The UFC makes its long-awaited return to Canada on Saturday with UFC 289, which takes place at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, with a main card that airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.
A women’s bantamweight championship fight headlines the promotion’s first card in “The Great White North” since September 2019. Dual-division titleholder Amanda Nunes (22-5 MMA, 15-2 UFC) will attempt to defend her 135-pound strap against Mexican challenger Irene Aldana (14-6 MMA, 7-4 UFC).
For more on the numbers behind the main event, as well as the rest of the card, check below for MMA Junkie’s pre-event facts about UFC 289.
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Amanda Nunes
Nunes is one of four simultaneous two-division champions in UFC history. Daniel Cormier, Conor McGregor, and Henry Cejudo also accomplished the feat.
Nunes is one of eight fighters in UFC history to win titles in two weight classes. Cormier, McGregor, Cejudo, Jon Jones, Georges St-Pierre, B.J. Penn, and Randy Couture also accomplished the feat.
Nunes is the only fighter UFC history to have multiple simultaneous two-division title reigns.
Nunes is the only fighter in UFC history to record title defenses in two divisions while simultaneously holding multiple belts.
Nunes is the only fighter in UFC history to record multiple title defenses in two divisions while simultaneously holding multiple belts.
Nunes’ 10 victories in UFC title fights are fifth-most in company history behind Jon Jones (15), Georges St-Pierre (13), Demetrious Johnson (12), and Anderson Silva (11).
Nunes’ 10 victories in women’s UFC title fights are most in company history.
Nunes has defeated seven fighters who once held an undisputed UFC belt, the most of any active fighter in the organization.
Nunes’ 15 victories in UFC competition are tied with Jessica Andrade for most for any female in company history.
Nunes’ 12 victories in UFC women’s bantamweight competition are the most in divisional history.
Nunes’ eight stoppage victories in UFC women’s bantamweight competition are most in divisional history.
Nunes’ seven first-round finishes in UFC/Strikeforce women’s bantamweight competition are second-most in combined divisional history behind Ronda Rousey (seven).
Nunes’ six knockout victories in UFC women’s bantamweight competition are the most in divisional history.
Nunes’ three knockdowns landed in UFC women’s bantamweight competition are the most in divisional history.
Nunes’ 14-second knockout of Julia Budd at Strikeforce Challenger 13 is the fastest knockout in UFC/Strikeforce women’s history.
Nunes’ victory at the 2:36 mark of Round 5 at UFC 224 marked the second latest stoppage in a women’s UFC title fight. Only Miesha Tate’s win at the 3:30 mark of Round 5 vs. Holly Holm at UFC 196 came later.
Nunes’ four fight-night bonuses for UFC women’s bantamweight fights are tied for second-most in divisional history behind Rousey (seven).
Irene Aldana
Aldana has earned 11 of her 14 career victories by stoppage.
Aldana is one of three fighters in UFC history to earn a knockout stemming from an upkick from bottom position. She accomplished the feat at UFC 279. Jon Fitch and Niko Price have also won with the technique.
Aldana is the only fighter in UFC history to earn a knockout stemming from an upkick to the body from bottom position. She accomplished the feat at UFC 279.
Aldana has landed 773 significant strikes in UFC women’s bantamweight competition, the second-most in divisional history behind Raquel Pennington (922).
Aldana defends 84.4 percent of all opponent takedown attempts in UFC women’s bantamweight competition, the third-best rate in divisional history behind Ketlen Vieira (92.9 percent) and Bethe Correia (85.7 percent).
Aldana has been awarded three fight-night bonuses for UFC women’s bantamweight bouts, tied for fourth-most in divisional history behind Rousey (seven), Nunes (four) and Miesha Tate (four).
Charles Oliveira
Charles Oliveira (33-9 MMA, 21-9 UFC) won the title for the first time in his 28th UFC bout, the most appearances in company history.
Oliveira is 12-2 since he returned to the UFC lightweight division April 2017. He’s 14-4 (with one no contest) in the organization at 155 pounds.
Oliveira’s 21 UFC victories are fifth-most in company history behind Jim Miller (25), Andrei Arlovski (23), Donald Cerrone (23) and Demian Maia (22).
Oliveira’s 19 stoppage victories in UFC competition are most in company history.
Oliveira’s 13 stoppage victories in UFC lightweight competition are tied for second-most in divisional history behind Miller (15).
Oliveira’s 16 submission victories in UFC competition are most in company history.
Oliveira’s 10 submission victories in UFC lightweight competition are most in divisional history.
Oliveira’s six submission victories in UFC featherweight competition are the most in divisional history.
Oliveira’s five guillotine-choke submission victories in UFC competition are most in company history.
Oliveira’s three anaconda choke submission victories in UFC competition are most in company history.
Oliveira is one of two fighters in UFC history to earn submission victories with six different techniques. Frank Mir also accomplished the feat.
Oliveira is one of two fighters in UFC history to earn a calf-slicer submission victory. Brett Johns also accomplished the feat.
Oliveira has been awarded 18 fight-night bonuses for UFC bouts, tied with Cerrone for most in company history.
Oliveira has been awarded 12 Performance of the Night bonuses, the most in company history.
Oliveira is one of two fighters in UFC history to be awarded five or more fight-night bonuses in two separate divisions. Nate Diaz also accomplished the feat.
Beneil Dariush
Beneil Dariush’s (22-4-1 MMA, 16-4-1 UFC) eight-fight UFC winning streak at lightweight is the second-longest active streak in the division behind Islam Makhachev (11).
Dariush’s 16 victories in UFC lightweight competition are tied for third-most in divisional history behind Miller (22) and Cerrone (17).
Dariush is one of 10 fighters in UFC history to earn a knockout stemming from a spinning backfist. He accomplished the feat at UFC Fight Night 174.
Mike Malott vs. Adam Fugitt
Mike Malott (9-1-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) has earned all nine of his career victories by stoppage.
Dan Ige vs. Nate Landwehr
Dan Ige (16-6 MMA, 8-5 UFC) is one of two featherweights in UFC/WEC combined history to earn multiple knockout wins in less than one minute. Chan Sung Jung is the other.
Nate Landwehr (17-4 MMA, 4-2 UFC) defends 86.4 percent of all opponent takedown attempts in UFC featherweight competition, the second-highest rate among active fighters in the weight class behind Calvin Kattar (91.3 percent).
Marc-Andre Barriault vs. Eryk Anders
Marc-Andre Barriault’s (15-6 MMA, 4-5 UFC) victory at the 4:56 mark of Round 3 at UFC 260 marked the second latest stoppage in UFC middleweight history behind Garreth McLellan (4:58, Round 3) at UFC Fight Night 76.
Nasourdine Imavov vs. Chris Curtis
Chris Curtis (30-10 MMA, 4-2 UFC) has earned 17 of his 18 career stoppage wins by knockout. That includes three of his four UFC wins.
Curtis has defended 100 percent of opponent takedown attempts in UFC competition, the highest rate in company history among fighters with at least 20 attempts on them.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 289.
UFC research analyst and live statistics producer Michael Carroll contributed to this story. Follow him on Twitter @MJCflipdascript.
