Mixed
MMA fighters exhibit body composition (skeletal muscle mass, body fat percentage, visceral fat mass, and phase angle) statistically indistinguishable from elite powerlifting athletes, despite fundamentally different training methodologies.
If you are an MMA fighter, you do not need to sacrifice muscle mass to maintain your conditioning. Your body composition (muscle and fat levels) can be just as favorable as a powerlifter's, provided you train with sufficient intensity and volume. Focus on maintaining high tissue quality (phase angle) through balanced aerobic and anaerobic training rather than cutting muscle for weight classes.
The MMA athletes do not differ significantly from strength training athletes in measured anthropometric parameters despite distinct differences in training methodology.
Why this rating
The study has a small sample size (n=17 per group) and was underpowered to detect medium effect sizes, though effect sizes were moderate.
Source
Comparison and Analysis of Body Composition of MMA Fighters and Powerlifting Athletes
Jarosław Muracki et al. · Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology · 2025
DOI 10.3390/jfmk10040388
Related findings · Mixed
- Bariatric surgery (VSG and RYGB) is the most effective and sustainable treatment for obesity, producing marked and sustained weight loss that non-surgical interventions cannot match.Strong
- Severely protein-deficient diets (2–3% energy) induce lean body mass loss and metabolic imbalance, whereas adequate protein intake (0.66 g/kg/d minimum) is a prerequisite for maintaining muscle, bone, and physiological function.Strong
- For patients with Class III obesity (BMI >39.9 kg/m2), metabolic bariatric surgery (MBS) is significantly more effective than any currently approved medication, with BilioPancreatic Diversion (BPD) showing the highest estimated weight loss.Strong
This is one finding among thousands. Every one is graded and traced to its source, so you can see what the evidence actually supports. Browse the research →