Kamaru Usman and Leon Edwards lit up London when they faced each other for UFC 286. The duo went back and forth and the result was determined after the five rounds by the judges. While Usman had made some tall claims before the fight, Statistics tell us it was difficult for him to win the fight. Former UFC fighter and ONE welterweight champion Ben Askren has tweeted some startling stats and fans are wondering the reasons behind the stats.
The crux of the stats suggests that fighters above the age of 35 have a very low winning percentage in title fights in the UFC. Askren responded to a meticulously compiled set of facts from a user.
This is an insane statistic https://t.co/90TMvhe62V
— Funky (@Benaskren) March 20, 2023
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This was the third time Leon Edwards and Kamaru Usman went against each other in the UFC. The first fight saw Usman win, but the past two fights have been won by the Englishman. The last fight saw Edwards win by a brutal head kick knockout. While the former welterweight champion’s fans called it a fluke, the latest victory has silenced all such murmurs.
Statistics suggest title fights are graves for above 35-year-old fighters
According to the stats shared for flyweight, bantamweight, featherweight, and lightweight divisions, only 2 wins have been scored by fighters above the age of 35. The overall score reads 2 wins and a lopsided 28 losses. In the flyweight division, Joseph Benavidez lost twice trying in 2020. None of the fighters who tried for the title after being 35 years old could get their hands on it. Brazilian Deiveson Figueredo lost his title fight against Brandon Moreno in January this year.
He was 35 years and 34 days. Similarly, the bantamweight Division saw TJ Dillashaw, Dominick Cruz, and Urijah Faber lose in title fights after being over 35 years of age. The age pattern played out on 4 fighters in the featherweight division. Josh Emmett, The Korean Zombie, Frankie Edgar, and Kenny Florian had all lost their title fights and were over 35 years of age. Even the lightweight division had Tony Ferguson and Michael Chandler losing their title bouts after crossing the dreaded threshold.
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Despite overwhelming evidence which reiterated the point, the statistic doesn’t apply to one specific UFC division.
The numbers don’t apply to the UFC heavyweight division
Despite the strong numbers suggesting that older fighters lose in their title fights once they are over 35 years of age, The heavyweight division shows a stark difference in numbers. For starters, Stipe Miocic and Daniel Cormier were both over 35 years of age when they won the championship.
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Fans may argue that age is a factor in lower weight divisions as, the game is about speed and skill more than power and endurance in the lower divisions but there is always some room for improvement in sports, and all stats and numbers are laid to rest someday when an inspired athlete takes over. What’s your take on these stats? Let us know
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