Weight cuts and injuries in UFC – How they affect your betting strategies
For anyone that enjoys betting on UFC fights, it is crucial to understand the various factors that influence the outcomes on these events. Weight cuts and injuries are some of those factors. And this article will explore how these elements can affect fighters and, in turn, your betting strategies.
Weight cuts and injuries in UFC explained
Weight cutting is the process whereby fighters shed pounds rapidly, often through methods like dehydration, dieting, and workout routines. The goal is to weigh as little as possible during the weigh-in – a necessary weight check to ensure fighters fall within their designated weight class. After the weigh in, fighters then struggle to rehydrate and regain weight before the actual fight, in order to gain a size and strength advantage over their opponent. Weight cuts have long been a controversial aspect of MMA because these practices can go from a gradual reduction in calorie intake to extreme sauna sessions or salt baths.
Similarly, injuries are an unfortunate but common occurrence in the UFC. Fighters regularly put tons of stress on their bodies, pushing it to the limit. And they often sustain injuries both during training sessions and actual fights. The most common injuries MMA fighters experience are concussions, fractures, and ligament tears. Some injuries may require just a few weeks to heal. Others require a recovery period of several months, putting fighters out for an entire fighting season.
How do weight cuts and injuries impact UFC betting?
Weight cuts gone wrong have been the cause of some of the biggest upsets in the UFC. This is because weight cutting takes a significant toll on fighters’ bodies. When not managed well, it affects their strength, stamina and perceptiveness during a fight. Such fighters end up losing the fight, even if they were the favorite to win.
Injuries can also significantly affect a fighter's performance. Imagine a fighter with a broken hand and one with a knee injury. The first will struggle to land effective punches, while the other will have poor mobility and limited reflexes. Even past injuries that still have lingering effects may prevent a fighter from performing at their full potential.
It's now easy to see how important this data is for your betting strategies. Always check UFC fight cards – which are readily available – to see the schedules of events and who will be fighting. The top bookies use this info to get valuable insights before setting their prices. In the same vein, by watching weigh-ins closely, following social media for hints about a fighter's condition, monitoring injury reports and reading fighter interviews, you can make the most informed decisions.
UFC betting is almost as fun as watching the fights themselves. If you’re a lover of the sport and would like to get in on the betting action, taking note of weight cuts and injuries can help you enhance your betting strategies.
