Assessment of Body Composition and Physical Conditioning in Professional MMA Fighters: Comparison between Male Categories and Descriptive Analysis of Female Athletes

Mixed martial arts (MMA) incorporate movements from various martial arts, which increases the complexity of physical preparation and the variety of physical qualities. Understanding the body characteristics of high-performance athletes can provide valuable insights into the physical attributes required for success in sports. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the body composition and physical conditioning of professional MMA athletes according to the category practiced (heavyweight - HW and lightweight - LW). Thirteen professional MMA fighters were evaluated, including 10 men and 3 women, who train in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. They underwent an evaluation protocol for anthropometric measurements (according to ISAK) and physical valences. The results indicated that there were no significant differences in body composition or in the tests measuring isometric strength and cardiorespiratory capacity between the categories analysed. In the flexibility test, the LW group showed greater range compared to the HW group. Additionally, the HW group presented a significant difference in the degree of mesomorphy compared to the LW group (P=0.04). These results suggest that, although there are differences in some anthropometric variables, they do not significantly impact body composition based on the category.