The average 2019 UFC event lasted 12.3 fights, the highest rate since 12.5 in 2013. There were 42 events in 2019, 2nd
most ever behind only 2014's 46 events. But there were 13 more fights in 2019 with 4 fewer events.
The finishing rate in 2019 was a new record low: 45%.
Annual finish rates:
2011 - 50% (WEC merger)
2012 - 52%
2013 - 51% (women added)
2014 - 50%
2015 - 52%
2016 - 49%
2017 - 49%
2018 - 51%
2019 - 45%
Who didn't finish in 2019? Middleweights. Just 37% of 185 lb. matches ended with a finish (17 of 46). Recent annual MW figures:
2016 - 61%
2017 - 59%
2018 - 61%
2019 - 37%
2019 Finishing Rates by Weight Class
HW - 62%
LHW - 65%
MW - 37%
WW - 49%
LW - 46%
FTW - 44%
BW - 41%
FLW - 41%
WBW - 43%
WFLW - 30%
SW - 27%
Many divisions' finish rate dropped though.
Finish Percentage Change by Division: 2018 to 2019
HW +3% points
LHW -1
MW -24
WW -7
LW -6
FTW -3
BW -7
WBW +18
FLW -5
WFLW no change
SW -4
Knockouts in 2019 came from distance punches more often than in any previous year.
Proportion of KOs by distance strikes per year:
2011 - 43%
2012 - 56%
2013 - 52%
2014 - 47%
2015 - 53%
2016 - 49%
2017 - 51%
2018 - 49%
2019 - 69%
Finishes didn't come very often while in the clinch in 2019:
Proportion of KOs by clinch strikes per year:
2011 - 22%
2012 - 19%
2013 - 21%
2014 - 21%
2015 - 21%
2016 - 24%
2017 - 26%
2018 - 24%
2019 - 7%
Just 16% of the UFC's 2019 fights ended with a submission, the smallest such proportion ever. Since 2011:
2011 - 18%
2012 - 21%
2013 - 17%
2014 - 19%
2015 - 19%
2016 - 18%
2017 - 18%
2018 - 19%
2019 - 16%
Strangely, submission accuracy set a new record high in 2019 of 31% yet there were just 0.51 submission attempts per fight, the lowest rate ever in a calendar year.
Submission Attempts per Fight by Year, UFC
2005 - 1.43
2006 - 1.28
2007 - 1.47
2008 - 1.28
2009 - 1.24
2010 - 1.30
2011 - 1.00
2012 - 0.82
2013 - 0.80
2014 - 0.78
2015 - 0.64
2016 - 0.63
2017 - 0.64
2018 - 0.65
2019 - 0.51
Proportion of Usage by Weight Class for UFC 2019
15% - WW
15% - LW
12% - FTW
12% - BTW
9% - LHW
9% - MW
8% - HW
7% - WFLW
6% - SW
4% - WBW
3% - FLW
In terms of usage, MWs have seen less Octagon time in recent years. They accounted for just 9% of the UFC fights in 2019, the same proportion as 2018. But they accounted for 12% of UFC fights from 2014 to 2017.
Men's flyweight accounted for just 3% of the 2019 UFC fights, the smallest proportion ever for a men's division in a modern era year.
The UFC has shown a commitment to women's flyweight. Here's what proportion of fights they've accounted for in recent years:
2017 - 2%
2018 - 5%
2019 - 7%