This study compared acute measures of concussion in Olympic boxers undergoing a combat. This is a case-control study where participants were measured in two conditions: a) using headgear (HG) and b) without using headgear (NHG). Thus, 14 athletes (24.9±5.1 yrs.; 77.1±13.9 kg; 1.7±0.1 m; 14.4±6.4 % body fat) completed this protocol. Tests were carried out before and after the combat (3 rounds of 3' with 1' interval) as indicators of concussion (BtrackS concussion test, automatic and controlled executive function, direct and indirect memory). A technical-tactical analysis protocol was also applied to verify the effect of HG on the actions during the combat. The HG condition showed better performance on the BtrackS concussion test (30.3±11.3 vs. 38.5±12.2; p=0.039), automatic executive function (38.0±6.0 vs. 50.4±11.4; p=0.014), and controlled (55.3±8.1 vs. 76.4±11.5; p=0.016). There was a significant difference in the number of punches connected to the head (38.5±12.0 vs. 51.1±14.7 for HG and NHG respectively; p=0.047). Based on our aims and the results obtained, our data support the acute protective effect of using HG in amateur Olympic male boxing against the concussion indicators. Keywords: Combat sports, Boxing, Olympic Games, Brain concussion, Cognition, Sport rules

Background: This study examines the long-term cognitive consequences of repetitive head impact on executive functions in mixed martial arts (MMA) fighters over two years. Methods: Neuropsychological tests assessed executive functions in two groups: competitive (CG; n = 26) and recreational groups (RG; n = 26). Results: A significant interaction between time and group was observed. The CG experienced greater declines in Mental Processing Speed (MPS) after 1 year [4.6 s (3.1; 6.1); p ≤ 0.001] and 2 years [14.6 s (5.1; 24.0); p = 0.003]. Inhibitory control (IC) also declined after 1 year [4.7 a.u. (3.0; 6.2); p ≤ 0.001] and 2 years [10.0 a.u. (11.6; 11.4); p ≤ 0.001]. Cognitive flexibility (CF) showed a pronounced reduction after 1 year [4.8 a.u. (3.0; 6.7); p ≤ 0.001] and 2 years [7.5 a.u. (5.9; 9.1); p ≤ 0.001]. Automatic (AP) and controlled processes (CP), as well as direct (DM) and indirect memory (IM), also showed significant impairments in CG. Conclusions: These findings highlight the detrimental effects of MMA competitions on cognitive function, emphasizing the need for monitoring and interventions to preserve fighters’ health and performance.

Introduction: Combat sport athletes are more likely to suffer concussions because one of the goals is to knock out an opponent and apply blows during the fight. Objective: To analyze the mechanisms of concussion specific to combat sports and identify the most prevalent signs and symptoms that affect athletes after concussion. Methods: The PRISMA protocol was applied, searches were performed in electronic databases using the descriptors: Athletes, Fighting, Martial Arts, Combat Sports, Concussion, Brain Concussion, Traumatic Brain Injury, Physical Symptoms and Motivational Symptoms. The identification and peer selection process were performed using the Rayyan software. We then extracted the articles which met the eligibility criteria for qualitative analysis, using the Risk of Bias Used for Surveys tool. Results: A total of 912 articles were identified, 90 duplicates and 81 bibliographic reviews, leaving 65 articles for reading the abstracts. Of these, 46 were excluded according to the eligibility criteria, including 19 articles. Regarding exposure to concussion, 70.2% were related to the number of fights performed and 29.8% fighters. The sports modalities were 45.5% MMA, 18.2% boxing, 9.1% taekwondo, 9.1% karate and 9.1% kickboxing. The injuries found were divided into 27.2% traumatic brain injury and 72.8% concussion. According to the signs and symptoms identified, 55.2% were physical and 44.8% motivational. Conclusion: The frequency of fights is a determining factor for the incidence of concussions in combat sport athletes and the post-concussion symptoms showed significant physical and motivational manifestations, which represent barriers to the technical-tactical development of athletes.

Background: Uchi-mata is one of the most frequently used throwing techniques in judo, yet little is known about the kinematic factors distinguishing specialists from non-specialists. This study compared lower-limb kinematics during uchi-mata across its three phases in elite judokas. Methods: Forty athletes (12 female, 28 male; 24.5 ± 5.9 years) were classified as specialists (n = 20) or non-specialists (n = 20). Photogrammetry assessed hip, knee, and foot displacement, velocity, acceleration, and timing during the Approach, Turning, and Throw phases. Analyses were performed using mixed-effects models with group, phase, and sex as fixed effects, plus exploratory multivariate tests (p < 0.05). Results: Specialists executed faster movements in the Approach (p = 0.036, d = 0.69) and Throw phases (p = 0.010, d = 0.85), showed greater hip displacement during Approach (p = 0.008, d = 0.89), and achieved superior knee and foot displacement in Throw (p = 0.005 and p = 0.003). Final positioning also differed, with specialists displaying higher knee (98.5 ± 14.5 vs. 86.3 ± 17.8 cm, p ≤ 0.001) and foot (121.0 ± 19.7 vs. 104.4 ± 27.4 cm, p = 0.034) heights, but lower hip position (61.9 ± 4.2 vs. 75.6 ± 7.5 cm, p = 0.021). Sex showed no significant effects or interactions, indicating that these group differences were consistent across male and female athletes. Conclusions: Uchi-mata specialists demonstrated superior displacement and velocity control, particularly in the Approach and Throw phases, reflecting greater neuromuscular coordination and efficiency. These findings provide practical markers for coaches and athletes to guide training focused on mobility, strength, and technical drills that enhance hip, knee, and foot displacement, supporting the optimization of uchi-mata performance in elite judo.

Purpose: This study investigated the predictive capacity of pre-competition emotions, post-competition emotional states, and emotional changes (delta) in determining competitive outcomes. Methods: Thirty-seven athletes (27 male, 10 female; age =24.4±7.3 years) completed the Portuguese version of Sport Emotion Questionnaire (SEQ) before and after a competition. Five emotions (anxiety, sadness, anger, excitement, joy) were analyzed through descriptive statistics, parametric/non-parametric comparisons (α=0.05), effect sizes (Cohen’s d’/r’), and machine learning (logistic regression/Random Forest with 5-fold cross-validation). Results: Pre-competition emotions showed no significant differences between winners (n=18) and losers (n=19), though winners exhibited higher excitement (5.4±4.2 vs. 2.5±6.4; d’=0.55) and joy (5.9±4.9 vs. 3.4±7.0; d’=0.41), with anxiety identified as the top machine learning predictor (importance: 0.278). Post-competition, winners displayed significantly elevated levels across all emotions (p<0.001), particularly excitement (7.4±4.8 vs. −1.2±7.2; d’=1.4) and joy (8.8±4.5 vs. −1.1±8.0; r=0.64). Analysis of emotional deltas revealed winners’ significant increases in excitement (+2.00; p=0.018) and joy (+2.94; p=0.009), versus losers’ pronounced reductions in sadness (−6.89; p=0.002) and anger (−5.53; p=0.003). A predictive model using deltas achieved 78.2% accuracy, with delta joy as the strongest predictor (OR=3.62). Conclusions: Emotional states after competition and their dynamic changes, characterized by amplification in winners and suppression in losers are stronger outcome determinants than pre-competition emotions. Interventions targeting adaptive emotion regulation may enhance athletic performance.

Background: The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has evolved into a global sports leader, experiencing significant changes in its competitive and strategic landscapes over the past two decades. Objectives: This study aimed to analyze and compare the temporal characteristics of UFC male bouts by examining fight duration, number of rounds, and outcome distribution across three distinct two-year periods: 2003-2004 (Period 1, n=77), 2013-2014 (Period 2, n=823), and 2023-2024 (Period 3, n=835). A sensitivity analysis was conducted on 3-round fights (n=1,660) to control for potential confounding effects of 5-round bouts. Results: Significant differences were found in both total fight duration (F=6.477, p=0.002) and number of rounds (F=6.627, p=0.001). Fights in Period 1 were significantly shorter (495.8±362.0 s) and had fewer rounds (1.97±0.01) than those in Period 2 (636.5±358.2 s, 2.4±1.0 rounds) and Period 3 (650.1±361.9 s, 2.4±1.0 rounds). A significant association was found between period and fight outcomes (χ²=12.845, p=0.046). Post-hoc analysis revealed that Period 1 had a higher proportion of KO/TKO finishes (45.5%) and differed significantly from Periods 2 (p=0.008) and 3 (p=0.014). The sensitivity analysis confirmed these findings, with an even stronger association for outcomes in 3-round fights (χ²=75.67, p<0.001). Conclusion: UFC fights have become longer and more frequently decided by judges’ decisions over the past 20 years. The greatest change occurred between the early 2000s and the 2010s, with the last two decades reflecting a state of competitive balance.