Oura Health announced on Tuesday that they have partnered up with the MMA giant and are now the official health tracking device of the UFC. The Oura rings are one of the only smart rings on the market that can track sleep, heart rate, and respiratory data. More than 100 fighters are already using the rings to track their data.

A Ring That Can Assist In COVID-19 Detection

The Oura Smart Ring is a powerful tool fighters can now use to detect early signs of a possibly COVID-19 infection. Former UFC Heavyweight Champion Daniel Cormier used the ring during his training for UFC 252 and was tipped off that something might be off thanks to the Oura Smart Ring…

“I was really trying to ensure that at 41 years old, I had all the science that helped me get through camp healthy and also have data that shows that I’m doing things in the right way and progressing in the direction that I need to be to try to become the heavyweight champion of the world.”

Daniel Cormier

It turns out Corimer had in fact tested positive for COVID-19, but thanks to the Oura ring data he found out earlier and was able to handle the infection before it got much worse. You could even say that thanks to the Oura ring he was able to fight at UFC 252 because the data being off was enough for Cormier to get tested earlier. Cormier also saved a lot of his teammates by finding out sooner rather than later and thus distancing himself thanks to the Oura ring data.

Could The Oura Smart Ring Save Future UFC Cards?

Two weeks ago the UFC Vegas 9 card was diminished to just 7 fights on the entire card due to COVID-19. The partnership with the Oura Smart Ring is huge for the organization because it can constantly track fighter data and warning signs. Imagine if every fighter on the roster wore one? You’d have data for 600+ fighters and could be alerted early of any signs of a possibly COVID infection. Plus, its a great way to track how the fighters are doing overall, so in my opinion this is a win/win situation for both the UFC and the Oura Smart Ring. UFC Performance Institute Vice President of Performance, Duncan French said the following regarding the partnership…

“We are always looking for the right tools to help our athletes make better informed decisions about their training and recovery. The Oura Ring is a fantastic device that we’re excited about because it provides valuable insights into key biometrics that athletes can use to make adjustments to their training and overall competition preparedness. We’re looking forward to seeing the positive impact the Oura Ring will have with UFC athletes.”

Duncan French