Does Stature or Wingspan Length Have a Positive Effect on Competitor Rankings or Attainment of World Title Bouts in International and Elite Mixed Martial Arts?

KIRK, Chris (2016). Does Stature or Wingspan Length Have a Positive Effect on Competitor Rankings or Attainment of World Title Bouts in International and Elite Mixed Martial Arts? Sport Science Review, 25 (5-6), 334-349.

[img]
Preview
PDF
Kirk 2016 Stature and Wingspan Effects on Ranking and Title Bouts in MMA.pdf - Published Version
Creative Commons Attribution.

Download (268kB) | Preview
Official URL: https://www.sciencegate.app/document/10.1515/ssr-2...
Link to published version:: https://doi.org/10.1515/ssr-2016-0018

Abstract

In this study the stature, wingspan and stature-to-wingspan ratio (S:W) was recorded for N = 474 elite and international mixed martial arts (MMA) competitors who appeared in televised bouts over the course of one calendar year. Each weight division was split into three or four ranking groups (RG) depending on division size, as well as into groups depending on if the competitors had won or competed for a world title (El) or had done neither (In). One-way ANOVA (≤0.05) found that shorter competitors are ranked higher in flyweight and in the middle in women’s strawweight. Independent t-tests (≤0.05) found that shorter competitors also have more chance of winning or competing for a world title in featherweight and flyweight. Independent t-tests (≤0.05) also found a significant difference between males and female for S:W. There was a weak, negative correlation and a moderate, negative correlation between stature and rank in lightweight and light heavyweight respectively and a moderate, negative correlation between S:W and rank in featherweight. There were no other significant differences found. Overall, whilst MMA competitors have a S:W of 1:1.024, due to the paucity of significant differences found, it was determined that anthropometrical measurements cannot be used to predict success in elite and international mixed martial arts.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: 1106 Human Movement and Sports Sciences
Identification Number: https://doi.org/10.1515/ssr-2016-0018
Page Range: 334-349
SWORD Depositor: Symplectic Elements
Depositing User: Symplectic Elements
Date Deposited: 14 Dec 2021 13:37
Last Modified: 14 Dec 2021 13:45
URI: https://shura.shu.ac.uk/id/eprint/27848

Actions (login required)

View Item View Item

Downloads

Downloads per month over past year

View more statistics