How Often Should a UFC Fighter Fight a Year?

Is it my imagination, or do the guys fight less now than a few years ago?  It seems that most guys fight twice a year.  
I don't know about anyone else, but that feels too infrequent to me.  Only fighting twice a year doesn't allow for much comparisons.  I wished they could fight 3 times a year, at the minimum.

If a training camp is 8 weeks, and they fight twice a year, that leaves most of the year empty.

On the way up, fighters sometimes fight 4 times a year.  But when one becomes champion, they make a lot more money.  Maybe $1M per title defense.  So, when you're making $1M per fight, you don't have to fight too often to live great.  And maybe you don't want to risk your title, either.

So, champions often fight no more than twice a year, and the UFC has problems determining who gets title shots.

How often do you think that healthy fighters should fight per year?

At least 3 times, and if you're the champ you should defend as often as you can.  You have a few years in your physical prime to be at the top of the sport and I think you should compete as often as you safely can.

I think at the minimum 2...Ideally 3-4

2-3 is good. Maybe 4.

^^^^What they said barring injuries.

every 3-4 months, more if they had a quick previous fight win

I think the answer to that question is all individual.  Some fighters are healthy enough to fight 5-6 times a year, regardless of the type of fight they had (barring medical suspensions).  I think on average, 3 times a year is acceptable.

3-5 would be great for the fans, but at the higher levels they SHOULD be getting injuries, no?

Should be getting injuries?  Everyone gets "hurt"..... long camps.. tough training.. then the fight... but "should being getting injuries"?  I don't like what that implies. 

I only mean, that if you train at that level and then fight at that level, law of averages says you should statistically be facing injuries that keep you from fight at an amateur pace. No mal intent.

* Edited at 06.02.2012, 10:11 PM ET *

three to four would be prime if ur winning.  at least six months after a loss 

Jon Jones fights every 4 months while GSP only fights twice a year (not this year)....Just depends  on the fighter and how much damage they intake during the fight/ during training.. 

@Judo.. I probably vocalized that wrong...  I know you have no mal intent.  I guess, I call what you're talking about "getting hurt"... I call injuries things that keep you out of training 6 weeks or more (broken bones, etc..).  Everyone is going to get hurt.. may need a week to recover.. that is what I meant.  The hope is that no one ever gets injured... that is why the word "should" I didn't like.

3 times a year would be good for fans, maybe 4 times if their fights end early and they sustain minimal damage.

Definitely 3-4 times a year, although age and injuries can and always will have a factor.  There's a reason Anderson Silva doesn't fight as often as he used to, (and Chael can say whatever he wants to, it's not because Silva was ducking him).    

Jon Jones fights a ton, but again, he's only 24, his body recovers so much more quickly than someone who's 34 (not to mention Jones has completely owned damn near every single person he's ever fought).  Once he's older, he won't fight as much either.

But yeah, last time I checked, these guys are fighters, soooooo they should fight when they can.   I love Carlos Condit, but I hate that he's willingly sitting out and costing himself a nice paycheck and the UFC a potential huge PPV by not competing till GSP returns, even though I completely understand why he's doing it and would have to seriously consider it myself. (although that solution is simple enough in theory, quit promising fighters a guaranteed title shot, make them keep fighting and don't tell them anything until it's their turn for a title shot)

It appears the house is in consensus that fighters should at least try to fight 3 times a year and possibly a 4th time if they are healthy, their fights end somewhat early and they sustain minimum damage.  And the younger guys do recover faster.  Their bodies are more resilient.  

These guys are in fantastic condition, and don't necessarily 'need' months in-between fights.  The early UFC fighters fought multiple times in tournaments.  And they still fought well.  And I do also realize that today, we have medical suspensions.  But most of them are a month or so.  

So, if a fighter is in top condition, fights 1 round, sustains little damage, there is no reason to wait 6 months to fight again.  Most of the wasted time is finding another opponent and signing a contract.  Why waste 2 months to accept another fight??  THAT'S where much time is wasted and lost!!!

How many fighters right now are healthy but have no fight on their calendars??  It's the politics of accepting fights that's the real culprit here, as far as I can see.

Such a waste.

* Edited at 06.03.2012, 10:58 AM ET *