MMAFightSim Blog

Data-driven UFC analysis from the team behind the free fight simulator — predictions, rankings and matchup breakdowns built on real fighter data.

Guide·Jul 5, 2026
What Does a Cornerman Do? Inside the 60 Seconds Between Rounds
The minute between rounds can decide a fight. What a cornerman actually does — the recovery, the cutman, the one sentence of advice, and the towel nobody wants to throw.
Ranking·Jul 2, 2026
Reach in MMA: Does a Longer Wingspan Really Win Fights?
Does reach actually matter in MMA? How a longer wingspan changes a fight, why it is not an automatic advantage, and the fighters who beat the longer opponent anyway.
Guide·Jul 2, 2026
MMA Fighting Styles Explained: Sprawl-and-Brawl to Ground-and-Pound
Sprawl-and-brawl, ground-and-pound, pressure, counter-striking — the main MMA fighting styles explained simply, with what each one does and how to beat it.
Guide·Jun 30, 2026
MMA Submissions Explained: The Chokes and Locks That End Fights
How do submissions work in MMA? The most common chokes and joint locks — rear-naked choke, guillotine, armbar, triangle and more — explained simply for beginners.
Guide·Jun 29, 2026
The Clinch in MMA: The Hidden Battle Most Fans Miss
The clinch is where many MMA fights are quietly won and lost. What the clinch is, the different types, why it is so exhausting, and how elite fighters use it as a weapon.
Ranking·Jun 28, 2026
What Is Fight IQ? MMA's Most Underrated Skill
Fight IQ decides more fights than power or speed. What
Guide·Jun 26, 2026
What Is Ground and Pound? MMA's Most Brutal Position
Ground and pound is one of the most effective ways to win in MMA. What it is, why it works, the positions that make it devastating, and how fighters defend against it.
Guide·Jun 24, 2026
How the UFC Rankings Work — and Why They're So Controversial
Who decides the UFC rankings, what the champion and #1-15 spots mean, how you earn a title shot, and why fans argue about the rankings constantly. Explained simply.
Ranking·Jun 23, 2026
The 10 Most Devastating Kickers in MMA
The ten most dangerous kickers in MMA, seeded by our engine's kicking grades and backed by real highlights — Jose Aldo, Alex Pereira, Yair Rodriguez, Rafael Fiziev and more.
Guide·Jun 22, 2026
MMA Weight Cutting Explained: How Fighters Drop 20+ Pounds in a Week
How do UFC fighters cut 20+ pounds before a weigh-in and gain it back overnight? Weight cutting explained simply — the science, the risks, and why fighters do it.
Ranking·Jun 22, 2026
Orthodox vs Southpaw: Does Your Stance Really Matter in MMA?
Why are southpaws so overrepresented among MMA champions? Orthodox vs southpaw explained — open vs closed stance, the lead-hand geometry, and why lefties have an edge.
Ranking·Jun 21, 2026
Is Wrestling the Best Base for MMA? What Demetrious Johnson Gets Right
Demetrious Johnson argues a wrestling base is the best foundation in MMA because it dictates where the fight happens — and that MMA is the easiest sport to rule. Here is why.
Guide·Jun 20, 2026
UFC Weight Classes Explained: Every Division and Its Limit
A complete guide to UFC weight classes — every men's and women's division, the exact weight limit, the 1-pound title rule, catchweights, and why fighters pick a division.
Ranking·Jun 20, 2026
The 10 Smartest Fighters in MMA: The Best Fight IQ in the Game
The ten highest fight-IQ fighters in MMA, seeded by our engine's IQ grades — the ring generals and master strategists like Demetrious Johnson, Volkanovski, Jon Jones and GSP.
Guide·Jun 19, 2026
How Does a UFC Fight End? The 5 Ways to Win in MMA
New to MMA? Here are the five ways a UFC fight can end — knockout, TKO, submission, decision, and the rare ones — explained simply, with what each one really means.
Ranking·Jun 18, 2026
Striker vs Grappler: MMA's Oldest Question, Finally Settled
Striker or grappler — who really wins in MMA? We trace the answer from UFC 1 to the modern era, why it flipped, and how to test the matchup yourself.
Ranking·Jun 17, 2026
The 10 Fastest Fighters in MMA
The ten fastest fighters in MMA, ranked by our engine's hand speed, kick speed and footwork grades — from Sean O'Malley and Kyoji Horiguchi to Natalia Silva.
Guide·Jun 16, 2026
How UFC Judging Works: The 10-Point Must System Explained
Confused by a UFC decision? Here is how MMA judging actually works — the 10-point must system, what judges score, and why so many close fights split the room.
Ranking·Jun 14, 2026
The 10 Best Cardio Fighters in MMA: Gas Tanks That Never Quit
The ten best gas tanks in MMA, ranked by our fight engine’s stamina grades and cross-checked against real five-round wars — from Merab Dvalishvili to the Diaz brothers.
Ranking·Jun 14, 2026
The 10 Best Wrestlers & Grapplers in MMA
The ten best wrestle-grapplers in MMA, ranked by our engine’s takedown and grappling grades and backed by real résumés — Jon Jones, Khabib, Kayla Harrison, GSP, Khamzat and more.
Feature·Jun 14, 2026
The 5 Weirdest Records in MMA History
Five of the strangest, most unbreakable records in MMA: a 5-second knockout, a 90-minute fight, 322 career bouts, a 45-year-old champion, and a GOAT whose only loss never really happened.
Ranking·Jun 14, 2026
The 10 Best Strikers in MMA
The ten best pure strikers in MMA, seeded by our fight engine's striking grades and backed by real résumés — Alex Pereira, Israel Adesanya, Jose Aldo, Max Holloway and more.
Ranking·Jun 14, 2026
The 10 Most Complete Fighters in MMA: No Holes in Their Game
We averaged every skill in our fight engine — striking, grappling, defense, durability, IQ — to rank the ten most complete mixed martial artists, the fighters who can win wherever the fight goes.
Ranking·Jun 14, 2026
The 10 Best Submission Artists in MMA
The ten best submission grapplers in MMA, seeded by our engine's grappling grades and backed by real credentials — Charles Oliveira, Mackenzie Dern, Khabib, Islam Makhachev and more.
Guide·Jun 12, 2026
Cardio in MMA: Why Fighters Gas Out, and How They Build a Gas Tank
Why do skilled fighters suddenly fall apart late in a fight? What
Ranking·Jun 10, 2026
Why Leg Kicks Win Fights: MMA's Most Underrated Weapon
Leg kicks look minor but quietly decide fights. How the calf kick took over MMA, why a chopped-down leg is so devastating, and how fighters defend against them.
Ranking·Jun 8, 2026
What Makes a Great MMA Chin? The Science of Taking a Punch
Why can some fighters eat a clean shot and keep coming while others crumble? What a
Guide·Jun 5, 2026
How to Watch MMA: A Complete Beginner's Guide
New to the UFC? This beginner's guide explains everything you need to enjoy MMA — the rules, the rounds, the weight classes, how to win, and what to actually watch for.
Guide·May 11, 2026
How We Simulate UFC Fights: The Stats That Actually Decide a Matchup
A plain-English look at how our UFC fight simulator predicts winners - the four stat groups that decide a fight, and why style matchups beat overall rating.
Ranking·May 7, 2026
The Hardest Hitters in the UFC: Knockout Power Rankings
Who hits the hardest in the UFC? We ranked the top 10 knockout artists by our engine combined punching and kicking power rating.
Ranking·May 4, 2026
The 10 Toughest Chins in the UFC, Ranked by the Numbers
Which UFC fighters have the most durable chins? We ranked the top 10 by our fight engine durability rating - the fighters you can never count out.

▸ More free MMA games & tools