The UFC returns to Salt Lake City on Saturday for the third time in company history with a loaded UFC 291 event, which takes place at Delta Center with a main card that airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ABC, ESPN and ESPN+.
The main event will see the reintroduction of the “BMF” title, with former interim UFC lightweight champs Dustin Poirier (29-7 MMA, 21-6 UFC) and Justin Gaethje (24-4 MMA, 7-4 UFC) set to meet in a rematch of their 2018 Fight of the Year, which Poirier won by fourth-round TKO.
In addition to the pair of fan favorites colliding in the headliner, a number of notables are slated for the rest of the lineup. For more on the numbers, check below for MMA Junkie’s pre-event facts about UFC 291.
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Dustin Poirier
Poirier won a UFC title in his 22nd octagon appearance, the third most of any interim or undisputed champion in company history behind Charles Oliveira (28) and Michael Bisping (26).
Poirier’s 21 UFC victories are tied for the sixth-most in company history behind Jim Miller (25), Andrei Arlovski (23), Donald Cerrone (23) and Demian Maia (22) and Oliveira (22).
Poirier is 13-3 (with one no contest) since he moved up to the UFC lightweight division in April 2015.
Poirier competes in the fourth rematch of his career. He’s 3-0 when facing an opponent for the second time.
Poirier’s eight knockout victories in UFC lightweight competition are tied with Drew Dober for most in divisional history.
Poirier is the only lightweight in UFC history to land 150 or more significant strikes in three separate fights.
Poirier and Dan Hooker combined for 390 total strikes landed at UFC on ESPN 12, the single-fight record for a UFC lightweight bout.
Poirier is one of five fighters in UFC history to earn two or more submission victories by D’Arce choke. Tony Ferguson, Khamzat Chimaev, Julian Erosa and Vicente Luque also accomplished the feat.
Poirier is one of seven fighters in UFC history to be awarded 13 or more fight-night bonuses.
Justin Gaethje
Gaethje is the only fighter MMA history to win titles in UFC and WSOF.
Gaethje is the only fighter in UFC history to land 100 or more significant strikes in each of his first three promotional appearances.
Gaethje lands 7.38 significant strikes per minute in UFC lightweight competition, the second-highest rate in divisional history behind Frank Camacho (8.91).
Gaethje lands 60.2 percent of significant strike attempts in UFC lightweight competition, tied with Islam Makhachev for the best rate in divisional history.
Gaethje is the only fighter in UFC history to win at least one fight-night bonus in each of his first seven octagon appearances.
Gaethje has been awarded 11 fight-night bonuses in 11 UFC appearances.
Gaethje’s 11 UFC fight-night bonuses since 2017 are most of any fighter in the company.
Jan Blachowicz
Jan Blachowicz (29-9-1 MMA, 12-6-1 UFC) becomes the seventh fighter in history to make 20 UFC light heavyweight appearances.
Blachowicz is one of two Polish champions in UFC history. Joanna Jedrzejczyk also accomplished the feat.
Blachowicz vs. Magomedov Ankalaev at UFC 282 is one of five title-fight draws in UFC history.
Blachowicz is one of four light heavyweights in UFC history to earn a knockout stemming from a body kick. He accomplished the feat at UFC Fight Night 53.
Alex Pereira
Alex Pereira (7-2 MMA, 4-1 UFC), a former UFC middleweight champion, moves up to the light heavyweight division.
Pereira is one of 12 undisputed middleweight champions in UFC history.
Pereira’s eight MMA fights before becoming UFC champion is the second-fewest in modern history behind Brock Lesnar’s four.
Stephen Thompson vs. Michel Pereira
Stephen Thompson’s (17-6-1 MMA, 12-6-1 UFC) 10 knockdowns landed in UFC welterweight competition are tied for fourth-most in divisional history behind Thiago Alves (13), Jake Ellenberger (11) and Matt Brown (11).
Thompson’s eight fight-night bonuses for UFC welterweight fights are tied with Vicente Luque for third-most in divisional history behind Chris Lytle (10) and Brown (nine).
Michel Pereira’s (27-11 MMA, 6-2 UFC) five-fight UFC winning streak at welterweight is the longest active streak in the division.
Tony Ferguson vs. Bobby Green
Tony Ferguson’s (25-8 MMA, 15-6 UFCU) five-fight losing skid is the longest of his career. He hasn’t earned a victory since June 2019.
Ferguson returns to the lightweight division after a one-fight stint at welterweight.
Ferguson’s 10 stoppage victories in UFC lightweight competition are tied for fourth-most in divisional history behind Miller (15), Oliveira (14) and Joe Lauzon (13).
Ferguson’s three D’Arce-choke victories in UFC competition are the second-most in company history behind Luque (four).
Ferguson is one of five fighters in UFC history to win a title fight by triangle choke. He accomplished the feat against Kevin Lee at UFC 216.
Bobby Green’s (29-14-1 MMA, 10-9-1 UFC) three-fight winless skid is tied for the longest of his career. He hasn’t earned a victory since February 2022.
Green has landed 1,500 significant strikes in UFC lightweight competition, the most in divisional history.
Michael Chiesa vs. Kevin Holland
Michael Chiesa (18-6 MMA, 11-6 UFC) returns to competition for the first time since Nov. 20, 2021. The 616-day layoff is the longest of his nearly 13-year career.
Chiesa is 4-2 since he moved up to the welterweight division in December 2018.
Chiesa has completed at least one takedown against 15 of his 16 UFC opponents.
Chiesa lands 77.8 percent of his takedown attempts in UFC welterweight competition, the best rate in divisional history.
Chiesa absorbs 0.79 significant strikes per minute in UFC welterweight competition, the lowest rate in divisional history.
Kevin Holland (24-9 MMA, 10-6 UFC) is 3-1 since he dropped to the UFC welterweight division in March 2022.
Holland’s 21-day turnaround between UFC main events (UFC on ESPN 21 and UFC on ABC 2) is tied with Deiveson Figueiredo (UFC 255 and UFC 256) for the shortest span in company history.
Holland is one of three fighters in UFC history to go 5-0 in a calendar year. Roger Huerta (2007) and Neil Magny (2014) also accomplished the feat, but Holland did it the fastest at 210 days.
Gabriel Bonfim vs. Trevin Giles
Trevin Giles (16-4 MMA, 7-4 UFC) is 2-1 since he dropped to the welterweight division in January 2022.
Giles is one 17 fighters in UFC history to earn victories in three weight classes. He’s won fights at light heavyweight, middleweight and welterweight.
Derrick Lewis vs. Marcos Rogerio de Lima
Derrick Lewis (26-11 MMA, 17-9 UFC) competes in his 27th UFC heavyweight bout, tied with Frank Mir for the second-most appearances in divisional history behind Andrei Arlovski (40).
Lewis’ three-fight losing skid is the longest of his career. He hasn’t earned a victory since December 2021.
Lewis’ 17 victories in UFC heavyweight competition are second-most in divisional history behind Arlovski (23).
Lewis’ 13 stoppage victories in UFC heavyweight competition are tied with Mir for most in divisional history.
Lewis’ 13 knockout victories in UFC competition are tied with Brown most in company history.
Lewis’ 13 knockout victories in UFC competition stemming from punches are the most in company history.
Lewis’ 13 knockout victories in UFC heavyweight competition are most in divisional history.
Lewis’ seven knockouts stemming from ground strikes in UFC competition are second most in company history behind Cain Velasquez (eight).
Lewis is the only fighter in history to have his first eight UFC bouts end in a knockout.
Lewis’ knockout of Alexander Volkov at UFC 229 despite a -82 significant strike differential marked the greatest statistical striking comeback in UFC history.
Lewis and Francis Ngannou combined for 31 total strikes landed at UFC 226, the second fewest in a three-round UFC fight that went the distance behind Jens Pulver vs. Joao Roque (23) at UFC 26 in June 2000.
Lewis’ seven fight-night bonuses for UFC heavyweight bouts are tied for third-most in divisional history behind Stipe Miocic (nine) and Stefan Struve (eight).
Marcos Rogerio de Lima (21-8-1 MMA, 10-6 UFC) is 7-3 in the UFC when competing at heavyweight.
De Lima has earned 17 of his 20 career victories by stoppage. He’s finished 16 of those wins in Round 1.
Jake Matthews vs. Darrius Flowers
Jake Matthews (17-6 MMA, 11-6 UFC) is 6-3 since he moved up to the UFC welterweight division in November 2017.
Matthew Semelsberger vs. Uros Medic
Matthew Semelsberger (11-5 MMA, 5-3 UFC) is one of two fighters in UFC history to earn multiple knockouts of 20 seconds or less. Anthony Johnson also accomplished the feat.
Uros Medic (8-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC) moves up to the welterweight division after spending his previous three octagon appearances at lightweight.
Miranda Maverick vs. Priscila Cachoeira
Priscila Cachoeira’s (11-4 MMA, 3-4 UFC) 40-second knockout at UFC Fight Night 168 is the fastest stoppage in UFC women’s flyweight history.
Cachoeira’s two knockout victories in UFC women’s flyweight competition are tied for third-most in divisional history behind Valentina Shevchenko (four) and Maycee Barber (three).
Cachoeira’s two fight-night bonuses for UFC women’s flyweight bouts are tied for second-most in divisional history behind Molly McCann (three).
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 291.
UFC research analyst and live statistics producer Michael Carroll contributed to this story. Follow him on Twitter @MJCflipdascript.
