review. Let me know any thoughts.
|
Fighter |
Rank |
Latest Fight |
2nd Fight |
3rd Fight |
Days for 3 Fights |
|
Aaron Riley |
5/29/2010 |
11/14/2009 |
8/8/2009 |
294 |
|
|
Aaron Simpson |
6/19/2010 |
1/11/2010 |
8/29/2009 |
294 |
|
|
Alan Belcher |
13 |
5/8/2010 |
12/12/2009 |
7/11/2009 |
301 |
|
19 |
3/21/2010 |
8/8/2009 |
9/17/2008 |
550 |
|
|
22 |
10/16/2010 |
4/10/2010 |
11/14/2009 |
336 |
|
|
11/13/2010 |
5/29/2010 |
1/11/2010 |
306 |
||
|
1 |
8/7/2010 |
4/10/2010 |
8/8/2009 |
364 |
|
|
11/13/2010 |
8/28/2010 |
3/31/2010 |
227 |
||
|
9 |
2/20/2010 |
8/29/2009 |
12/27/2008 |
420 |
|
|
8 |
9/25/2010 |
5/29/2010 |
11/21/2009 |
308 |
|
|
2 |
8/28/2010 |
4/10/2010 |
12/12/2009 |
259 |
|
|
Ben Saunders |
8/7/2010 |
3/27/2010 |
11/21/2009 |
259 |
|
|
Brad Blackburn |
4/10/2010 |
1/11/20010 |
6/20/2009 |
294 |
|
|
Brandon Vera |
19 |
3/21/2010 |
11/14/2009 |
8/29/2009 |
204 |
|
13 |
10/23/2010 |
7/3/2010 |
3/21/2010 |
216 |
|
|
Brian Foster |
9/15/2010 |
2/20/2010 |
11/21/2009 |
298 |
|
|
Brian Stann |
8/1/2010 |
2/6/2010 |
12/5/2009 |
239 |
|
|
2 |
10/23/2010 |
7/3/2010 |
7/11/2009 |
469 |
|
|
9/25/2010 |
2/20/2010 |
9/16/2009 |
374 |
||
|
1 |
10/23/2010 |
2/20/2010 |
10/24/2009 |
364 |
|
|
Caol Uno |
3/31/2010 |
11/21/2009 |
6/13/2009 |
291 |
|
|
8 |
10/16/2010 |
6/12/2010 |
9/16/2009 |
395 |
|
|
2 |
8/7/2010 |
2/6/2010 |
10/24/2009 |
287 |
|
|
14 |
10/16/2010 |
3/21/2010 |
12/12/2009 |
308 |
|
|
Chris Leben |
14 |
7/3/2010 |
6/19/2010 |
1/11/2010 |
173 |
|
14 |
9/25/2010 |
7/3/2010 |
2/20/2010 |
217 |
|
|
Chris Tuchscherer |
7/3/2010 |
2/6/2010 |
8/29/2009 |
308 |
|
|
Chuck Liddell |
24 |
6/12/2010 |
4/18/2009 |
9/6/2008 |
644 |
|
Clay Guida |
22 |
8/7/2010 |
3/21/2010 |
12/12/2009 |
238 |
|
9/15/2010 |
1/2/2010 |
9/19/2009 |
361 |
||
|
DaMarques Johnson |
8/1/2010 |
4/10/2010 |
12/12/2009 |
232 |
|
|
10 |
10/16/2010 |
3/27/2010 |
11/14/2009 |
336 |
|
|
Dan Miller |
8/28/2010 |
5/29/2010 |
2/6/2010 |
203 |
|
|
10/23/2010 |
7/3/2010 |
3/21/2010 |
216 |
||
|
5 |
8/28/2010 |
4/10/2010 |
2/6/2010 |
203 |
|
|
11/13/2010 |
6/19/2010 |
3/31/2010 |
227 |
||
|
13 |
10/23/2010 |
5/29/2010 |
12/12/2009 |
315 |
|
|
Dong Hyun Kim |
5/29/2010 |
7/11/2009 |
1/31/2009 |
483 |
|
|
11/13/2010 |
3/21/2010 |
1/2/2010 |
315 |
||
|
Dustin Hazelett |
8/7/2010 |
1/2/2010 |
11/15/2008 |
630 |
|
|
9/15/2010 |
5/29/2010 |
1/11/2010 |
247 |
||
|
Eliot Marshall |
3/21/2010 |
9/19/2009 |
4/18/2009 |
337 |
|
|
Eric Schafer |
3/21/2010 |
10/24/2009 |
1/17/2009 |
428 |
|
|
11 |
9/25/2010 |
6/12/2010 |
1/11/2010 |
257 |
|
|
7 |
9/25/2010 |
3/27/2010 |
12/12/2009 |
287 |
|
|
1 |
8/28/2010 |
4/10/2010 |
12/5/2009 |
266 |
|
|
10/23/2010 |
3/21/2010 |
8/29/2009 |
420 |
||
|
10 |
7/3/2010 |
2/20/2010 |
11/21/2009 |
224 |
|
|
1 |
3/27/2010 |
7/11/2009 |
1/31/2009 |
420 |
|
|
7/3/2010 |
3/21/2010 |
1/11/2010 |
173 |
||
|
10/23/2010 |
6/12/2010 |
1/2/2010 |
294 |
||
|
9/15/2010 |
3/31/2010 |
10/24/2009 |
326 |
||
|
11/13/2010 |
7/3/2010 |
2/20/2010 |
266 |
||
|
4 |
8/28/2010 |
1/11/2010 |
9/16/2009 |
346 |
|
|
Igor Pokrajac |
8/1/2010 |
2/20/2010 |
9/19/2009 |
316 |
|
|
Jacob Volkmann |
8/1/2010 |
3/31/2010 |
1/2/2010 |
211 |
|
|
Jake Ellenberger |
22 |
8/1/2010 |
1/2/2010 |
9/16/2009 |
319 |
|
James Irvin |
8/1/2010 |
3/21/2010 |
7/19/2008 |
743 |
|
|
10/16/2010 |
6/19/2010 |
12/5/2009 |
315 |
||
|
10/16/2010 |
6/12/2010 |
11/14/2009 |
336 |
||
|
Jared Hamman |
9/15/2010 |
3/27/2010 |
11/14/2009 |
305 |
|
|
23 |
5/29/2010 |
3/21/2010 |
9/19/2009 |
252 |
|
|
9/25/2010 |
5/8/2010 |
9/16/2009 |
374 |
||
|
Jesse Lennox |
6/12/2010 |
1/11/2010 |
8/8/2009 |
308 |
|
|
12 |
9/15/2010 |
3/27/2010 |
1/2/2010 |
256 |
|
|
8/28/2010 |
1/2/2010 |
2/7/2009 |
567 |
||
|
Joe Stevenson |
17 |
2/20/2010 |
10/24/2009 |
6/20/2009 |
245 |
|
9/25/2010 |
5/8/2010 |
2/6/2010 |
231 |
||
|
John Gunderson |
9/15/2010 |
6/19/2010 |
1/2/2010 |
256 |
|
|
20 |
10/16/2010 |
5/29/2010 |
11/14/2009 |
336 |
|
|
John Howard |
8/1/2010 |
3/21/2010 |
12/5/2009 |
239 |
|
|
John Salter |
8/28/2010 |
5/8/2010 |
1/11/2010 |
229 |
|
|
Johny Hendricks |
8/7/2010 |
5/8/2010 |
12/12/2009 |
238 |
|
|
2 |
8/7/2010 |
3/27/2010 |
12/12/2009 |
238 |
|
|
7 |
8/1/2010 |
3/21/2010 |
12/5/2009 |
239 |
|
|
10/23/2010 |
7/3/2010 |
4/10/2010 |
196 |
||
|
Jonathan Goulet |
5/8/2010 |
12/10/2008 |
4/19/2008 |
749 |
|
|
3/31/2010 |
10/24/2009 |
4/1/2009 |
364 |
||
|
3 |
5/8/2010 |
11/21/2009 |
9/19/2009 |
231 |
|
|
Junior dos Santos |
5 |
8/7/2010 |
3/21/2010 |
1/2/2010 |
217 |
|
Justin Buchholz |
2/6/2010 |
9/16/2009 |
6/13/2009 |
238 |
|
|
Keith Jardine |
6/19/2010 |
2/20/2010 |
8/29/2009 |
294 |
|
|
Kendall Grove |
7/3/2010 |
4/10/2010 |
11/21/2009 |
224 |
|
|
7 |
8/28/2010 |
3/31/2010 |
12/12/2009 |
259 |
|
|
11/13/2010 |
7/3/2010 |
2/20/2010 |
266 |
||
|
Kurt Pellegrino |
20 |
7/3/2010 |
3/27/2010 |
8/8/2009 |
329 |
|
Kyle Bradley |
1/11/2010 |
5/23/2009 |
9/17/2008 |
481 |
|
|
Kyle Kingsbury |
9/15/2010 |
10/24/2009 |
12/13/2008 |
641 |
|
|
Luis Arthur Cane |
25 |
5/29/2010 |
11/21/2009 |
4/18/2009 |
406 |
|
2 |
5/8/2010 |
10/24/2009 |
5/23/2009 |
350 |
|
|
Mac Danzig |
6/12/2010 |
2/6/2010 |
7/11/2009 |
336 |
|
|
Marcus Davis |
8/28/2010 |
5/8/2010 |
11/21/2009 |
280 |
|
|
Mario Miranda |
8/28/2010 |
6/12/2010 |
3/31/2010 |
150 |
|
|
Mark Bocek |
3/27/2010 |
12/5/2009 |
4/18/2009 |
343 |
|
|
Mark Coleman |
2/6/2010 |
7/11/2009 |
1/17/2009 |
385 |
|
|
Mark Munoz |
8/1/2010 |
4/10/2010 |
1/2/2010 |
211 |
|
|
6 |
10/23/2010 |
6/12/2010 |
1/2/2010 |
294 |
|
|
7/3/2010 |
3/27/2010 |
11/14/2009 |
231 |
||
|
17 |
10/23/2010 |
6/19/2010 |
12/5/2009 |
322 |
|
|
9 |
8/7/2010 |
4/10/2010 |
5/23/2009 |
441 |
|
|
9/25/2010 |
5/8/2010 |
12/5/2009 |
294 |
||
|
Matt Riddle |
8/1/2010 |
3/27/2010 |
11/14/2009 |
260 |
|
|
19 |
9/25/2010 |
2/6/2010 |
5/23/2009 |
490 |
|
|
Matt Veach |
4/10/2010 |
12/5/2009 |
2/7/2009 |
427 |
|
|
Matt Wiman |
6/12/2010 |
12/12/2009 |
4/18/2009 |
420 |
|
|
1 |
5/8/2010 |
10/24/2009 |
4/18/2009 |
385 |
|
|
23 |
9/25/2010 |
5/29/2010 |
2/6/2010 |
231 |
|
|
11 |
10/16/2010 |
5/29/2010 |
2/20/2010 |
238 |
|
|
Michael Guymon |
10/23/2010 |
5/8/2010 |
1/11/2010 |
285 |
|
|
Mike Massenzio |
8/1/2010 |
12/27/2008 |
9/17/2008 |
683 |
|
|
Mike Pierce |
24 |
8/28/2010 |
3/31/2010 |
12/12/2009 |
259 |
|
18 |
10/16/2010 |
6/12/2010 |
1/2/2010 |
287 |
|
|
Mike Swick |
16 |
2/6/2010 |
11/14/2009 |
6/13/2009 |
238 |
|
18 |
9/25/2010 |
6/12/2010 |
2/20/2010 |
217 |
|
|
Mostapha Al-Turk |
4/10/2010 |
6/13/2009 |
12/27/2008 |
469 |
|
|
Nate Diaz |
8/28/2010 |
3/27/2010 |
1/11/2010 |
229 |
|
|
3 |
11/13/2010 |
9/15/2010 |
2/6/2010 |
280 |
|
|
Nate Quarry |
3/31/2010 |
9/16/2009 |
4/18/2009 |
347 |
|
|
Nick Catone |
1/11/2010 |
8/29/2009 |
4/1/2009 |
285 |
|
|
11/13/2010 |
8/28/2010 |
4/10/2010 |
217 |
||
|
8/28/2010 |
3/31/2010 |
1/11/2010 |
229 |
||
|
Patrick Barry |
6/12/2010 |
10/24/2009 |
5/23/2009 |
385 |
|
|
Patrick Cote |
25 |
10/23/2010 |
5/8/2010 |
10/25/2008 |
728 |
|
5/8/2010 |
1/2/2010 |
9/19/2009 |
231 |
||
|
8/1/2010 |
4/10/2010 |
11/14/2009 |
260 |
||
|
10/23/2010 |
11/14/2009 |
6/13/2009 |
497 |
||
|
12 |
10/23/2010 |
6/12/2010 |
2/6/2010 |
259 |
|
|
11/13/2010 |
6/12/2010 |
6/13/2009 |
518 |
||
|
21 |
8/7/2010 |
4/10/2010 |
2/6/2010 |
182 |
|
|
Phillipe Nover |
2/6/2010 |
5/23/2009 |
12/13/2008 |
420 |
|
|
4 |
5/29/2010 |
3/7/2009 |
12/27/2008 |
518 |
|
|
Rafael dos Anjos |
8/7/2010 |
4/10/2010 |
1/11/2010 |
208 |
|
|
Rafaello Oliveira |
3/31/2010 |
1/2/2010 |
9/19/2009 |
193 |
|
|
13 |
8/28/2010 |
2/6/2010 |
11/14/2009 |
287 |
|
|
3 |
5/29/2010 |
1/2/2010 |
5/23/2009 |
371 |
|
|
Ricardo Almeida |
25 |
8/7/2010 |
3/27/2010 |
8/8/2009 |
364 |
|
Rich Franklin |
12 |
6/12/2010 |
9/19/2009 |
6/13/2009 |
364 |
|
Rick Story |
8/7/2010 |
4/10/2010 |
1/11/2010 |
208 |
|
|
11/13/2010 |
8/1/2010 |
10/24/2009 |
385 |
||
|
Robert Emerson |
3/31/2010 |
2/6/2010 |
9/19/2009 |
193 |
|
|
Rodney Wallace |
8/7/2010 |
3/27/2010 |
12/5/2009 |
245 |
|
|
Rory Markham |
3/27/2010 |
2/21/2009 |
7/19/2008 |
616 |
|
|
9/15/2010 |
3/31/2010 |
11/14/2009 |
305 |
||
|
24 |
9/15/2010 |
3/27/2010 |
12/12/2009 |
277 |
|
|
16 |
8/7/2010 |
3/31/2010 |
12/5/2009 |
245 |
|
|
6 |
9/25/2010 |
2/20/2010 |
10/24/2009 |
336 |
|
|
10/23/2010 |
5/29/2010 |
1/2/2010 |
294 |
||
|
24 |
10/23/2010 |
5/8/2010 |
1/2/2010 |
294 |
|
|
9 |
9/25/2010 |
5/23/2009 |
10/25/2008 |
700 |
|
|
5 |
7/3/2010 |
3/27/2010 |
3/7/2009 |
483 |
|
|
Shannon Gugerty |
3/21/2010 |
11/14/2009 |
7/11/2009 |
253 |
|
|
10/16/2010 |
6/19/2010 |
10/24/2009 |
357 |
||
|
23 |
8/7/2010 |
3/31/2010 |
12/12/2009 |
238 |
|
|
Stephan Bonnar |
7/3/2010 |
2/20/2010 |
7/11/2009 |
357 |
|
|
9/25/2010 |
5/8/2010 |
12/12/2009 |
287 |
||
|
Terry Etim |
4/10/2010 |
11/14/2009 |
6/13/2009 |
301 |
|
|
4 |
8/7/2010 |
7/11/2009 |
10/25/2008 |
651 |
|
|
Thiago Silva |
11 |
1/11/2010 |
8/29/2009 |
1/31/2009 |
345 |
|
9/25/2010 |
1/11/2010 |
1/31/2009 |
602 |
||
|
8/7/2010 |
4/3/2010 |
1/16/2010 |
203 |
||
|
Tim Hague |
5/8/2010 |
2/6/2010 |
8/29/2009 |
252 |
|
|
Tito Ortiz |
10/23/2010 |
11/21/2009 |
5/24/2008 |
882 |
|
|
25 |
10/23/2010 |
5/8/2010 |
1/11/2010 |
285 |
|
|
Tomasz Drwal |
9/15/2010 |
3/27/2010 |
9/19/2009 |
361 |
|
|
18 |
8/1/2010 |
6/12/2010 |
9/19/2009 |
316 |
|
|
11/13/2010 |
8/1/2010 |
3/21/2010 |
237 |
||
|
15 |
2/20/2010 |
6/13/2009 |
12/27/2008 |
420 |
|
|
18 |
10/16/2010 |
7/3/2010 |
7/11/2009 |
462 |
|
|
Yoshiyuki Yoshida |
5/8/2010 |
10/24/2009 |
5/23/2009 |
350 |
|
|
8 |
11/13/2010 |
8/1/2010 |
3/31/2010 |
227 |
There are 120 Comments. Load Now.
Shortcuts to mastering the comment thread. Use wisely.
C - Next Comment
X - Mark as Read
R - Reply
Z - Mark Read & Next
Shift + C - Previous
Shift + A - Mark All Read
Comment Settings
Live comment alert: Hide it!
Comments for this post are closed.