The FightMetric system is based on qualitative and quantitative research into the things that matter most in ending a fight. Its algorithm is based on historical fight data and guided by the following principles:

1. The goal of every fighter is to end his fight - Only things that win fights and confer advantages should score points. Those that result in more victories score higher.
2. Defensive maneuvers can't win fights - If all you’re doing is stopping your opponent’s attacks, you’re losing.
3. It doesn't matter what you strike with, only where you strike to - Measuring the effectiveness of punches versus kicks versus knees independent of target may be interesting, but gives no indication of fight effectiveness.
4. Not all strikes are created equal - Power matters a great deal. Even a total head strike count means nothing unless you know how many of those strikes were landed with power.
5. It's what happens after the takedown that matters - With the exception of slams, takedowns are only valuable insofar as they set up more valuable opportunities on the ground. Taking someone down into guard confers only a modest advantage to the fighter in top position.
6. Focus on the end result - Little things, like body jabs on the ground, will never end a fight, but they do set-up important things like submissions and guard passes. Remember that the submission attempt or successful guard pass will score the points, and that in their absence, those body jabs were worth little.
7. Damage is not a one-round effect - Cuts, swelling, and tight joint locks end fights both by doctor’s stoppage and by impairing a fighter’s ability to perform. Those effects last the duration of the fight and should be scored as such, not just in the round in which they occur.
8. Position matters, how you get there doesn't - It’s unimportant what technique a fighter uses to execute a takedown or a guard pass. All that matters is what position that technique leads to.
9. Grappling actions have equal opposite reactions - The same number of points granted to one fighter for a position change (e.g., gaining mount) must be awarded to the other fighter should he work his way out of it.