Sports Analytics Glossary
Your comprehensive guide to sports analytics terms, metrics, and abbreviations
10-8 Round
A round score indicating dominant performance with impact, damage, or complete control throughout the majority of the round.
10-9 Round
The most common round score where one fighter clearly wins but does not dominate or severely damage the opponent.
Back Control
A dominant position where a fighter is behind the opponent with hooks in, considered the most dominant position in MMA.
Body Strikes
Strikes targeted at the opponent's torso, including punches, kicks, knees, and elbows to the body.
Clinch Strikes
Strikes delivered while fighters are in close contact, typically including knees, elbows, and short punches.
Control Time
The cumulative time a fighter maintains a dominant position on the ground, typically measured in minutes and seconds.
Distance Strikes
Strikes thrown from standing position while fighters are separated, including jabs, crosses, kicks, and long-range techniques.
Effective Grappling
A judging criterion evaluating takedowns, submission attempts, and ground control that advances position or threatens the opponent.
Effective Striking
The primary judging criterion evaluating the impact and damage of strikes, considering both quantity and quality of striking.
Fight IQ
A fighter's tactical intelligence, including decision-making, adaptability, game planning, and ability to exploit opponent weaknesses.
Fighting Area Control
The ability to control where the fight takes place, including pressing the action and determining range and engagement.
Finish Rate
The percentage of fights a fighter has won by stoppage (KO, TKO, or submission) rather than decision.
Ground and Pound
A strategy of taking an opponent down and striking them on the ground, typically from top position in guard or mount.
Ground Strikes
Strikes delivered while at least one fighter is on the ground, including ground and pound from top position.
Guard
A ground position where the bottom fighter uses their legs to control the opponent, including full guard, half guard, and butterfly guard.
Head Strikes
Strikes targeted at and landing on the opponent's head, including punches, kicks, elbows, and knees.
Knockdown
When a fighter is knocked to the ground by a strike and shows a loss of balance or consciousness, even if temporary.
Leg Strikes
Strikes targeted at the opponent's legs, primarily consisting of leg kicks but also including knee strikes to the thigh.
Mount
A dominant ground position where a fighter sits on the opponent's torso, allowing for strikes and submission opportunities.
Octagon Control
A judging criterion measuring which fighter dictates the pace, location, and positioning of the fight within the cage.
Orthodox
The traditional fighting stance where a fighter leads with their left hand and foot, typically adopted by right-handed fighters.
Reach
The measurement of a fighter's arm span from fingertip to fingertip, important for striking distance and defensive advantages.
Reversal
When a fighter transitions from a disadvantageous position to an advantageous one, typically from bottom to top.
Round
A timed segment of an MMA fight, typically five minutes for championship or main event bouts, three minutes for preliminary bouts.
Scramble
A dynamic transitional phase where both fighters are actively competing for position, neither in stable control.
Side Control
A dominant ground position where a fighter pins the opponent from the side, controlling their torso and limiting movement.
Significant Strikes
All strikes at distance and power strikes in the clinch and on the ground. Includes all strikes that have the potential to cause damage to the opponent.
Southpaw
A fighting stance where the fighter leads with their right hand and foot, typically adopted by left-handed fighters.
Split Decision
A decision where two judges score the fight for one fighter and one judge scores it for the opponent, resulting in a contested victory.
Strike Accuracy
The percentage of strikes thrown that successfully land on the opponent, calculated as (strikes landed / strikes attempted) × 100.
Strikes Landed
The number of strikes that successfully make contact with the opponent, counted separately for significant and total strikes.
Strikes Per Minute
The average rate of strikes landed per minute of fight time, used to measure output and aggression.
Submission Attempt
An attempt to force an opponent to tap out using a choke, joint lock, or other technique designed to cause pain or unconsciousness.
Takedown
A technique used to bring an opponent from a standing position to the ground, including single legs, double legs, throws, and trips.
Takedown Accuracy
The percentage of successful takedown attempts, calculated as (takedowns landed / takedowns attempted) × 100.
Takedown Defense
The percentage of opponent's takedown attempts that are successfully defended, showing grappling defensive skills.
TKO
Technical Knockout - a stoppage by the referee when a fighter can no longer intelligently defend themselves, typically due to strikes.
Total Strikes
The total number of strikes attempted by a fighter, including both significant and non-significant strikes.
Unified Rules
The standardized set of MMA rules adopted by most athletic commissions, governing legal techniques, judging criteria, and fouls.
Weight Class
Divisions that group fighters by weight to ensure fair competition, ranging from strawweight (115 lbs) to heavyweight (265 lbs).
Quick Reference
Common sports analytics metrics you should know
Baseball Metrics
- WAR - Wins Above Replacement
- wOBA - Weighted On-Base Average
- FIP - Fielding Independent Pitching
- wRC+ - Weighted Runs Created Plus
Soccer Metrics
- xG - Expected Goals
- xA - Expected Assists
- PPDA - Passes Per Defensive Action
- PSxG - Post-Shot Expected Goals
Basketball Metrics
- PER - Player Efficiency Rating
- TS% - True Shooting Percentage
- BPM - Box Plus/Minus
- VORP - Value Over Replacement Player
Football Metrics
- EPA - Expected Points Added
- CPOE - Completion Percentage Over Expected
- DVOA - Defense-adjusted Value Over Average
- PFF Grade - Pro Football Focus Grade