Generalized Linear Model Approach to the Prediction of the Outcome of Mixed Martial Arts Fights

Jackson Thurmond
Graduate Student
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

Mixed martial arts is a complex combat sport that encompasses striking, grappling and submissions. In a sport where fights can be won by finishing a fight or go to decision there is a multitude of factors that can influence the outcome of a fight. In the Ultimate Fighting Championship a fighter is either designated the red or blue corner. Since mixed martial arts is a sport in which two competitors fight, and one is declared a winner, the result of a fight can be thought of a binary classification problem. In an effort to determine which factors are statistically significant to a fight, a generalized linear model approach was selected.