stats from the UG:
2009-2016, limited to the UFC. Of all the lists in MMA, this is one you don’t want to be #1 on. The findings are not great for AKA.
1. AKA • 8 fighters, 111 scheduled fights, 24 injuries, 21.6% injury rate
2. Serra/Longo • 4 fighters, 48 scheduled fights, 9 injuries, 16.3% injury rate
3. Nova Uniao • 12 fighters, 135 scheduled fights, 20 injuries, 14.8% injury rate
4. Blackzilians • 10 fighters, 97 scheduled fights, 14 injuries, 14.4% injury rate
5. Roufusport • 8 fighters, 87 scheduled fights, 11 injuries, 12.6% injury rate
6. Team Nogueira/Blackhouse • 11 fighters, 152 scheduled fights, 16 injuries, 11.9% injury rate
Below average rate.
7. Tristar • 15 fighters, 153 scheduled fights, 14 injuries, 9.2% injury rate
8. ATT • 12 fighters, 219 scheduled fights, 19 injuries, 8.7% injury rate
9. Jackson Wink MMA • 26 fighters, 353 scheduled fights, 30 injuries, 8.5% injury rate
10, Kings MMA • 6 fighters, 94 scheduled fights, 6 injuries, 6.4% injury rate
11. Team Alpha Male • 8 fighters, 120 scheduled fights, 7 injuries, 5.8% injury rate
12. Alliance MMA • 12 fighters, 164 scheduled fights, 7 injuries, 4.3% injury rate
Average rate of injury 10.3%.
AKA head coach Javier Mendez spoke with Hutchinson, and pointed out that three of the injuries attributed to his team were suffered by Khabib Nurmagomedov, and they happened when he was training in Russia. Further, Cormier’s injury happened while DC was teaching his own wrestling class. However, the coach also acknowledged that the team has had a high injury rate, and explained that he is taking preventative steps, including minimizing hard sparring and being cognizant of over training.
“If fighters are looking at me like, ‘you’re f’ing us up coach,’ then I should probably quit,” said Velasquez. “I don’t want to hurt anyone. I do the best to take care of them and they’ll tell you that I don’t let them spar when they’re injured. I hold them back.”