When Fighters Should Retire -- A point system

[Nastycrow]

Originally posted by: anotherusername
Date: November 18, 2016 at 02:44 PM
Source: https://forum.mmajunkie.com/threads/when-fighters-should-retire-a-point-system.70216/

This is a semi-serious attempt to come up with a point system for determining when fighters should retire. The more points, the closer you are to retirement. If you score 6 points or higher, then you should retire right now.
Part 1: Age and Mileage
If you have been competing in MMA for more than 10 years, add 1 point
If you are over 35, add 1 point
If you are over 40, add 1 point
Part 2: Last Three Fights
For each KO or TKO loss that you suffered in your last three fights, add 2 points
For each loss that was NOT a KO or TKO in your last three fights, add 1 point
For each win (regardless of type) in your last three fights, subtract 1 point
Part 3: Inactivity Penalty
If you have fought fewer than twice in the last two years, add 1 point
Add up all the points
6
or more points: Retire right now, no questions asked. Just retire.
5
points: You should probably retire, but you may want to give it one more chance.
4
points: You don't need to retire immediately, but it's time to consider other career options; if you can't put a couple of wins together soon, then it may be time to hang them up.
3
points: There are some warning signs in your career, but it's not time to retire yet. However, if your next fight is a KO loss, then retirement may be your best choice.
0-2
points: Like any fighter, you may be facing serious challenges, but it's not time to think about retirement yet.
I'm going to check this system using fighter records and see how it agrees with common opinion. I'm sure it will not be perfect, but it may be a good guide nonetheless. For the record,
I am NOT suggesting that any fighters are obligated to use a point system when making a decision about retirement!

 

[Nastycrow]

Originally posted by: anotherusername
Date: November 18, 2016 at 03:33 PM
Source: https://forum.mmajunkie.com/threads/when-fighters-should-retire-a-point-system.70216/

Examples:
Matt Brown
Age and Mileage: 1 point for more than 10 years fighting, 1 point for age (he turns 36 in January)
Last 3 fights: 2 points for the TKO loss, then the win and loss before that cancel each other out
Activity: he's active, so no penalty
Total: 3 points -- no need to retire yet, but if he gets KO'd in his next fight, then he probably should
Vitor Belfort
Age and Mileage: 1 point for more than 10 years fighting, 1 point for age
Last 3 fights: 4 points for back to back KO losses, minus 1 point for the win before that
Activity: active, no penalty
Total: 5 points -- he should probably retire
Miesha Tate
I'm not going to bother going through step by step, but here's a case where the system gives a questionable result. She is active with no penalties for age or mileage, and her losses were not by KO (even though Nunes could have KO'd her). So she only has 1 point total, yet she retired anyway. I guess that's not a big problem with the point system, it just means that it can't account for personal choices -- she could have kept making money fighting without risking her health too much, but she knew she wasn't going to beat top competition any more.
GSP
Gets 1 point for inactivity, and another point for mileage (10+ years fighting),for 2 points. However, his last 3 fights were all wins, so that brings him to -1 points. He is also close to getting an age penalty (he turns 36 in May), which would bring him to 0 points. But no need to retire, GSP!
Dan Henderson
This is an interesting case. At the time that he suffered his KO loss to Belfort in 2013, that put Henderson at a whopping 7 retirement points, implying that he was overdue for hanging up the gloves. But then after that, he alternated between having 5 and 6 retirement points (ending his career with 5). If he had beat Bisping, he would currently have only 3 retirement points. What this shows is that the current point system may put too much weight on recent fights.

 

[Nastycrow]

Originally posted by: mmablaster
Date: November 18, 2016 at 03:34 PM
Source: https://forum.mmajunkie.com/threads/when-fighters-should-retire-a-point-system.70216/

For part 1- I'd say there should be a total number of rounds in a career to add a point, though I'm not sure how many that would be.
Not sure if I'm completely on board for part 2. I think it is fine with going with cumulative KO/TKO/sub due to strikes suffered in a career to add a point. So maybe after 3-5 of them you add a point.
Not sure if I'd be on board with part 3 as sometimes a guy just needs time to let old nagging injuries heal up. Though I'd like to see some stats on guys that came back after 2 year layoffs.

 

[Nastycrow]

Originally posted by: anotherusername
Date: November 18, 2016 at 03:37 PM
Source: https://forum.mmajunkie.com/threads/when-fighters-should-retire-a-point-system.70216/

mmablaster said:
For part 1- I'd say there should be a total number of rounds in a career to add a point, though I'm not sure how many that would be.
Not sure if I'm completely on board for part 2. I think it is fine with going with cumulative KO/TKO/sub due to strikes suffered in a career to add a point. So maybe after 3-5 of them you add a point.
Not sure if I'd be on board with part 3 as sometimes a guy just needs time to let old nagging injuries heal up. Though I'd like to see some stats on guys that came back after 2 year layoffs.
Click to expand...
I agree with all of your observations, but the issue is that I want something that I can calculate very easily (just for fun, of course -- no one really cares). I want to be able to look at a fighter's record and add up the points quickly. To make it an "accurate" indication of when a fighter should retire, there are definitely a lot more factors to consider and better ways of taking them into account.

 

[Nastycrow]

Originally posted by: Flound
Date: November 18, 2016 at 04:29 PM
Source: https://forum.mmajunkie.com/threads/when-fighters-should-retire-a-point-system.70216/

I find this to be a very odd idea.
As a person with a number of odd interests, I'm not saying that negatively. I'm just saying it's quirky.

 

[Nastycrow]

Originally posted by: CD816
Date: November 18, 2016 at 07:08 PM
Source: https://forum.mmajunkie.com/threads/when-fighters-should-retire-a-point-system.70216/

(no content)

 

[Nastycrow]

Originally posted by: Sapper
Date: November 18, 2016 at 07:38 PM
Source: https://forum.mmajunkie.com/threads/when-fighters-should-retire-a-point-system.70216/

This is what happens when people don't have jobs.

 

[Nastycrow]

Originally posted by: Fight Magnet
Date: November 18, 2016 at 07:58 PM
Source: https://forum.mmajunkie.com/threads/when-fighters-should-retire-a-point-system.70216/

Sapper said:
This is what happens when people don't have jobs.
Click to expand...
f---ing Trump not living up to his promises already eh.

 

[Nastycrow]

Originally posted by: Sapper
Date: November 18, 2016 at 08:01 PM
Source: https://forum.mmajunkie.com/threads/when-fighters-should-retire-a-point-system.70216/

Fight Genome said:
f---ing Trump not living up to his promises already eh.
Click to expand...
Yup, f---ing Pres elect..

 

[Nastycrow]

Originally posted by: Fight Magnet
Date: November 18, 2016 at 08:01 PM
Source: https://forum.mmajunkie.com/threads/when-fighters-should-retire-a-point-system.70216/

I think this would work if we were living in the movie Real Steel, but for humans, it's to Nazi like.

 

[Nastycrow]

Originally posted by: CardioKing
Date: November 18, 2016 at 09:03 PM
Source: https://forum.mmajunkie.com/threads/when-fighters-should-retire-a-point-system.70216/

Antonio "Big Foot" Silva -
16 points

 

[Nastycrow]

Originally posted by: thedarkwingduck2k11
Date: November 18, 2016 at 09:11 PM
Source: https://forum.mmajunkie.com/threads/when-fighters-should-retire-a-point-system.70216/

i like the idea. how about a point system to determine G.O.A.T

 

[Nastycrow]

Originally posted by: Watain
Date: November 19, 2016 at 04:44 AM
Source: https://forum.mmajunkie.com/threads/when-fighters-should-retire-a-point-system.70216/

thedarkwingduck2k11 said:
i like the idea. how about a point system to determine G.O.A.T
Click to expand...
Just multiply Conor x McGregor.

 

[Nastycrow]

Originally posted by: thedarkwingduck2k11
Date: November 19, 2016 at 05:43 AM
Source: https://forum.mmajunkie.com/threads/when-fighters-should-retire-a-point-system.70216/

Watain said:
Just multiply Conor x McGregor.
Click to expand...
nah not gonna do that until he defends a title at least once

 

[Nastycrow]

Originally posted by: callithowyouseeit
Date: November 19, 2016 at 11:27 AM
Source: https://forum.mmajunkie.com/threads/when-fighters-should-retire-a-point-system.70216/

If any fighter suffers KO losses in 3 of 4 previous fights... they should retire.