Data Analysis shows 20% of comments on UFC BJJ 1 are Likely Bots, Modest Social media gains for participants

John Davis
A detailed analysis of UFC BJJ 1’s YouTube comments reveals a troubling pattern of artificial engagement, with nearly one in five comments appearing to be bot-generated. Combined with modest social media gains for participants, the data raises serious questions about the authentic reach and impact.

173 Suspicious Comments Out of 913 Total

Our analysis of UFC BJJ 1’s YouTube comments, conducted using the VidIQ plugin, identified 173 comments (18.9% of the total 913 comments) that match common bot patterns. These comments fall into generic categories that rarely relate to the actual content being discussed.

The most frequent bot-like comments included:

  • “Can we all agree this creator deserves more recognition” | 16
  • “This deserves way more views. Absolutely underrated” | 15
  • “I learned more in 10 minutes than hours of Googling” | 13
  • “This video randomly popped up and I m glad it did” | 12
  • “Came for the thumbnail, stayed for the vibes” | 12
  • “This is going straight into my favorites playlist” | 11
  • “Algorithm finally did something right” | 11
  • “You just earned a new subscriber” | 11
  • “I ve had this on repeat all day” | 10
  • “Who else is here before this blows up” | 10
  • “This gave me chills… in the best way” | 9
  • “Mood instantly lifted. Thank you for this” | 8
  • “That transition at 3:12 was chefs kiss” | 8
  • “I didn t expect to love this as much as I do” | 8
  • “The editing is top-tier. Seriously impressive” | 8
  • “Pure talent. No words” | 7
  • “I can t stop smiling watching this” | 7
  • “Thank you for this video, very enlightening!” | 7
  • “That part at 2:45 Instant goosebumps” | 6
  • “Your consistency is inspiring—keep going” | 4

It’s especially interesting to see identical grammatical errors in repetitive comments. This all but confirms manufactured activity.



(we should note that the screenshots were taken prior to receiving the entire data set and that’s why they show 845 comments)

What makes these comments particularly suspicious is their reference to specific timestamps that correspond to mundane moments—often just casual conversation during the broadcast rather than noteworthy technical exchanges or dramatic moments.

Artificial Growth Patterns Continue

This bot activity aligns with our previous investigation into UFC BJJ’s suspicious growth patterns, which revealed questionable viewership claims and artificial follower gains for competitors. The livestream accumulated 750,000 views in approximately 12 hours, with VidIQ suggesting a rate of 57,200 views per hour—a pace that doesn’t align with the platform’s actual concurrent viewership numbers.

Social Media Gains

The social media impact for UFC BJJ 1 participants tells a sobering story when compared to legitimate grappling successes:

UFC BJJ 1 Participant Gains:

Bella Mir’s stats
Varela’s stats
Gabriel’s stats

For Comparison – Legitimate Grappling Success:

The Exclusivity Problem

The modest follower gains become more concerning when considering UFC BJJ’s exclusive contracts in addition to partnership with Hayabusa. Athletes signing exclusive deals with the promotion may actually be limiting their exposure and sponsorship opportunities compared to competing in established events with proven track records of elevating competitors’ profiles.

This exclusivity means grapplers are potentially trading broader exposure opportunities for association with a platform that appears to rely on artificial metrics.

These patterns aren’t isolated incidents. Dana White previously claimed his Power Slap promotion had more followers than Real Madrid and more viewers than Taylor Swift videos—claims he later admitted were incorrect, tweeting

“Meant to say views. Yes I f***ed that one up”

after fans pointed out Power Slap’s 3.9 million followers versus Real Madrid’s 162 million.

The combination of bot comments, artificial viewership claims, and minimal social media impact for participants suggests UFC BJJ may be looking more like a success than actually being one. This is potentially a part of their strategy to secure a new broadcasting deal.

The UFC BJJ expansion plans are equally ambitious. The promotion will host six events in its inaugural year, with potential growth to ten events in the following year. Gadelha envisions a comprehensive combat sports entertainment schedule:

“We want to go on the road with the UFC on on Thursdays we have UFC BJJ Fridays Powers Lab and Saturday’s the UFC.”

“When I have conversations with Dana (White) and Hunter (Campbell), I see that these guys, they don’t don’t play to lose,”

Gadelha explained during the post-event press conference.

“I remember I asked Dana one question. He asked me to do something. I was like, um, what is the next plan if I can’t do that? And he said, I’m not the type I’m not a plan B type of a guy. So, we make things happen here in the UFC.”

As noted by controversial MMA analyst MMA Guru in September 2024, even within UFC’s main promotion, followers often convert based on personal appeal rather than technical skill.

However, UFC BJJ participants aren’t even achieving those modest gains, despite being positioned on what’s supposedly a major platform.

What This Means for Grapplers

For athletes considering exclusive deals with UFC BJJ, the data presents a cautionary tale. The promotion’s reliance on artificial engagement metrics, combined with participants’ modest social media gains, suggests the platform may not deliver the career-elevating exposure it promises.

Authentic growth in grappling comes from genuine fan engagement and memorable performances on established platforms. When nearly 20% of comments appear to be bot-generated and follower gains pale compared to traditional grappling events, athletes might be better served exploring opportunities with promotions that have proven track records of elevating their competitors’ profiles.

John Davis