Bout Quality Score
The Bout Quality Score rates the quality of individual fight performances. Unlike the Action Score (which measures entertainment value), Bout Quality evaluates how well a fighter performed — whether they won or lost.
Every fight produces two separate scores: a Win Quality for the winner and a Loss Quality for the loser. Both are on a 0-100 scale.
Round-by-Round Scoring Foundation
Bout quality builds on an empirical scoring model derived from analysis of 2,668 UFC decision fights. The model estimates how judges weigh different stats when scoring rounds:
| Metric | Weight | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| Significant Strikes Diff | 1.00 | Baseline unit |
| Takedowns Diff | 2.04 | 1 takedown = ~2 sig strikes |
| Effective Control Time (per min) | 2.85 | 1 minute of control = ~3 sig strikes |
| Knockdowns Diff | 12.84 | 1 knockdown = ~13 sig strikes |
| Submission Attempts Diff | 5.48 | 1 sub attempt = ~5.5 sig strikes |
Effective Control Time
Control time is adjusted for "lay-and-pray." If a fighter holds top position for 3 minutes but throws zero ground strikes, only 50% of that control time counts. Active ground-and-pound gets full credit.
effective_control = control_time x (0.5 + 0.5 x ground_strike_activity)
Where ground_strike_activity scales from 0 (no ground strikes) to 1.0 (active ground-and-pound).
Round Score
Each round's score is computed as:
round_score = 1.0 x sig_strikes_diff
+ 2.04 x takedowns_diff
+ 2.85 x (effective_control_diff / 60)
+ 12.84 x knockdowns_diff
+ 5.48 x sub_attempts_diff
A positive score means the fighter won the round; negative means the opponent won.
Win Quality (0-100)
Win quality rewards dominant wins against strong opponents:
| Component | Max Points | What It Rewards |
|---|---|---|
| Opponent Tier | 40 | Beating a better-rated opponent (opponent's dominance x 0.4) |
| Win Method | 20 | KO/TKO/SUB = 20, Decision depends on round margins |
| Round of Finish | 15 | Earlier finishes score higher (R1 = 15, R2 = 12, R3 = 9) |
| Stat Dominance | 10 | Outperforming in strikes, control, and knockdowns |
| Title Bout Bonus | 10 | Winning a title fight |
| Performance Bonus | 5 | Earning a UFC bonus (POTN, FOTN, etc.) |
Win Method Scoring for Decisions
When a fight goes to decision, the round breakdown determines the method score:
- Won by 2+ rounds: 12 points (clear decision win)
- Won by 1 round: 8 points (moderate win)
- Even rounds: 5 points (close fight)
- Lost more rounds but won anyway (rare): 3 points
Win Quality Labels
| Score | Label |
|---|---|
| 80+ | Dominant Win |
| 65-79 | Impressive Win |
| 50-64 | Good Win |
| 35-49 | Standard Win |
| < 35 | Unimpressive Win |
Loss Quality (0-100)
Loss quality measures how forgivable a loss is. A high score means the fighter was competitive; a low score means they were thoroughly beaten.
| Component | Max Points | What It Rewards |
|---|---|---|
| Competitive Stats | 80 | How close the stats were (strikes, control, KDs, TDs) |
| Loss Method | 10 | Decision = better; early stoppage = worse |
| Opponent Tier | 5 | Losing to a higher-rated opponent is more forgivable |
| Rounds Lasted | 5 | Going the distance = 5; R1 finish = 0 |
Competitive Stats Detail
The competitive stats component uses a shifted midpoint — at even statistics (0 differential), a fighter earns about 65% of the maximum points. This reflects that being statistically even in a loss means you were genuinely competitive.
Loss Quality Labels
| Score | Label |
|---|---|
| 75+ | Unlucky Loss |
| 55-74 | Competitive Loss |
| 35-54 | Understandable Loss |
| 20-34 | Clear Loss |
| < 20 | Bad Loss |
Example: Win Quality
Fighter A KOs opponent (dominance 65) in Round 2 of a title fight, earning POTN:
Opponent tier: 65 x 0.4 = 26.0
Win method (KO): 20.0
Round of finish: 12.0 (R2)
Stat dominance: ~7.0 (good differentials)
Title bout: 10.0
Performance bonus: 5.0
Win Quality = 80.0 -> "Dominant Win"
Example: Loss Quality
Fighter B loses a split decision to an Elite opponent (dominance 72). Stats were close: -5 sig strikes, +30s control, 0 KD diff, even takedowns.
Competitive stats: ~52 out of 80 (close stats, shifted midpoint)
Loss method: 7.0 (decision, rounds close)
Opponent tier: 72 x 0.05 = 3.6
Rounds lasted: 5.0 (went the distance)
Loss Quality = 67.6 -> "Competitive Loss"