Packing a Punch with Data: How Analytics Have Fueled the UFC

Duncan French - Vice President of Performance, UFC Performance Institute




Deni Batchvarova - Senior Vice President, Strategy, UFC




Forrest Griffin - Vice President of Athlete Development, UFC Performance Institute




Matt Kenny (moderator) - Vice President, Programming and Acquisitions, ESPN


 
Observing the raw energy of a mixed martial arts match, one might assume that analytics don't have a place in the octagon. 10 years ago that might have been the case, but the UFC has revolutionized the use of analytics in the sport through their pioneering Performance Institutes. Bringing together a global pool of athletes, these facilities have devised new methods to create data where there was none before and deliver impact during development, training, and the matches themselves. This panel brings together UFC executive, performance scientist, and athlete perspectives to dissect how far the space has come and what the next opportunities are to deploy technology and analytics for knockout results.