Concussions in the UFC: Risks, impacts, and recommendations for reform

This work explores the risks associated with concussions in the UFC, focusing on prevalence, long-term impacts, and potential reforms. The paper outlines that concussions are a common consequence of MMA, with quite frequent causes from knockouts, and how repeated injuries to the head contribute greatly to trauma occurring to the brain. The paper further gives importance to the neurological, psychological, and economic consequences of concussions-such as CTE and depression-that have so often been ignored in the sport. The paper discusses the failures of current concussion management, which lacks proper screening and recovery protocols. This paper makes recommendations for reform harnessed from four key sources, including Zazryn et al. (2023) and McKee et al. (2023), among others, regarding advanced imaging to improve diagnosis, standardized recovery protocols, education programs, and economic protections for fighters. Modifications towards ensuring that the sport is safer without betraying its integrity will go a long way toward building a safer future for UFC athletes.

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