UFC broadcasts are about to get a lot smarter—and a lot faster. IBM and UFC have unveiled In-Fight Insights, a new AI-driven real-time alert system designed to surface meaningful fight stats, streaks, and records the moment they happen. The feature debuts this Saturday at UFC 322: Della Maddalena vs. Makhachev inside Madison Square Garden.

It’s the latest evolution of the UFC Insights Engine, which is built on IBM’s enterprise AI platform, watsonx, and fueled by more than 13.2 million data points spanning two decades of UFC history. Until now, the system powered only pre-fight and post-fight analytics. This marks its first live in-octagon deployment.

Bringing AI Cage-Side

The challenge with combat sports is speed. A fighter can land 10 strikes before a commentator finishes a sentence. Doing real-time analysis at that pace—without sacrificing accuracy—has been a sticking point for most AI systems.

UFC says the new engine solves that.
“Anyone who uses AI tools knows they are normally able to go deep or fast, but not both,” said Alon Cohen, EVP of Innovation for TKO. “In collaborating with IBM… we have optimized Insights Engine to accomplish both.”

The system will trigger immediate notifications when major milestones occur—such as a fighter breaking a personal best, hitting a significant strike count, or entering record-setting territory. Commentators will get instant context, giving fans richer storytelling without the usual lag.

Why It Matters

AI in sports broadcasting has been booming—Formula 1, the NFL, and the NBA all use some form of automated analytics—but combat sports have lagged behind due to unpredictable pacing and unstructured movement.

With In-Fight Insights, UFC becomes one of the first major global sports organizations to embed live, context-rich, AI-powered storytelling directly into the broadcast. For fans, this means more transparency into what's actually unfolding mid-fight—not just what the eye can capture.

For IBM, it’s another example of watsonx edging deeper into sports tech.
“AI is really changing the game for the live sports viewing experience,” said Jonathan Adashek, IBM SVP of Marketing & Communications. “This is about unlocking the storytelling potential and human element inside the cage.”

Beyond the Broadcast

UFC and IBM plan to scale the system across:

• Live event broadcasts

• Pre-event programming

• Social media content

• In-venue displays

Everything captured in real time will be added to UFC’s growing analytics archive, strengthening machine learning capabilities for future events.

The Bigger Picture

As MMA continues its global expansion—and as fans demand deeper insight without slowing the action—UFC’s move mirrors a broader trend: sports bodies turning to AI not for gimmicks, but for storytelling.

With In-Fight Insights, UFC is betting that real-time intelligence will become as essential to modern broadcasts as slow-motion replays once were.

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