For many old school fans, predicting the MMA success of converts from other sports is one of the most uniquely interesting aspects of the sport. There are endless forum pages discussing how the likes of Dan Gable or Bruce Le do if they stepped into the MMA cages or rings. In some instances, these conversions actually take place and fans can actually see an Olympic gold medal winner wrestler like Henry Cejudo or a judo medalist like Ronda Rousey compete in the UFC.

StrikeScoreMMA has devoted, probably unwisely, an inordinate amount of time and resources to statistical models that predict the success or failure of these conversions from other sports. It is probably unwise, because ultimately different sports are just that, different. You could be a slightly above average wrestler like T.J. Dillashaw and go on to be a dominant UFC champion. However, that will not stop StrikeScoreMMA from trying.

On New Year's Eve, Rena Kubota will make her MMA debut. Kubota is a long-time veteran of sport of Shoot Boxing and a four-time winner of the Girls S-Cup, an annual tournament to determine the best in the sport. What is Shoot Boxing? For those that do not know, Shoot Boxing, which is often described as "standing vale tudo," is basically an MMA fight that is immediately restarted when it ends up on the ground. Fighters can go for standing submissions, takedowns and even point scoring high-amplitude throws.

MMA fighters often compete in the promotion with varying degrees of success. At the 2010 S-Cup, Bellator veteran Toby Imada defeated Takaaki Umeno and Andy Souwer to unexpectedly reach the finals before losing to Buakaw Por. Pramuk.

In 2011, Kubota welcomed Jessica Penne to Shoot Boxing. The American fighter pulled off the upset in her only fight for the promotion to date. Three years later, Penne went on the compete on the 20th season of "The Ultimate Fighter" and eventually challenge for the promotion's flyweight strap. Robert Sargent, the guru of women's MMA, described the bout at MMARising.