Ep. 19: Beyond the Octagon — How UFC Clinicians Build a Safer, Stronger Athlete

How does the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization keep its athletes healthy, prepared, and protected? In this special episode, Dr. Shelly Weinstein and Dr. Mike Turnwald speak with Dr. Heather Linden and Dr. Jennifer Neudorfer from the UFC Performance Institute about the intersection of performance science and emergency medicine. The discussion explores how the Institute sets a new standard in athlete health and safety, covering emergency response training, the development and implementation of Emergency Action Plans (EAPs), injury prevention, and performance optimization. The group shares lessons learned from Cogent Steps’ Emergency Response for the Athlete course, insights into high-stakes event medicine, and what it takes to prepare world-class athletes to perform safely at the highest level.