UFC opens its 2015 campaign with arguably one of its biggest championship fights in history as UFC 182 sees the highly anticipated 205-pound title collision between Jon Jones (20-1 MMA, 14-1 UFC) and Daniel Cormier (15-0 MMA, 4-0 UFC) finally take place.
Tension between “Bones” and “DC” has built over the months from their infamous September brawl to several heated interviews. The rivalry will come to a boiling point Saturday night at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand Garden Arena when the two sides meet for Jones’ belt.
The title fight is far more than just a grudge match, though. Jones and Cormier own two of the most impressive resumes in MMA, as in a combined 36 professional fights, neither has suffered a knockout, submission or decision loss, a feat that’s only happened twice before in UFC title fight history.
To dig into some of the milestones the UFC 182 fighters have already accomplished or are on the verge of accomplishing, here are 50 pre-fight facts about this UFC’s 2015 debut.
Main event
Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier
Jones owns or is on the verge of owning several light heavyweight and overall UFC records, all of which can be viewed on his complete UFC career stat sheet.
Jones (84.5-inch reach) will have a 12-inch advantage over Cormier (72.5 inches), the third largest differential ever in a UFC fight.
Jones and Cormier will mark the first fight in history when two fighters on at least a 10-fight UFC/Strikeforce/WEC/PRIDE winning streak will meet in MMA competition.
Cormier is 5-0 in his career against fighters who once held or challenged for a UFC championship.
Cormier has never been taken down in his MMA career.
Cormier holds the record for the most victories (eight), knockouts (four) and significant strikes landed (305) in the history of the now-defunct Strikeforce heavyweight division.
Cormier has out-landed every UFC and Strikeforce opponent he’s faced. He out-lands his opponents by a more than 3-1 ratio; landing 506 significant strikes to just 161 absorbed. His UFC/Strikeforce strike differential of +2.78 per minute is the third highest among fighters at 205 pounds or higher in the combined history of the two organizations.
Cormier’s submission of Dan Henderson at 3:53 of round 3 at UFC 173 stands as the second latest submission in a three-round UFC light heavyweight fight. Forrest Griffin holds the record with his finish of Mauricio Rua at 4:45 of round 3 at UFC 76.
Co-main event
Donald Cerrone
Donald Cerrone (25-6 MMA, 12-3 UFC) will compete in his 26th UFC/WEC lightweight bout, the most of any fighter in the combined history of the two organizations.
Cerrone’s five-fight UFC winning streak is tied with T.J. Grant for the third longest active streak in the lightweight division behind Khabib Nurmagomedov (six) and Myles Jury (six).
Cerrone’s 12 UFC lightweight victories are the third most in divisional history behind Gleison Tibau (15) and Jim Miller (13). His 18 victories in UFC/WEC lightweight competition are the most in the combined history of the two organizations.
Cerrone has finished 12 opponents in UFC/WEC lightweight bouts, the most of any fighter in the combined history of the two organizations.
Cerrone’s eight knockdowns landed in UFC lightweight competition are tied for the second most in divisional history behind Melvin Guillard (13). He has 13 knockdowns landed in his UFC/WEC lightweight career, which is tied with Guillard for the most in the combined history of the two organizations.
Cerrone is one of five fighters in UFC history to earn three or more knockout victories stemming from a kick to the head. Lightweights Edson Barboza and Daron Cruickshank, along with middleweight Vitor Belfort, are the others to accomplish the feat.
Cerrone landed 49 leg kicks against Vagner Rocha at UFC 131, the second-most in a three-round UFC fight. Thiago Alves holds the record with 52 leg kicks landed against Seth Baczynski at UFC on FOX 11.
Cerrone lands 50.5 percent of his significant strikes, the highest rate among active UFC lightweights.
Cerrone’s eight submission victories in UFC/WEC lightweight competition are the second most in the combined history of the two organizations behind Nate Diaz (nine).
Cerrone has defended 88.6 of all opponent takedown attempts in UFC lightweight competition, the second highest defense rate in divisional history behind Tibau (92.2 percent).
Cerrone has been awarded 15 UFC/WEC fight-night bonuses, the most of any fighter in the combined history of the two organizations. “Cowboy” has earned a reported total of $655,000 for those bonuses. He has earned a bonus in 10 of his 14 UFC appearances.
Cerrone is one of two fighters in UFC history to earn a “Fight of the Night,” “Knockout of the Night,” “Submission of the Night” and “Performance of the Night” bonus during his career. Former bantamweight champion Renan Barao is the other to accomplish the feat.
Myles Jury
Jury’s (15-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) six-fight UFC winning streak is tied with Nurmagomedov for the longest active streak in the lightweight division.
Jury has earned all but three of his career victories by stoppage. All of those finishes have come inside the first round.
Jury absorbs just 1.22 significant strikes per minute of fighting, the best rate in UFC lightweight history and second best rate among active UFC fighters overall behind Rani Yahya (1.04).
Remaining main card
Nate Marquardt (33-13-2 MMA, 11-6 UFC) made a successful return to the UFC middleweight division when he submitted James Te Huna at UFC Fight Night 43.
Marquardt will compete in his 16th UFC middleweight bout and tie Ed Herman for the fourth most appearances in divisional history behind Chris Leben (22), Yushin Okami (18) and Michael Bisping (17).
Marquardt’s 11 victories in UFC middleweight competition are the fourth most in divisional history behind Anderson Silva (13), Okami (13) and Leben (12).
Marquardt’s seven stoppage victories in UFC middleweight competition are third most in divisional history behind Silva (11) and Leben (nine).
Marquardt’s nine knockdowns landed in UFC middleweight competition are the second most in divisional history behind Silva (12).
Marquardt’s four knockdowns landed against Dean Lister at UFC Fight Night 8 stand as the most ever in a UFC middleweight fight. His four knockdown performance is also tied for second largest in UFC history, behind only Forrest Petz’s five knockdowns of Sammy Morgan at UFC Fight Night 6.
Marquardt’s 21-second knockout of Demian Maia at UFC 102 stands as the fifth fastest knockout in UFC middleweight history.
Nate Marquardt
Marquardt absorbs just 1.35 strikes per 15 minutes of fighting at middleweight, the best rate among active 185-pound fighters and the third best overall in divisional history.
Marquardt has complete 29 takedowns in UFC middleweight competition, tied with C.B. Dollaway for third most in divisional history behind Chael Sonnen (35) and Ed Herman (30).
Marquardt lands 74.4 percent of his takedowns in UFC middleweight competition, the highest rate in the division’s history and second highest rate all-time in UFC history behind Robbie Lawler (80 percent).
Marquardt has attempted 14 submissions in UFC middleweight competition, tied for the second most in divisional history behind Kendall Grove (17).
Brad Tavares’ (12-3 MMA, 7-3 UFC) past five UFC victories have come by decision. His last stoppage win was a first-round knockout of Phil Baroni at UFC 125 in January 2011.
Tavares’ 116 significant strikes against Riki Fukuda at UFC on FUEL TV 8 stand as the fourth most ever landed by a middleweight in a single UFC fight.
Kyoji Horiguchi (14-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC) enters the event on a career-high eight-fight winning streak. He has not suffered a defeat since January 2012.
Hector Lombard (34-4-1 MMA, 3-2 UFC) is 2-0 since he dropped to the UFC welterweight division in October 2013.
Josh Burkman (27-10 MMA, 5-5 UFC) returns to the UFC for the first time since Oct. 25, 2008 – a span of 2,261 days.
Burkman returns to the organization on the strength of a 6-1 record in his past seven fights.
Preliminary card
Danny Castillo
Danny Castillo (17-7 MMA, 7-4 UFC) will compete in his 20th UFC/WEC lightweight bout and tie Melvin Guillard for the fifth most lightweight appearances in the combined history of the two organizations behind Donald Cerrone (25), Gleison Tibau (22) and Yves Edwards (21).
Castillo’s five knockout victories in UFC/WEC lightweight competition are tied with Edwards and Anthony Njokuani for the third most in the combined history of the two organizations behind Guillard (seven) and B.J. Penn (six).
Castillo has landed 45 takedowns in UFC/WEC lightweight competition, the fourth most in the combined history of the two organizations behind Gleison Tibau (80), Clay Guida (48) and Benson Henderson (46).
Marcus Brimage (7-3 MMA, 4-2 UFC) is 1-1 since he dropped to the UFC bantamweight division in July 2014.
Shawn Jordan (16-6 MMA, 4-3 UFC) has defeated his opponent by stoppage in 15 of his 16 career victories. Jordan has finished his opponent in his past eight victories.
Evan Dunham (14-6 MMA, 7-6 UFC) enters the event on a career-high three-fight losing streak. He is 1-4 in his past five bouts overall with his lone victory in that span by split decision.
Dunham has landed 711 significant strikes during his UFC career, the third most of any lightweight in history behind Sam Stout (965) and Frankie Edgar (767).
Dunham lands 4.97 significant strikes landed per minute of fighting, the second highest output rate of any lightweight in UFC history behind T.J. Grant (6.83).
Rodrigo Damm (12-8 MMA, 3-3 UFC) is 1-2 since he moved to the UFC lightweight division after spending his first three UFC appearances at featherweight.
For more on UFC 182, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.
FightMetric (www.fightmetric.com) research analyst and live statistics producer Michael Carroll contributed to this story. Follow him on Twitter @MJCflipdascript (www.twitter.com/mjcflipdascript).
