Fightnomics [first edition]

Fightnomics quantifies the underlying drivers of the world's most exciting and fastest growing sport through deep analysis of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) competition. Part Freakonomics and part Moneyball, Fightnomics is a statistical spotlight on the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and the fighters who compete in the Octagon. Does size matter? Is the Southpaw Advantage real for MMA? Is it better to be young or experienced in a fight? How is the UFC Tale of the Tape lying to us? What makes a strike significant? What about Ring Rust, Octagon Jitters, or the Home Cage Advantage? Just how accurate are betting odds? Theories about how MMA works get put to the test with a little bit of science, and a whole lot of numbers. Fightnomics is the deepest and most complete analysis to date of historical UFC data that answers common, yet hotly debated questions about the sport. The fight game will never quite look the same once you've learned what really matters in a cage fight, and even a few surprising things that don't.